Need Advice on Back Centering for this 1976 Topps Gary Carter (Update)
charliehustle14
Posts: 425 ✭✭✭
Hello All,
I was going through some recent show pickups and remembered buying this card and wondering if PSA would grade it. As you can see the front is pretty nice, with great corners and pretty nice centering. The back is a different story though. I know what the PSA Grading Standards state on centering, but in my experience, as long as the card has a border, it will get a grade. I've sent in a few thousand cards (including many '76 Topps Baseball) to PSA over the years, but have not run into this situation before where the baseball around the number is right at the edge of the card. Does PSA still consider this card to have a border, or is this considered miscut? I really like the card for my personal collection. A 9 would be nice, but I'd settle for an 8 on this bad boy.
'76 Carter Front
'76 Carter Back
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
Comments
In my experience PSA doesn't look to close at the back.
Stunning card! You have a great shot at an 8 and if the grader is in a hurry, you could get a 9.
Good luck!!
I am concerned about the baseball being trimmed. Otherwise, the back centering should not be an issue. Likely a PSA NM 7.
7
I think PSA will say it is mis-cut because part of the baseball is missing
I had a 1976 vending set where an entire series was cut like this to varying degrees. I viewed them as miscut and got rid of them if any part of the baseball was missing.
I have the same card and the back is miscut. I received a grade 9 for it. See below. - Pat
Patrick
PSA has been more lax on back centering than one would expect. That is why I agreed with JoeBonzai’s initial post. I am working on a ‘55 Bowman HOF set and it is not uncommon to see 8s that have part of the next card on the sheet showing on the back. This is why (if this sort of thing bothers you) you never buy a card without a back scan.
To the OP I think it is an 8 or a 9.
Card is Mis-Cut. If PSA says it is a 10.....the card is still Mis-cut. Keep it raw. Still is a beautiful card.
Brad, I know. There really isn't any back standards for 55 Bowman. I use eye appeal test...as long as the other card is not showing than I'm okay with it. Not really ok; but since there are basically no standards to the backs of 55 Bowman...
I really don’t understand how a card cut like that is a 9, but a card with a surface wrinkle on the back that can only be seen under a loop is a 6.
Pretty easy to understand really. A wrinkle is looked at as a crease and destroys the grade on a card. Centering has two different standards one for the front and one for the back and is subjective. I think there should be some wiggle room on creases/wrinkles, but if there is, it's not much.
Apparently PSA doesn't measure for centering, so now it becomes even more subjective.
If you go back to the dark ages, front centering was no big deal as long as border showed all the way around, now it seems like that is true for back centering.
The Carter card pictured here also has a undefined back border if you look at the green shading and don't notice (or put any weight on) the "baseball", you are in the "ballpark" of a 9.
This is a stunning card to me. I think an 8.5 might be a more accurate grade, but a 9 is ok.
I appreciate everyone's input on this card. Thanks for the trouble of posting scans on your similar card, Walkindude.
Joebonzai, I was around for the Dark Ages too. I've gone back and looked at many of the "MINT" sets i put together in the early 80's. So many cards with almost slivers for borders on the front.
I used to get rid of cards cut like this from '76 and not get them graded, but this one got me thinking.
Great info all around, guys. I've already got this card in a PSA 8 slab, and it's kind of an afterthought to send this one in. I figured I'd get some opinions before I paid the shipping and grading fees on this in a bulk sub. If it pulls an 8.5 or 9, this one will probably fill the slot in my personal collection. The '76 set holds a special place in my heart as it was the first one where I actually chased a full set as a kid. I had to spend what seemed like at age eight an awful lot of allowance money for that pursuit.
Thanks again fellas.
It took many months to get this one back from PSA, but I'm very pleased with the grade. Thought this information might be useful for anyone else in the same boat on '76 Topps cards.
Congrats on the 9. Beauty!
Great looking card!!! Thanks for the update.
Congrats on the 9!
Very nice. Congratulations.
Congratulations, but I don’t understand how part of the baseball being missing isn’t viewed as miscut. I’m annoyed because I literally gave away otherwise perfect cards because of this same defect.
Nice card, congrats on the 9.