1952 Topps fans: What grade did PSA give this Wilhelm rookie?

jrdolan

I cropped out the flip so you can make an unbiased judgment. The reverse is centered OK with no stains; it is not a factor in the grade. After a few of you grade it (as best you can from a scan), I'll tell you what PSA graded it and why I asked for more opinions.

ZodiacMindwarp

At first glance it looks like a very nice 7 but I would imagine that the flaw on the right border (rubber band?) brought it down to a 5.

joestalin

I would say a 5 too, it looks like the surface has some marks, sad for a 50+ year old card it is in amazing
shape but graders will hammer you on it.

Kevin

jmullen

If the marks on the right and left boarders are cuts then it could get a 3 (it happened to a sports king I had in the same shape with a small tear I missed on one boarder). Else, I'd say a 5.

slvnumber2

I am going to say a 5 or a 6. Nice card though.

Mantlefan

Great card, but the tear in the right border will make it a PSA 3.

jrdolan

Man, you guys are sharp ... and tough graders! There are indeed indentations on the upper left and middle right borders, but they are not tears or creases or cuts. In fact, you don't even notice them unless you turn the card just so and look close. The scan applies direct, close-up light to them in a way that does not happen many other ways. But they are there. I'm guessing rubber band, though they are not aligned that way.

Anyway, PSA graded it 6 Ex-Mt in the early days of the company (reg. # is 02000243 and it's the attractive 1943 Corona typewriter font). If not for those edge marks I would have said definitely 7, maybe even 8 based on the corners and overall appearance.

I'm good on corners and centering, but not marks like these: thus my post. I was trying to determine whether PSA under- or over-graded the card, or hit it just right. Seems to be a consensus that I am lucky to have a 6 grade, so I will not be cracking and submitting again. Those marks don't bother me much, but graders have different priorities.

Thanks to those who have responded so far, and to those who may come after.

stevek

PSA got it right based on your last description. Not really possible to accurately grade it without those final details regarding the edge marks. As you probably know, that card is not easy to find with decent centering. A tough high number with not perfect, but decent centering, graded a PSA 6 - VERY nice card!

jrdolan

Thanks, stevek. Of course everyone knows about the tough #311-and-up series, but I actually did not know that about the centering. Hoyt is usually centered much worse than this? Because of sheet position?

I paid just about SMR, for my HOF Rookies registry, and I just love the card. I was thinking about resubmitting raw in hopes of a 7, because of the corners, but the graders in this thread targeted those border marks right away. I don't want to come away with a 5 or worse.

stevek

jrdolan - I agree with you, not to resubmit. Much better chance to fall to a 5 than rise to a 7. It would most likely come back as a 6 again. I collect 1952 Topps, PSA graded and ungraded, most EX and up, and have much of the set. Almost all the cards have near perfect/perfect centering which is a preference for me. All of those high numbers are always tough to find nicely centered. My opinion, based on no facts whatsoever, is that maybe Topps towards the end of the summer when the last series was printed, didn't worry that much about quality control figuring not many kids were going to buy the cards anyway.

Steve

bjork73

Go figure that I would have given it a 6 upon first glance... very nice card And yes the old-school PSA font is indeed sharp