Grading quiz from my first submission

paleocards

The grades were posted from my first submission this week. Joined PSA (2-year membership) at the Nationals and submitted the best 12 of my "Big 5" (Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Mantle & Koufax) from my raw Topps HOFer collection. I was looking for PSA 7s as a minimum. As you can probably guess, I was pretty thrilled with the results. Here are the 12 grades arranged in ascending order:

5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9 (bummed about the "5" [must've missed a surface wrinkle] but I was floored by the "9" -- I had no expectations that any of these would grade-out as Mint)

Below are the scans of the 12 submitted cards in their raw state, presented in chronological order. If you want to try your luck on the quiz, there is a numbered list of the dozen cards appended at the end of this post that you can copy and paste into your reply and simply replace the question marks with your numeric grades. I'll compile and report the results and finally post the grades for all to see. (The winner can bask in the pride of their accomplishment, and no, you don't get the card of your choice as a prize!) I realize that picking out the "PSA 5" is a crap-shoot since I'm only providing scans of the fronts, but what the hell, give it a shot...Good luck!


Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA ?




Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA ?




Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA ?




Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA ?




Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA ?




Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA ?




Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA ?




Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA ?




Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA ?




Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA ?




Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA ?




Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA ?






(Copy and paste this list for your replies...)

Grades to choose from: 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9

Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA ?
Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA ?
Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA ?
Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA ?
Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA ?
Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA ?
Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA ?
Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA ?
Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA ?
Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA ?
Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA ?
Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA ?

larryallen73

I don't have time to play but great game and those are some beauties! Very nice cards!

mmoin

Agreed. Aside from centering, I can't really tell an 8 from a 9 from a 10 from a scan (with notable exceptions). Those are some GREAT cards and results though. I'd be ecstatic too with those grades!

Andrew

zef204

Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA 7
Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA 8(if I was wrong on the 9 this is my second guess)
Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 5
Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA 8
Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA 7
Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA 9
Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 7
Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA 7
Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA 7
Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA 8
Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA 8
Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA 8

iamthegreatcornholio

Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA 7
Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA 8
Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 7
Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA 7
Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA 5
Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA 8
Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 7
Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA 8
Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA 7
Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA 9
Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA 8
Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA 8

Onlypsahockey

Great first submission pale! Congrats!

Here's my guesses:

Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA 5 (wrinkle thru the o in Aaron?)
Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA 8
Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 7
Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA 8
Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA 7
Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA 9
Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 8
Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA 7
Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA 7
Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA 7
Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA 8
Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA 8

studentT206

I would guess the 5 is the 66 Mays just because that card is so tough. How the heck do you guys see wrinkles in scans!?

Damian

A761506

I think the PSA 9 is the 62 Manager's Dream.

The 5 cards that look most like PSA 8's are the 57 Aaron, 61 Aaron AS, 61 Mantle AS, 65 Koufax & 66 Mantle

Can't tell which is the 5, but highly likely caused by a surface wrinkle.

HoofHearted

Pal!

Where in heaven's name did you get all your raw cards?!! You've got some fantastic examples of some super players!

Very impressive lot of cards...

hh

Buccaneer

My god, I just cannot believe that those cards existed in raw. I boggles my mind that there would be raw 7, 8 or 9 of 61 All-Stars.

earlycalguy

Manager's dream also. i think they grade the brown borders easier than normal borders. either that or the 66' mantle.

studentT206

I think the 9 is the 57 Aaron. I have sent in nicer 62's and got 8's. The rough cut of the 57 I think gave some leniacy to the corners in the graders eye. Also let's have the grades already! You know what it's like waiting on sub's from PSA. Don't do this to us! Knowing the grades is more fun than waiting for others to guess.

Damian

paleocards

Here's the current leaderboard:

.667 Zephyrs (8 correct out of 12, Zeph will be tough to beat...)
.333 Cornholio (4/12)
.333 OnlyPSAhockey (4/12)
.333 A761506 (2/6)

For those of you wondering where I got these raw beauties: 9 from my favorite card shop, 2 from the 2004 National and 1 from eBay.

I'm sorry I haven't posted the grades yet, but I'd like to give anyone else who would like to take a stab at the full quiz to have their opportunity.

Thanks!

A761506

Just post the grades, I'm curious as to which got the 9... had to be the 62 Dream or the 61 Aaron AS

EagleEyeKid

I'll take a stab at it.

Card #1 - 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA 9
Card #2 - 1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron PSA 8
Card #3 - 1958 Topps #487 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 5
Card #4 - 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays PSA 7
Card #5 - 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle PSA 7
Card #6 - 1961 Topps #577 Hank Aaron All Star PSA 8
Card #7 - 1961 Topps #578 Mickey Mantle All Star PSA 8
Card #8 - 1962 Topps #18 Managers' Dream (Mantle & Mays) PSA 8
Card #9 - 1963 Topps #540 Roberto Clemente PSA 7
Card #10 - 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA 8
Card #11 - 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA 7
Card #12 - 1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle PSA 7

Knuckles

What EagleEye said.

paleocards

Here's the final leaderboard (good job Zeph!):
.667 Zephyrs (8/12)
.417 EagleEye (5/12)
.333 Cornholio (4/12)
.333 OnlyPSAhockey (4/12)
.333 A761506 (2/6)

And here are the grades:

PSA Order Status for Submission # 4319219

LINE # CERT # CARD CARD CO. CARD # CARD NAME VARIETY GRADE
1 12305370 1955 TOPPS 47 HANK AARON N/A 7
2 12305371 1957 TOPPS 20 HANK AARON N/A 7
3 12305372 1958 TOPPS 487 MICKEY MANTLE ALL STAR 5
4 12305373 1961 TOPPS 150 WILLIE MAYS N/A 8
5 12305374 1961 TOPPS 300 MICKEY MANTLE N/A 7
6 12305375 1961 TOPPS 577 HANK AARON ALL STAR 9
7 12305376 1962 TOPPS 18 MANAGERS' DREAM M.MANTLE/W.MAYS 8
8 12305377 1963 TOPPS 540 BOB CLEMENTE N/A 8
9 12305378 1965 TOPPS 300 SANDY KOUFAX N/A 8
10 12305379 1966 TOPPS 1 WILLIE MAYS N/A 7
11 12305380 1966 TOPPS 50 MICKEY MANTLE N/A 8
12 12305381 1961 TOPPS 578 MICKEY MANTLE ALL STAR 7

Date Received: 08/05/2005
Date of Grades Posted: 08/15/2005
Date Shipped: 08/16/2005

Thanks for playing!

carew4me

1 heckuva sub!

zef204

That 55 got the 9! Nice job. I am neither TRAINED nor CERTIFIED but I have submitted nearly 1500 cards!

envoy98

Those are some great results! WOW..

I was thinking that '61 Mays would be the 9. So where do you find raw cards that look like that exactly? Those are fantastic looking!