Home› Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Rough cut question

jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
A lot of 1970s OPC cards have a rough cut to a greater or lesser degree. Now, I understand that a slight rough cut actually can be a desirable thing because it shows the card is original and not trimmed. But at what point is it too "shaggy" and PSA starts dropping the grade? For example, how would you grade this '79 OPC Bench?

image

Comments

  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    Jrdolan:

    I would grade it a 6 or 7 based soley on the lower-right hand corner. I think the rough cuts are genearlly a good and desirable thing, and don't often detract from the grade. That being said, sometimes the rough cut leaves certain corners looking blunted, even if they legitimately don't have any wear. It is tough to get a high grade on those. But for that corner, I would overall grade the card an 8 - dropping out of the 9 consideration because of t/b centering (which I didn't measure and probably is technically ok for a 9). I also think that on some OPC cards, like the 1979, you have to look at the back, too. Sometimes rough cuts will leave border chips along the back edges that overall look pretty awful, and keep many cards out of a 9 holder.
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • rbeatonrbeaton Posts: 631 ✭
    image

    This one has quite a rough cut...

    Robert
    Looking for:
    Any high grade OPC Jim Palmer
    High grade Redskins (pre 1980)
  • jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    Wow, your Murray certainly gives me hope for my Bench. Do you block out the cert. # so no one can steal it?
  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭
    how is that bottom right corner though? rough cuts won't hurt but bad corners will. i would also think the top to bottom would make it 8 at the highest if that bottom right corner is ok
  • jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    Well, the PSA 9 Murray has a lower left corner similar to Johnny's lower right. I guess rough cuts can prevent a corner from appearing "sharp," but if the grader judges that it has no wear ... As for the top-to-bottom, it might be just within the specs for PSA 9. Overall, I think I'll be pretty lucky to pull 9. Because it's OPC and more scarce, I'll spend the money to get it graded and be happy with 8 if that is the case.
  • rbeatonrbeaton Posts: 631 ✭


    << <i>Do you block out the cert. # so no one can steal it? >>

    Yes, that's why I do it. It should also be pointed out that sometimes scans make the corners look worse than they really are...

    Robert
    Looking for:
    Any high grade OPC Jim Palmer
    High grade Redskins (pre 1980)
  • BuccaneerBuccaneer Posts: 1,794 ✭✭
    I have now come to understand this. A few of my 1963s have their left edge cut very rough that it looked like a chisel was used to cut them. They were the ones coming back as 8s because the rough cut did not harm the corner itself.

    I have also come to believe that print defects are not penalized either but that's another thread.
Sign In or Register to comment.