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Question on Pack Grading

dontippetdontippet Posts: 2,609 ✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

While I am experienced with card grading, I am slightly new to pack grading. What are the qualities that make a pack get PSA 10? IMO, I wouldn't think this pack is a 10 due to its loose wrapper and off-center wrapper (i.e. the wrapper looks "sloppy"). I'm certainly not questioning PSA's standards, just wanting to know what their standards are. Obviously, I'm not looking at the right aspects.

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Comments

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The grade of a pack is based on condition of the wrapper (any rips or tears or splits), overall cleanliness of the wrapper and seal on back, and to a lesser degree, centering of top card in a cello pack. Cello packs in the mid to late 80s were loosely wrapped at the factory so that would not be detrimental to the grade in this case.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • 1all1all Posts: 511 ✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:
    The grade of a pack is based on condition of the wrapper (any rips or tears or splits), overall cleanliness of the wrapper and seal on back, and to a lesser degree, centering of top card in a cello pack. Cello packs in the mid to late 80s were loosely wrapped at the factory so that would not be detrimental to the grade in this case.

    Hi Tim, I would say that for a PSA 10 the centering of the top card is very important (even for a PSA 9). If you have a 90/10 top card, you typically won't get more than a 7.

  • dontippetdontippet Posts: 2,609 ✭✭✭✭

    Does centering of the wrapper have anything to do with it?

    > [Click on this link to see my ebay listings.](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&_udlo=&_udhi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=61611&_sargn=-1&saslc=1&_salic=1&_fss=1&_fsradio=&LH_SpecificSeller=1&_saslop=1&_sasl=mygirlsthree3&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_fosrp=1)
    >

    Successful transactions on the BST boards with rtimmer, coincoins, gerard, tincup, tjm965, MMR, mission16, dirtygoldman, AUandAG, deadmunny, thedutymon, leadoff4, Kid4HOF03, BRI2327, colebear, mcholke, rpcolettrane, rockdjrw, publius, quik, kalinefan, Allen, JackWESQ, CON40, Griffeyfan2430, blue227, Tiggs2012, ndleo, CDsNuts, ve3rules, doh, MurphDawg, tennessebanker, and gene1978.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2018 8:50AM

    @1all said:

    @grote15 said:
    The grade of a pack is based on condition of the wrapper (any rips or tears or splits), overall cleanliness of the wrapper and seal on back, and to a lesser degree, centering of top card in a cello pack. Cello packs in the mid to late 80s were loosely wrapped at the factory so that would not be detrimental to the grade in this case.

    Hi Tim, I would say that for a PSA 10 the centering of the top card is very important (even for a PSA 9). If you have a 90/10 top card, you typically won't get more than a 7.

    My point is that centering of top card is less important with a pack than it is for card grading or the other factors involved. I would agree that if a top card is centered 90/10 a PSA 7 is the likely grade but there are plenty of PSA 9 cellos with 75/25 centering out there, too.

    I would also agree that for a PSA 10, the top card should be well centered.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @dontippet said:
    Does centering of the wrapper have anything to do with it?

    To some extent, yes, but it is not as significant a factor as wrapper condition and seal.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1all said:

    @grote15 said:
    The grade of a pack is based on condition of the wrapper (any rips or tears or splits), overall cleanliness of the wrapper and seal on back, and to a lesser degree, centering of top card in a cello pack. Cello packs in the mid to late 80s were loosely wrapped at the factory so that would not be detrimental to the grade in this case.

    Hi Tim, I would say that for a PSA 10 the centering of the top card is very important (even for a PSA 9). If you have a 90/10 top card, you typically won't get more than a 7.

    I've seen that in the grading standards as well, but looking at the example posted by the OP ...

    Who is the Golf Card Guy?
  • gmoneystylesgmoneystyles Posts: 349 ✭✭

    That bonds is no better than 20/80 left to right.

    Now looking for a 1950 Bowman Baseball Box as pictured below.
    image
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2018 1:11PM

    @gmoneystyles said:
    That bonds is no better than 20/80 left to right.

    The white part of the cello on the left edge of the pack covers up part of the left border making it look more OC than it is.

    That pack certainly doesn't look out of place in a 10 holder. That was the point I was attempting to make earlier about the impact card centering in the pack has on the assigned grade.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • ahopkinsahopkins Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2018 1:39PM

    I'd take this 9 over the above 10 any day, even though it's mislabeled.

    Andy

  • gmoneystylesgmoneystyles Posts: 349 ✭✭

    @ahopkins said:
    I'd take this 9 over the above 10 any day, even though it's mislabeled.

    I would too. Also, did you notice that the packs are sequentially graded one after the other? 41293848 vs 41293849. Crazy.

    Now looking for a 1950 Bowman Baseball Box as pictured below.
    image
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @gmoneystyles said:

    @ahopkins said:
    I'd take this 9 over the above 10 any day, even though it's mislabeled.

    I would too. Also, did you notice that the packs are sequentially graded one after the other? 41293848 vs 41293849. Crazy.

    @gmoneystyles said:

    @ahopkins said:
    I'd take this 9 over the above 10 any day, even though it's mislabeled.

    I would too. Also, did you notice that the packs are sequentially graded one after the other? 41293848 vs 41293849. Crazy.

    We'd need to see a scan of the back of both packs to make a fair comparison as the seal on back is a factor in the grade assigned.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • coinspackscoinspacks Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭

    The one graded a 9 above, you can see the wrapper is off center.

    The bottom section stating 31 cards isn't as centered as the psa 10 version.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,725 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @coinspacks said:
    The one graded a 9 above, you can see the wrapper is off center.

    The bottom section stating 31 cards isn't as centered as the psa 10 version.

    Good point.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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