This 1976 Topps Hank Aaron looks overgraded.
WalkinDude
Posts: 82 ✭✭✭
I think this card should have been maybe a 6? How did it get an 8?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393926835868
Patrick
2
Comments
Wow!
Based on what I've seen over the past 2 years, I'd expect a 4-6?
That looks more like a 3 to me!
Also, The seller of this card "Sundiegocollectibles", was affiliated with the infamous "When it was a Game", that was involved in the "WIWAG" scandle several years ago pertaining to fake PSA holders. Information is in the link below.
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1369218
Steve
This is disturbing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/294639495817?vv=&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5335849815&toolid=10034&customid=eBay-US_go-item_-i3nf6ihu9a9i--www.google.com-1644962766.CL.0.1..1949.bowman.feller.psa.5..-294639495817_wcc&nma=true&si=X4CWiYd%2FOwbeM5NdHiv4FpLn59c%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Oh lord.
Omg that is way off.
Successful Trades: Swampboy,
Ouch...that corner hurts!
I sure hope that's a mechanical error.
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.
I do wonder if eBay's / CSG will identify fraud like this? My guess is no poptart-ing way. I do also wonder if when Authentication for Slabs takes effect for graded cards will peddlers of these type of wares simply lower price from $319 to $249.50
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
They actually have many 1976 cards that look damaged on the corners, but graded an 8
I don't believe so.
Yes, but if this Aaron was "worked on," it sure wasnt a good job! Got to be a mechanical error.
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.
This card is not even close to NM-MT 8. The PD alone should limit it to a 7 even if it were razor sharp.
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.
I believe every card is looked at by 2 graders to ensure an accurate grade.
Patrick
Says a lot about the hobby when collectors will pay 8 money for cards that are 6’s in 8 slabs. The WIWAG scheme only works if buyers ignore the card and buy the slab
Either a massive error, or outright fraud.
I'm no expert but that's what I was thinking.
Wouldn't give 8 money for that if my life depended on it.
Deleted
Maybe the damage is on the holder? just to be a contrarian.
Aren't you just the comedian.
I'm seconding or thirding mechanical error.
edit: for Christs sake I've got 2's, 4's and 5's that look better
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
I've owned several 7's that are way nicer. The card below fits Tim's comments about PSA 7 with PD to a 'T'.
Everyone makes errors from time to time. It's how well those errors are rectified.
What exactly is a mechanical error? Machines tend to do what they're told to do. User error is a thing. Mechanical error would be, like, if the machine broke and the card got stuck in some gears or something.
Perhaps the grader (hand) wrote a "3" that the data entry person misread to be an "8." With those corner bends and PD, that card looks like a "3" to me.
Thats new brail program they are rolling out......
No doubt a "Pre-Pandemic" Slab.
Gretzky,Ripken, and Sandberg collection. Still trying to complete 1975 Topps baseball set from when I was a kid.
This card is not even close to NM-MT 8. > @CardGeek said:
The term "mechanical error" is when the grade printed on the flip is not the grade assigned to it by the grader, not to be taken literally.
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.
As I pointed out in my post earlier, the seller of this '76 Aaron was also involved with a company "When it was a Game", who defrauded collectors.
Here's what they did:
I believe this is what they did with this '76 Aaron.
They were really good at it; it took a while for them to be caught, and it was a huge scandal at the time.
The problem is, the cards and slabs from their scheme are still out there in large numbers.
Steve
This Aaron though was very recently graded with the new Lighthouse holder.
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.
The new slabs don't lend themselves to being cracked and resealed. The early generation holders could be cracked, intact, and glued back together without gross signs of the work done to them. The new slabs chip apart when you crack them. In fact, the only way I've been able to crack and resub cards is by busting off a corner and then prying apart the rest of the holder. Has anyone successfully cracked a new generation holder and extracted the card while maintaining the integrity of the top and bottom halves of the slab? I'd be amazed if you have. It takes skill just to remove the card without damaging it.
Agreed. I dont think he realized this card was very recently graded and in a newer holder. My money is still on mechanical error.
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.
Thank you grote15 and gemint for that clarification.
I have problems keeping all the PSA slab generations straight. So yeah, that '76 Aaron does look like a probable mechanical error.
It just re-emphasizes the importance of "buying the card, and not the holder"!
Steve
Successful accuracy for mechanical devices are usually determined by the operator, if humanly operated.
One of my pet peeves is the phrase "mechanical error". If the human operator made an error, then own it. I cringe every time I hear the excuse "mechanical error"
The grading of the above Aaron PSA 8 goes beyond a "bad day of grading".......
Yes. That's why mechanical error is most likely. I remember a 1968 Bob Gibson making the rounds on eBay about 20 years ago that was labeled 'MINT 7'. Certainly a mechanical error. That's also what likely happened with the beater 1956 Willie Mays that was labeled 'GEM MINT 10' instead of 'PR 1'.
Here’s an odd case study. We probably all remember seeing a really off center 1972 Johnny Bench graded PSA 9 making the rounds a few years ago. As it turns out from examining surrounding cert numbers, almost 50 1972 Bench cards were submitted at the same time years ago. There were over 20 PSA 9s, and several ridiculously OC Cards that got straight 9 grades. Probably more than several. Unfortunately I can only find images of a few. One of them has already been corrected to EX 5.