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Opinions on this 1962 Willie Mays PSA-9 (PD)...W/O Qualifier, What Would it Grade?
mintonlypls
Posts: 1,751 ✭✭✭✭✭
This card is in the current Heritage Auction. It is extremely well preserved (corners and edges) and centered well at approximately 55/45 in both directions. The PD is in the black background due to "snow". Without the qualifier...would it grade an 8 or a 7 from PSA. I have been looking as well as bidding on this card. A PSA-9 is $100+k...a PSA-8.5 ~$50k...PSA-8 $10-15K and a PSA-7 $2500. Hopefully...the snow shows up on this image. It's an intriguing card...how much to deduct for the snow in the background? And I always liked the photo of a smiling Mays with bat in hand. I'm aware that this photo was used on the 1963 Bazooka Bubble Gum card for Willie Mays...
mint_only_pls
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A 7 without the qualifier, but that card is going to sell for a lot more than 2500. Someone will but it a crack and re-submit.
Jeez, that's a beauty of a card. Snow usually gets an automatic 7 but I've seen worse. Maybe a 7.5 for this one but I wouldn't be shocked if it got an 8.
Have a 7 for comparison if it helps. Of course, old label, pre half grades, not worth chit...... and crappy scanner.
The card doesn't look square. Looks narrower at the bottom.
And it's too off center to get a half grade.
I think the amount of snow is minimal. Could see an 8, but borders look a little skinny to me in both directions. Especially top to bottom. Might end up with nothing if you crack it.
Bosox1976
PSA has been very tough on print issues lately. Safely a PSA 7 with upside to PSA 7.5.
I collect differently than many I think. I would never crack and resubmit because I would rather buy a card than pay grading fees. If I was looking for a ‘62 Mays and saw that card - I would go to VCP and compare it to 7s, 7.5s and 8s - see how many at each grade I prefer this card to those. I would then bid accordingly - if to me I prefer this card to most to all of the 7s but not the 7.5s then I would bid at the highest end of 7s. If I preferred it to most/all of the 7.5s then that is what I would bid. My opinion of the card matters more to me than PSAs or SGCs. Comparison could also make it clear this isn’t the card for me.
If I had to guess it grades a 7 with a possible outcome range of 6-8.
Amazing card. Doesn't deserve the PD from what I can see.
On the Heritage Auction site…there is the ability to zoom and print defect shows up better.
The PSA scan images are also available and really help to see the print issues. The question is interesting.
What Would it Grade?
Probably a 7 as others have stated. The qualifier impacts the 9 by 2 grades according to PSA, which seems fair. I could see people asking "How did this get an 8" and I can see people saying "This is a nice looking 8" for this same card in this same slab if only the label was different. That subjectivity is what makes the hobby enjoyable still with these manufactured grades.
What is it worth?
I can only speak for myself, but strangely enough this is a card I have been after. The 9 PD did not make it into my tracking on HA, but there is another example coming next month (PSA 7) which is. I preferred that one. I would value the 9 PD at $4000 considering it a very high-end 7.
What will it sell for?
With BP? I would guess buyer pays $5500. Why? I guess it's a very nice looking card even with the print issues but it's no better than a 7 in the registry from a point perspective. The HA image does well to downplay the print issues so perhaps that's part of it and people are looking at this as a potential 8.
Here is the one I am tracking. Also - a fair grade at 7, but I think it is a nice looking 7.
https://www.psacard.com/cert/86840336/psa
Good luck. Hope you win it!
If I decide to go after it and win it...I might review it in the holder with no qualifier. The preservation (corners/edges) is exceptional.
The size of the card looks okay to me while zooming in on the Heritage site: top to bottom, the card is hitting both parts within the holder and side to side, the card is slightly tilted within the holder in that the upper left is closer or slides under that inside part of the holder with the upper right side then expected a little farther away at the top than the bottom on the right side.
Condition sensitive issues such as 1962s are ugly if preservation is not outstanding.
I'm on my computer now so I can zoom in on the card and count pixels.
The right edge of the card is perfectly and remarkably straight in the picture.
The left edge of the card does taper in, but only a few pixels (maybe .005"), well within tolerance.
The problem is, the left rail of the holder is not straight.
It is mostly straight, then bends left nearing the bottom(blue line area), compounding and exaggerating the gap, making the card appear not square.
Maybe the quality control of the older holders were better.
Anyway, I retract what I said about the squareness.
Thanks Ron for pointing out the left rail…I can see now that it is not straight. Crazy…
Ignoring the PSA grade, have you seen a more beautiful 1962 Mays?
It is a great value buy…
I am pretty happy with mine. Have had it for a while - bought it before this card skyrocketed.
Wow that SGC 8 is a beauty
Brad…
From the image…I am surprised that is not an 8.5.
Now would you be happy with a 7.5?
Nice card Brad.
My eyes are popping looming at the average prices of this card in 7 and up above in this thread. Wow, had no idea this was such a big card, never been n my radar really
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
A 7.5 would be a win…very attracted/impressed by the preservation for this card and always liked the image itself.