Bidding like GAI 7 = PSA 8?

Buccaneer

1957 Brooks Robinson GAI 7

Needless to say, my snipe didn't go off but do you think that's a bit high?

CDsNuts

Yeah, I had my eye on that one too. Being from Baltimore I've been looking for a Brooks RC for a while. I think the perfect centering and clean visual appeal is pushing the bidding up.

Lee

easttexascardsandgames

Its possible, I have had several recent submissions of cards that were once GAI get upgraded one point when moved to a PSA holder.

I belive GAI is harder on the backs than PSA is, that is the only thing I can attribute to these increases.

MajorDanby

as stated above, the great centering pushed the price up. It also could have been the case that a deep pocket bidder who wanted a very well centered 7 robinson rookie happened to see this auction.

I havent seen too many GAI cards go that way over SMR. SGC cards, yes (i saw a perfectly centered drysdale rookie graded a SGC 80 go for $310 back in January)...but not GAI.

packCollector

although the centering is awesome , the bottom corners look to soft to get upgraded to an 8 and it is probably graded accurately

calleocho

there was a PSA 5 that sold for over 200+

A PSA 6 sold for over 250

a couple of PSA 7's sold around 350-380

and two PSA 8's sold for around 850-1000

MY guess its that the buyer its taking a gamble on the card, if he can upgrade this card to a PSA 8 he stands to make 500 bucks but if the card stays the same he is out 100 dollars.

As the graded market gets more solid and raw high end cards become a rarity, the new thing for dealers will be to find cards that can be "maxed out".

Resummiting cards until they simply cant go higher, using all 3 services.

At the end of the day every expensive card will be in the highest grade holder it could be.

the highend PSA 7 and PSA 8 will see a lot of cracking, pop reports will get trickier and cards graded with the old style flips will command a premium since they have yet to be maxed out regardless of wether they can actually bump up.

I think a lot of money now spent in low pops will start flowing towards cards with exceptional eye appeal and you will see wild increases in cards with perfect centering and vivid and well registered colors.

Some people collect this way now, keeping a lower grade card because of its appeal and centering VS keeping the higher graded card with only a technical grade and little appeal.

However, the registry combined with our own competitive drive will make sure that while a PSA 7 that looks great will increase its value, the price will never eclipse a PSA 8

But the gap between the prices of lower graded examples with eye appeal and the prices of higher graded technical grades will defenitly become smaller.

ydsotter

It also might not surprise me because the seller is fantastic. I love buying from him and don't have a problem paying a bit more... his grades are typically strong for the holder and Kurt's one of the best out there.
I imagine that some others would feel the same way...

Buccaneer

calleocho, I think your assessment is right on. I am avoiding "LOW POP" auctions like the plague (unless they are going for a normal sell price) but I am starting to bid and pay 10-20% over SMR for nicely centered star cards, esp. 1957 PSA 6. That's how I saw this card, even though I knew full well that it is a strong 7. Unfortunately (for my pocketbook), more and more buyers are really looking the card and not the holder. To me, eye appeal means centering and that's my criteria for buying. It really bugs me to see a PSA 8 centered at 70/30 and PSA 7 at 75/25 while nicely centered cards can get PSA 5 because it has a wrinkle you can't see very well.

Buccaneer

Here's a good example from last night 1957 Red Sox PSA 6 I had an esnipe set for about $15 (20% over SMR) but because the seller did not offer PayPal, it went for a little under SMR. I had go to the bank today anyways so that was a no-brainer to be able to grab a very nicely centered card like this.