Gem Mint Kirk Gibson cards, Grading Complaints, Star Wars and Other Stuff.
ElMagoStrikeZone
Posts: 497 ✭✭✭
A player of rather modest achievement, 2 World Series titles, an MVP season which included one of the most iconic moments in all of sports history, this Gibson is a popular dude with a very difficult RC in PSA 10 condition. Many have tried. Only 14 exist.
Any predictions? heh-heh 
Gobble.
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Comments
I went through a long 81 phase a few years ago.
The tough ones are tough for a reason. Some are easy to get the front centered and their backs will be waaaay off.
I binged on unopened '81 Topps in 2013/14. Cellos, racks and plenty of wax. There was a bunch of it being sold and it was cheap. But, risk vs reward for opening, not so much, so I stored most of the boxes. No minty Gibsons.
Gobble.
I’m shocked where it is already.
Another quantum leaper post-COVID.
Gobble.
And based on the centering on the back I'm not sure they'd give that a 10 today (though they should and all day, every day!).
Wild.
I'm sure the edges are atrocious - feel like PSA just gives a pass to early 80s Topps edges
OPC sold for $5,000 the other day.
Yes, I think we're all well aware that anything OPC is better than Topps. You've said so on numerous occasions, so it must be true.
Gobble.
yes if i say it, it must be true -- i agree. just an observation bruh. calm down.
Fair enough. We shall beat the drum of our obsession.
Gobble.
For those obsessed, like me, or just interested, the Gibson RC PSA 10 is a feature item from a total of 467 PSA 10s of 1981 Topps Baseball closing tonight. I don't think I've ever seen that many gems lined up at one time. Stunning.
Gobble.
I was hoping they had a TOny PEna PSA 10 - but there isn't one. Got his autograph when he played in the minors. Walked on the field shook his hand and he signed, pretty neat. This happened about an hour before the game. I don't think any of the players spoke english or at least most of them didn't,
I'm #5 on the current finest rankings for the 1981 Topps set. While I do have a few 10s, I'm mostly 9s, with 2 tough cards in 8 that I'll upgrade eventually. When this set break opened up 10 days ago, I was cautiously optimistic that I might be able to knock out a good chunk of the cards that I still needed. Being a Greg Morris auction gave me pause, because he usually gets top dollar, not only with the raw cards, as often discussed. I may pick up a few, but most have already exceeded what I planned to bid.
Good luck to the other bidders!
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Re: Tony Pena - We got to meet Tony back in '04 during spring training when he was KC's manager. He signed a team hat for us. We also got Zack Greinke to sign, as well as a few other players. Most of the guys spoke English, I think.
Gobble.
Almost $10k….insanity!
i Have brought you gibson on these boards before, and no one seemed to give him his due.I thought he had a slim chance at the hall (like 5%) but at a minimum was a great investment. He's not Mattingly but he is something above just average. That makes his card the second most valuable 1981 sports card on the market. Topping Larry Bird and below joe montana, I think. Maybe an opc gray back psa 10 henderson or ryan might get close, but doubtful.
can you imagine what a PSA 10 Valenzuela would bring!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
There is a 10/9 Gibson on eBay - probstein.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/375728445592?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lRWoOGb3Tnq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=5iSrfd4pSJa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
A 10/10 on 4sc
https://www.ebay.com/itm/365195497448?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=xTOsf_ZhS6m&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=5iSrfd4pSJa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
I didn't add a single card to my registry set from this latest 81 Topps set break. I'm not sure I was even the second place bidder on any of the cards that I seriously attempted to snag. Some strong prices for a set that doesn't usually receive a lot of love.
Whomever unloaded those cards deserves a thunderous full stadium applause.
Gobble.
Seems like value was destroyed by getting those Gibsons signed. Cannot imagine either approaches the 10 without the auto.
It will, perhaps, provide some insight into whether the registry is the fuel behind some of those bids.
Though I have no data to support my opinion, I'd venture a guess that the World Series beginning tonight was an attraction by comparison to the 1981 Series which featured Dodgers/Yankees and then the Gibson moment in 1988 all contributing to a greater awareness for the '81 Topps set, setting off a price frenzy.
I've noticed it in the past, like with the Red Sox 20 years ago finally winning a title and all related Boston cards and memorabilia went nuts for awhile. The Cubs in 2016, as well. There are other examples, but from a business standpoint, this year's Series is going to bring a lot of stuff out of the woodwork.
Gobble.
The card appears to have wear on the top right corner. Is that correct?
Ironically enough it is perfectly acceptable for 4 Sharp Corners
I agree that they're not the best 10s.
Yeah plus the top left and edge chipping.... probably should be an 8!
I couldn't own it because of the diamond cut. That makes my head hurt.
I’m not sure Dodgers/Yankees WS had anything to do with it. There were several 81T PSA10s in that group that went for >$1k.
Bench @ $6100
Rose @ $5400
Carlton @ $2400
Mike Phillips @ $1375 (because?)
And more.
A lot of the late 70s & early 80s sets are in a unique dynamic. I’d think that most of the stuff 1976 & before has already been opened. But there’s a pretty fair amount of 78 & later stuff still unopened. But. . .given the crazy prices of unopened stuff from those years, it’s almost certain to stay unopened. And some of those sets - like 79T & 81 T - can be pretty brutal.
I'm focusing mainly on the Gibson 10, but I do believe the heightened interest is due to the connections of the WS teams involved and the enormity of the auction bringing more visitors to battle on those high-priced HOFers.
Gobble.
Jesus the card is even worse than I thought. Should that even get an 8?
1981 Topps is brutal. I just opened about 2 boxes of racks. Some potential on commons but Kirk Gibson, Nolan Ryan and Rickey are hard to come by in Mint let alone Gem. Pulled 5 Fernandos that are 6 worthy due to centering. I know one cell in every rack was diamond cut, so those were a wash except the first 3 cards or so that could be 9 worthy with the cut not as bad.
One of only 2 PSA 10s. Other low pops went for bank as well.
I can see from having studied the Pop Report, how chasing this set could turn a sober person into a day drinker.
Gobble.
Right. The margins for error on centering are just so small. Same with 79T and even 84 Donruss.
Registration issue, skewed image...looks like a 7 to me.
"Registration issue, skewed image...looks like a 7 to me."
I would guess it also has a spider wrinkle. So Im going with looks like a 5 to me.
Exactly so can anyone explain how PSA gave this a 10? Is it possible the card has been damaged since PSA graded the card? I can't see how any sane person could give this card a 10. Just like the 79 Eckersley it makes no sense.
Based on my subs for the past 2 years I would NOT even consider sending that in for grading if it was mine. I've had cards with better corners, edges and centering come back as 4s & 5s all day long.
I would pay 3X regular rates if they'd guarantee my next submission was graded by that grader!
100% agree so why did this card get a 10? PSA has quality check control right? How could this pass the test for a 10?
It probably looks a little worse than it is in the scan. I have cleaner 8s though. Presumably multiple graders independently considered it a 10. Assuming they do what they say they do. PSA would probably defend the grade to the death.
prolly one of the worst 10's psa has ever recorded.
It’s an eyesore…difficult on the eyes.
Been getting hammered on "FRESH PACK CARDS" from 1977 star wars
...i.e. 8's when should be 9's and 10's...example
I have a buddy who just sent a bunch of Saws from 1977 in for grading and thinks he’s getting all 9s and 10s…
I did my best to ground his expectations.
The Star Wars looks like the PSA 10 and the Gibson looks like it would be very lucky to get a PSA 8 .
Right...that it what I was getting at...man vintage is very frustrating these days...I'm only a pre 1990's collector so don't know much about modern cards...I noticed a QUANTUM change about 1 1/2 years ago in the vintage grade hammering...my thinking is grader performance evaluation type policy change maybe the reason but not really sure as to the reason why vintage harshness and seemly randomness hit "across the board"...
The last time I checked PSA was paying their graders less than most gas station attendants make hourly. So it’s not surprising that they have issues with consistency and quality control. You don’t walk into McDonalds and start asking for opinions on your cards. Certainly there’s training involved and there’s supposedly an aspect of double- blind here but it’s not an easy system to scale.
The errors are one thing but not making them right is where I would call PSA out. If I submit a card for review and it gets a bump I shouldn’t have to pay for the review. I get that this might incentivize them to never bump cards and I don’t have a good suggestion here but it’s an annoying problem.
the surface is doing the most damage. used to be corners where the most important.