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1980 Hockey Grading Question

AhmanfanAhmanfan Posts: 4,389 ✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Hi,
I came across this 2nd year Gretzky in a collection I bought. I'm curious if the name being revealed affects the grade at all. Do they cap the potential grade based on it being scratched? New to this issue so I am a newbie.
Card has a surface bubble on the top border so probably capped at a 6 at best anyway but curious for those who are more familiar with the set.


Collecting
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS

Comments

  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No, but with the bubble and the focus I think you get a 5 on that card.

  • AhmanfanAhmanfan Posts: 4,389 ✭✭✭✭

    @80sOPC said:
    No, but with the bubble and the focus I think you get a 5 on that card.

    Seems logical to me. I'll be selling it as-is.

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
  • RufussCkingstonRufussCkingston Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bet that still sells for $100+ raw

  • RedHeart54RedHeart54 Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭

    I have seen 1980 Topps cards with scratched “pucks” in PSA holders. I don’t know what their official policy is towards the scratched cards as they, to my mind, always held less value. (In the day Beckett would notate scratched cards as 50% less than non scratched.) If PSA grades the scratched cards I think they should notate it on the label.

  • RufussCkingstonRufussCkingston Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 4, 2021 8:48AM

    @RedHeart54 said:
    If PSA grades the scratched cards I think they should notate it on the label.

    PSA does NOT notate it (especially since you can see it) It goes with surface grade, if a coin digged into the surface while scratching it off, then the grade would reflect it. Don't know if there are any scratched PSA 9's, but there are some scratched PSA 8's out there.

    Now if PSA had scratched and unscratched labels, like they have with coating and without coating for 2000's cards, then it would be a different story, but alas they have not done that.

  • RedHeart54RedHeart54 Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭

    If you look through the listings for all 1980 Topps hockey PSA cards (not just the Gretzkys) the vast majority are unscratched. (There are a few scratched Gretzky main and Gretzky All Star cards and a few scratched Ray Bourque rookies.) I take this to mean PSA is not supposed to be grading scratched cards.

    I think the scratched cards are slipping through the cracks and the individual grader is probably forgetting that Topps has the “scratchable puck” and 1980 OPC does not. Understandable, but given that the Gretzkys and the Bourque are the 1980 Topps hockey money cards PSA needs to ensure they are consistent with this set.

  • RufussCkingstonRufussCkingston Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 4, 2021 7:36PM

    @RedHeart54 said:
    If you look through the listings for all 1980 Topps hockey PSA cards (not just the Gretzkys) the vast majority are unscratched. (There are a few scratched Gretzky main and Gretzky All Star cards and a few scratched Ray Bourque rookies.) I take this to mean PSA is not supposed to be grading scratched cards.

    I think the scratched cards are slipping through the cracks and the individual grader is probably forgetting that Topps has the “scratchable puck” and 1980 OPC does not. Understandable, but given that the Gretzkys and the Bourque are the 1980 Topps hockey money cards PSA needs to ensure they are consistent with this set.

    Umm... No

    So you are saying that the grader, then the QA1, then the QA2 all missed the scratched card that is not supposed t be graded? I don't think so.

    The ability to scratch off the name was a feature of the card, thus it is not considered an alteration to scratch it. It is up to a prospective buyer, the marketplace to put a value on scratched cards vs unscratched of the same grade, not PSA. PSA is in the business of grading and authenticating cards that have not been maliciously altered.

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