In Process: 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. PSA Grade Run

NGS428

About 3.5 years in now, working to complete the grade run from Authentic to PSA 10. Some of the lower grades are proving to be challenging, Low grade half grades are quite a low POP. As most of us have experienced, there are some i wished I would have purchased when I had the chance, but there will always be tomorrow! I have had more than a few people ask me.. You are looking for what?? Why do you want a PSA 4...?.? I explain and most of the time they still feel like it is an odd pursuit. I know of 2 others who are attempting this. I am the only one looking at the half grades as part of the set. Iconic card of an iconic player, too good to have just one!

Anyone else creating a similar run for their favorite player or maybe another off the beaten path collection goal?

Showcase Link

Update: 7/19/24 - Secured a 3.0 MK and got it scanned in today!! POP 1 with a qualifier as a 3.

Here is the grade list and associated POP as of 8/17/20 (updated pops from 4/22/24 below). (Crossed off ones have been purchased)
10 - 3,841
9.0 - 24,551
8.5 - 324
8.0 - 31,033
7.5 - 79
7.0 - 7,120
6.5 - 88
6.0 - 4,852
5.5 - 34
5.0 - 2,672
4.5 - 14
4.0 - 533
3.5 - 4
3.0 - 100
2.5 - 3
2.0 - 53
1.5 - 6
1.0 - 29
Authentic - 152

9Q - 311
8Q - 444
7Q - 30
6Q - 8
5Q - 4
4Q - 1
3Q - 1
2Q - 1

Lowest grade to highest:

maddux69

Looking good! Best of luck on finding the lower graded ones...hard to believe there are two pop 1s with the number of Griffey's graded!

CW

Very nice! You are a brave man to try to get all the 1/2 grades as well.

bruin805

If you really want a challenge go for qualifiers too!

NGS428

@bruin805 said:
If you really want a challenge go for qualifiers too!

Ha, I thought about that.. In due time maybe..

LarkinCollector

I wonder how many of those Auths are auto'd copies? I can't see many non-autos getting that grade. Impressive run so far!

3stars

From the scans they look virtually identical...

NGS428

@3stars said:
From the scans they look virtually identical...

One thing the scans don’t seem to show well are any creases. The 3.5 has one about 1/3 way down the back all the way across the card left to right.

I did spend some time trying to get well centered examples for each. Half point grades were tougher on that task.. So yes, there really isn’t a night and day difference between the top to the bottom.

brad31

Those look nice. For the life of me I cannot see a defect that keeps the 7 and 7.5 from being higher.

bensie

I'm doing this for my favorite player's rookie card too. However, I'm also going for qualifiers (mc, oc, pd, st). I have another stipulation that for cards I send to psa, I cannot physically damage them or write on them.

jackstraw

I think if you erase the name and submit it that it will get the authentic designation or altered? As a matter a fact all 1989 Upper Deck cards can be erased which I didn't know when I bought this one for 25.00 about 10 years ago.....

NGS428

@jackstraw said:
I think if you erase the name and submit it that it will get the authentic designation or altered? As a matter a fact all 1989 Upper Deck cards can be erased which I didn't know when I bought this one for 25.00 about 10 years ago.....

I assume altered. A pinhole in the card is a guaranteed 1, but I just can't bring myself to pop a hole in one of my raw ones!

NGS428

@bensie said:
I'm doing this for my favorite player's rookie card too. However, I'm also going for qualifiers (mc, oc, pd, st). I have another stipulation that for cards I send to psa, I cannot physically damage them or write on them.

Nice! So you are doing the Authentic to 10 and including qualifiers for specific grades or just one of each?

NGS428

@LarkinCollector said:
I wonder how many of those Auths are auto'd copies? I can't see many non-autos getting that grade. Impressive run so far!

Thanks! In the POP report under the "PSA Certified" tab the POP is 152 for authentic. If I click on the "PSA/DNA Certified" tab the authentic POP is 224. I assume that means 152 straight authentic and an additional 224 signed authentic.

Kid4hof03

Great project! I'm doing this with Roger Staubach's rookie, but I'm only going up to PSA 8, can't bring myself to spring for a PSA 9. I'm doing half grades, threw in an autograph as well. I also collect the rookie reprints that Topps has done over the years.

NGS428

@Kid4hof03 said:
Great project! I'm doing this with Roger Staubach's rookie, but I'm only going up to PSA 8, can't bring myself to spring for a PSA 9. I'm doing half grades, threw in an autograph as well. I also collect the rookie reprints that Topps has done over the years.

I considered the reprints, UD has a lot of them, but I figured I better focus on the real thing first!

CARDSANDCOINS

REMINDS ME OF 22 YEARS AGO 2 DEALERS AT A BIG SHOW HAD 1986 FLEER #57 jORDAN RUN PSA 1-10 EXCEPT A PSA 2, SO THE WERE BENDING 5'S AND 6'S TRYING TO GET A 2

2dueces

@maddux69 said:
Looking good! Best of luck on finding the lower graded ones...hard to believe there are two pop 1s with the number of Griffey's graded!

Even harder to believe there are 100 3’s!!
100??

NGS428

@2dueces said:

@maddux69 said:
Looking good! Best of luck on finding the lower graded ones...hard to believe there are two pop 1s with the number of Griffey's graded!

Even harder to believe there are 100 3’s!!
100??

Now there are 102 of them.. At over 75,000 total graded there are bound to be a few duds..

2dueces

@NGS428 said:

@2dueces said:

@maddux69 said:
Looking good! Best of luck on finding the lower graded ones...hard to believe there are two pop 1s with the number of Griffey's graded!

Even harder to believe there are 100 3’s!!
100??

Now there are 102 of them.. At over 75,000 total graded there are bound to be a few duds..

I understand 5’s. Even the best miss a surface wrinkle. But a 3 has to have multiple problems. Soft corners, surface scuffs etc.
Then again it could be the case that these were childhood cards and submitting because of that. I did it with 1966 Topps Football. Received a 3 on a regular checklist and a 2 on the Funny Ring checklist. But Namath came back a 7. I would sell my whole collection but never part with cards I opened as a 10 year old.

NGS428

Apparently (if these bidders are actually real). It would make the most sense to fold your 89 UD Griffey a few times before you send it in. This PR1 is getting strong bids... I mean come on....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324305287671

1959

Someones bidding it up. (shill)

NGS428

Gotta be. There are some other low grade ones by that seller with the same bidders between both.. Shall see what happens...

Horse

Mint card. Pinhole through the eyeball. Guaranteed PSA 1. Screw that bend crap 👍

uncbuddha

I have an 89 Griffey that was in An old PVC 9 pocket storage sheet. When I took it out all of the gloss and finish came off of the front. Nicely centered but I’m sure would grade horribly. Not sure if it is bad enough for a 2 or lower though. It’s nicely centered.

NGS428

Well the POP 1 PSA 1.5 just “sold” for $665. Yeah... PSA 1 “ended” at $146.50...

brad31

That is crazy but I imagine it would be tough to create a 1.5 and 2.5.

NGS428

Added the Authentic Altered to the mix. First post updated!

pdub1819

I think this is a really fun project. Crazy that people would pay those prices for a 1.5!

JBrules

Love following this thread. I am slowly doing one for the 69 Bench. Crazy money for that 1.5.

NJ80sBBC

Congratulations on the latest addition, really have enjoyed following along. These prices are insane. Wonder how many ppl are doing what you are doing?

John

NGS428

@NJ80sBBC said:
Congratulations on the latest addition, really have enjoyed following along. These prices are insane. Wonder how many ppl are doing what you are doing?

John

I used to get the reaction, something like, what are you doing??? Now I am one of a growing number doing this. This is the perfect card to do it with. Lots of them subbed and iconic. Still tough!

NGS428

@JBrules said:
Love following this thread. I am slowly doing one for the 69 Bench. Crazy money for that 1.5.

Nice! Which ones do you have so far?

JBrules

@NGS428 said:

@JBrules said:
Love following this thread. I am slowly doing one for the 69 Bench. Crazy money for that 1.5.

Nice! Which ones do you have so far?

Not sure if I will be able to land PSA 10 as the prices are probably too high at this point and they rarely come up for sale.

PSA 9
PSA 8
PSA 7
PSA 6
PSA 4.5
PSA 3
PSA 2.5
PSA 1.5

NGS428

@JBrules said:

@NGS428 said:

@JBrules said:
Love following this thread. I am slowly doing one for the 69 Bench. Crazy money for that 1.5.

Nice! Which ones do you have so far?

Not sure if I will be able to land PSA 10 as the prices are probably too high at this point and they rarely come up for sale.

PSA 9
PSA 8
PSA 7
PSA 6
PSA 4.5
PSA 3
PSA 2.5
PSA 1.5

PSA 10 is a pop 8 on the #95, so yeah, that will be tough! Highest pop is a 684, that set will be a challenge! Good luck!

NGS428

7 (MK) added to the run! Obvious blue marking on the back top.

Decided to add qualifiers to the run since the remaining grades are few and far between.

bruin805

I'm doing this with the 1964 Topps Ken McMullen card. He went to my high school (many years before me), and I remember when I was in the 7th grade he came to my school for career day. The 64 Topps card is his 2nd year, and I chose that one because his rookie card is a multi-player card and it's a bit out of my price range thanks to a guy named Pete Rose.

So far I've got it in 9, 8, 7, 7.5, and Authentic. There are only 2 10's in the pop report and not a lot of 4's, 5's, and 6's either (7, 4, and 13 of those, respectively). Nothing lower than a 4 has been graded. I guess that's the challenge of a card that's not really valuable.

NGS428

@bruin805 said:
I'm doing this with the 1964 Topps Ken McMullen card. He went to my high school (many years before me), and I remember when I was in the 7th grade he came to my school for career day. The 64 Topps card is his 2nd year, and I chose that one because his rookie card is a multi-player card and it's a bit out of my price range thanks to a guy named Pete Rose.

So far I've got it in 9, 8, 7, 7.5, and Authentic. There are only 2 10's in the pop report and not a lot of 4's, 5's, and 6's either (7, 4, and 13 of those, respectively). Nothing lower than a 4 has been graded. I guess that's the challenge of a card that's not really valuable.

Neat story! Darn Pete Rose.. Good luck on your quest. Sounds like a challenge and maybe an opportunity to submit a few to try to hit the grades you need.

blee1

Great project! I've been doing this with Dorsett for years now, half grades have been difficult to fill in.

NGS428

@blee1 said:
Great project! I've been doing this with Dorsett for years now, half grades have been difficult to fill in.

Thanks! How high are the pops on that card? Even with the relatively high pops on my card, they are tough to find.

Feel free to post some pics her if you would like!

emar

Super cool set!
I think your post will start a new trend

Cyberhawk_27

Having seen this sooner, I would have sent one I have with a messed up corner that will certainly be graded around 2 but with the turnaround time, I'll pass Good luck in your quest.

NGS428

@Cyberhawk_27 said:
Having seen this sooner, I would have sent one I have with a messed up corner that will certainly be graded around 2 but with the turnaround time, I'll pass Good luck in your quest.

Thanks! Yeah, please send any and all of these cards you have to PSA. There is interest.

Cyberhawk_27

Here is the card. (Top right corner).

NGS428

Picked up a POP 17 PSA 4.5. Got it added to the run! Corners are rough.. Other than that, the card is strong.

Very surprised to find this one pop up!

bobbybakeriv

That is crazy but very cool! Good luck down the home strretch!

NGS428

Been over a year, so I decided to add an Authentic to the mix. Yup, it is genuine.

mintonlypls

Nic...

That is a very cool project you decided to do and one in which is not as easy as it seems! Congrats on this latest addition...

Monte

NGS428

@mintonlypls said:
Nic...

That is a very cool project you decided to do and one in which is not as easy as it seems! Congrats on this latest addition...

Monte

Thanks Monte!

NGS428

It has been over a year since an add was found and exactly 3 years since my first post for this set, but don't worry, I have been and am still pressing on!! Managed to snag this one last week and it just came in. This PSA 2 has been one of the tough gets in this run! The PSA 1 is the only real one left, at a POP of 29. The 1.5 is a pop 5 and the 2.5 is a pop 3. If they even exist anymore that is...

daltex

@NGS428 What makes this a 2?