Qualifier or Two Grades Lower...Which To Choose??

PROMETHIUS88

Just wanted to get some opinions as I have run into this dilema while working on my 70 Topps basketball set. There are several cards in the set including the sp's that are difficult to find/big money in 8 or 9. So, to fill those holes, would you rather have a PSA 9 with a qualifier of mc or oc or go with the PSA 7 that just doesn't have the same eye appeal??

Any opinoins?

Tim

transparent

Personally, I think a 9 with a qualifer better describes the card. If you see "9OC" or "9MC" or "9ST" you pretty much know what to expect (sharp corners, good gloss, some sort of defect). A PSA 7 could have that grade for many different reasons - including wear from handing, which is vastly different than printing defects. For my personal collection, I like to look at my spreadsheets ... see the grades... and know what I have. The whole point of the grading system, is to give the card a grade ... I can't understand why anyone would prefer a 7 to a 9 qualifer, unless they are trying to fool someone (even themselves) into believing that the card may be better than it is?? Just my opinion.... I think the 7 would probably sell better on the open market, but in a collectors sense... the grade should define the card.



PSA 8OC ... a very nice card... for this set, gorgeous. The grade defines it will. If it were a 6 instead.... a person wouldn't know a thing and would have to see a scan.

jrdolan

The qualifier means that your 9oc will count as 7 in the registry. However, not every 9oc would be a 7 be if it was regraded with no qualifier. Some might get knocked down 3 grades and others only 1, based on eye appeal.

Once more I trot out Eddie Mathews as an example of a 9oc that might earn an unqualified 8 upon regrade. It's doesn't merit the off-center designation by much. It might be close enough on the centering criteria for an 8 that overall eye appeal could give it the nudge in the grader's discretionary view. I've seen many unqualified 8's with this kind of centering.

But the Bench 9oc is SO much off-center, almost miscut, that I wouldn't be surprised if it got a 6 if I asked for an unqualified grade.

shagrotn77

I don't mind the PSA 9 PDs at all. They certainly sell for more than a PSA 7 too.

Axtell

Really depends what you are looking for, and the type of qualifier.

Personally, centering to me is of vital importance. I really dislike cards that are off center, and I would gladly take a solid 7 over a 9OC, and it would be a great deal less expensive, too.

It all is on personal tastes....that's what makes this hobby so great.

transparent

You know what... maybe the question needs clarification.

I was thinking that the question was: For a card that could be a 9OC or a 7 (same card) which grade would you rather see on the tag?

But your reply makes me wonder if the real question was: Would you rather own a centered PSA 7 (slight wear) or a PSA 9 OC (MINT but off center)?


For the first question, I would take the 9OC every time. For the second, I'd have to see the cards... but I agree that in most cases I would choose the 7.

Paul H.

LordThanos1969

I have flip flopped on this issue. I now would rather have a slabbed 90C rather than a 7, especially for commonly off-centered issues, such as 1969 and 1970 Topps basketball. Part of it's personal taste, as off-centering does not bother me as much as it does some in the hobby (back when I was first seriously collecting raw cards, centering was not as important of a defect among collectors as it is now). In general, I've seen 9OC goes for more than 7s on eBay, and that may be because not everyone perceives the qualifier as dropping the card down two grades. Also, some sellers are very effective (and borderline deceptive) on marketing 9OCs as Mint or the next best thing.

fensfan

there are a few cards in the 70 basketball set where I can see this as an issue. In my set I have a 9 oc alcindor that I think would probably sell for more than a straight 7. Since I am building the set, I'm okay with the 9 oc in this case, for now, because a straight 9 is a big dollar card I can't swing right now. But to make the set complete, for me, I'll have to eventually replace the oc, probably with an 8.

Sideplate

I know most people will disagree with me but I will take a lower grade any time over a card with a qualifier. I have never understood the concept of a 9OC. If it is off center then gee, it ain’t a 9 now is it! How about we have a 9 CW (corner wear). It would be a nine, but the corners are dinged. The whole concept just does not make sense to me. The card is what it is! I have thousands of PSA cards and not one with a qualifier. It just gives off bad vibes when you see that “it’s a mint card, except for this one major flaw” qualifier printed on the flip. Just my opinion.


Ken

PROMETHIUS88

Ain't if funny how opinions vary!! I guess i look at my Bob Rule card that i have in a psa 9pd and the the Bob Rule psa 7 I have. I just can't get the same excitement out of the 7. Hell, it has more print spots than the 9, yet it has no qualifier...go figure. Those of you who do collect the 70 Topps basketball know how those sp's and the black background cards like Rule and Block are rare to show themselves on Ebay in and 8 or better. When they do, you might as well figure that you will spend triple digits to get one of them...usually $200 and up. Don't even think about bidding on more than one of those in 9 unless you want your kids to settle for living at home and attending the local Junior College.
Who knows, maybe when they start to slab 10's with qualifiers, I'll have a whole new dilema to face!

1967topps

My experience in selling 1967's is that a 9OC is about as desirable as a PSA 6 to
the set registry people. Yes, 6, not 7 that it counts for in the registry. PSA 9 OCs are
a pox. So the last bunch of stuff I sent in to PSA I put "No Qualifiers" for all cards
submitted. Didn't get any 9's OC or not but better than trying to sell commons with qualifiers

1967topps

No 9s but some nice 8s

Sorry meant to include this in the previous posting since sometimes you guys like
looking at other peoples submission results (and try to determine if I got
the grader of death)

1967topps

see also separate thread about some of these 67s

LordThanos1969

Well, that may be true for some, but this set registrant would much rather have a 9OC than a 6. I know some people are incredibly obsessed by centering, but to say a card with as much wear as 6 is as desireable as a 9OC seems far fetched. I would doubt the results on eBay would substantiate that either.

gaspipe26

2 lower grades

Fuzz

If I was buying, I'd want the 9o/c on the tag. If I was selling, I'd want the 7 on the tag.
My experience from 60's BB was that a 7 would often go for book value or a little bit below. But I could very often pick up 9 o/c's for a dollar or less and be the only bidder. I would consider which tag would create a better resale 'cause some day they all gotta go.
Fuzz

WinPitcher

would you rather have a PSA 9 with a qualifier of mc or oc or go with the PSA 7 that just doesn't have the same eye appeal??


how can a 9 mc have better eye appeal then a straight 7?

or do you mean the same card?

Steve

PROMETHIUS88

Steve, in most cases i agree more with your philosophy on the 9oc..but I'm sure most of us have seen straight 8's that are more oc than one's labeled with the qualifier!?!? I think more so, the 9pd's just have better eye appeal than a 7. Unless of course the pd is so magnified that you can't take your eyes off of it. I guess for now I will probably stick with the 9's with qualifiers unless they are so ugly that they make you want to puke. Don't get me wrong, i will get 7's when i can't find that 9oc, pd. Matter of fact I just received a 70 topps bk Dave Stallworth SP that is a 7.
Great responses and nice to see that even in a world of 3rd parties controling the grading, we can still have a variety of opinoins on what we each like!

1967topps

personally my main peeve is focus, then centering or corners are secondary.
Reason: a cards purpose is to depict the player, show what he looks like.
I've often sold a 9 and kept an 8 because the 8 had better focus.
That said I would keep a 9 oc over an 8 or 7 IF the 9oc were better focused.