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1956 Topps Roberto Clemente (White Back) grade?!

Hi so I just had this card graded by PSA and I am fairly new to how cards are graded.. This one came back a 5 and I’m just trying to figure out why? I have looked at other examples of 5’s that look just terrible compared to mine. Any help or explanation would help me.. Thanks




Comments

  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Most likely culprit, surface wrinkle on the front of the card. Perhaps inside the bottom half of the 'S' on the billboard background?

  • OAKESY25OAKESY25 Posts: 4,726 ✭✭✭

    gotta be a wrinkle, possible on the last pic quarter inch to half inch in bottom border? hold it up to the light at different angles and you will find it. great card, sad a wrinkle you can't even see can hurt a card that much that looks that nice.

  • PNWcollectorPNWcollector Posts: 311 ✭✭✭✭

    nice card. What's the vertical white streak on the bill of the cap (to the left of the 'P' logo)?

  • emaremar Posts: 697 ✭✭✭✭

    Welcome.
    Nice card. That'd be PSA 5-high end.
    Corners look much better than a 5

  • OAKESY25OAKESY25 Posts: 4,726 ✭✭✭

    I also see ( what may be a glare) but a diagonal line running through clemente and throught the word pittsburg, could be something heavy was placed on it and made an intention?

  • GreenSneakersGreenSneakers Posts: 908 ✭✭✭✭

    Here’s some general guidance:

    • bull$&%t 1: pinhole or very small paper loss
    • bull$&%t 5: front surface wrinkle
    • Bull$&%t 6: back surface wrinkle
    • Bull$&%t 10: submitted by high volume client
  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 3, 2021 11:18AM

    Look at his hat brim there is a scratch

  • swish54swish54 Posts: 700 ✭✭✭✭

    Very nice card. I agree with the others, that there must be a wrinkle somewhere that's hard to see.

  • surfyfunsurfyfun Posts: 75 ✭✭

    That card has a lot of positive features, looks really nice. How much did you pay psa to meticulously scrutinize your card and then give you absolutely no detailed information about what they found? I think very slowly, but very surely, this will become to be seen as grossly unacceptable service....and, of course, lazy.

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭

    His hat

  • brad31brad31 Posts: 2,783 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would gladly buy from you at the PSA 6 price. Beautiful card. Must have a really difficult to see wrinkle. Looks like a much nicer card than the grade.

    Brad

  • So definitely no surface wrinkle, That’s how they all look. Example of a 7 below my 5.. However there is a small light looking little line just to the left of the “P” on his hat.. All the corners and everything else on the card is so darn perfect plus it’s not faded whatsoever! I just can’t believe that little line could affect its grade so much!

  • OAKESY25OAKESY25 Posts: 4,726 ✭✭✭

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 3, 2021 11:36AM

    HIS HAT HAS A SCRATCH
    near the white of the brim on the hat. its rather large and is why its a 5

  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @surfyfun said:
    That card has a lot of positive features, looks really nice. How much did you pay psa to meticulously scrutinize your card and then give you absolutely no detailed information about what they found? I think very slowly, but very surely, this will become to be seen as grossly unacceptable service....and, of course, lazy.

    A 10M+ card backlog disagrees with you. Yes, grader notes would be nice and I hear SGC is planning to do them right after GAI finishes their pop report.

  • I don’t see any wrinkles. It’s gotta just be that line on his hat. I took some pictures and tried to get any glare out. Most of the 56 Clementes I’ve seen in this kind of condition are atleast a 6-7.. Should I try and have it regraded or what? Honestly this is the first card I’ve ever sent in to grade. Thanks for the input from everyone



  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Its a scratch like a fingernail scratch. It equals a crease.

  • DBesse27DBesse27 Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agree with others that it’s a bad scratch. Don’t confuse eye appeal with technical grade. It’s correctly graded as a 5, according to PSA’s standards. But it’s a great looking card.

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  • surfyfunsurfyfun Posts: 75 ✭✭

    @LarkinCollector Just said slowwwwwwly attitudes will change. Yes, currently few agree with me. I don't think much argument could be made justifying the lack of details other than people seem to be okay with it and that's the way they've always done it. And those arguments probably won't continue to be accepted over time, in my opinion, why should they?

  • BatpigBatpig Posts: 460 ✭✭✭

    It’s 100% that surface scuff on his hat.

  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @surfyfun said:
    @LarkinCollector Just said slowwwwwwly attitudes will change. Yes, currently few agree with me. I don't think much argument could be made justifying the lack of details other than people seem to be okay with it and that's the way they've always done it. And those arguments probably won't continue to be accepted over time, in my opinion, why should they?

    Perhaps it's your attitude that needs to change.

  • PNWcollectorPNWcollector Posts: 311 ✭✭✭✭

    If you're looking for a 5 without a scratch, I'll trade you my scratch-free 5 for yours :)

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeah that is one where I wish they had a Qual for that. Mint 9 SC
    SGC might give it a 6-7. But its SGC.
    And you probably could get PSA 7 price even with it graded a PSA 5.
    So dont stress

  • 76collector76collector Posts: 986 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Dang. Gorgeous card. It is the scratch that brought it down to a 5. Bottom line is it's a beautiful card. Many people would love to have it for their PC if you decide to sell.

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  • PNWcollectorPNWcollector Posts: 311 ✭✭✭✭

    When I get this one graded it will be one of the nicer PSA 1 or 2s because of the pinhole.

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 3, 2021 1:49PM

    I once owned a 1959 Fleer #68 Ted Williams SP SGC 86 with a pin hole. True story.
    SGC had the dealer who I bought it from buy it back. Dealer wasnt going to refund my money until SGC talked to him. And I think they gave him free grades or something after the fact. This was in 1998-99 I think.

  • surfyfunsurfyfun Posts: 75 ✭✭

    @LarkinCollector I understand you may not have a counter argument to offer, but I don't feel I took any attitude with you and that comment actually does nothing but stoke bad vibes. If it's my attitude that psa grading is lazy you're referring to...then I'm comfortable waiting until attitudes adjust and blow my way. I think I'm on the right side of this, long-term.

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