1976 Topps Nolan Ryan GAI 9.5 Gem Mint Crossover

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 1:31AM

Please Help !!

I have a 1976 Topps Nolan Ryan card that is graded 9.5 from GAI (1st Graded). Under close inspection, the card is PERFECTLY centered, has PERFECT corners and definitely looks Gem Mint to me !! The only aspect that I can not be certain about is the surface. I've check and the card is not trimmed.

Is there ANY chance that I could receive a PSA 10 crossover. I do not want to crack it and risk getting a 9 back. Would it help if I just continued to resubmit it until I received a 10 back or would they figure it out after a couple of tries ??

There is only 1 GAI 9.5 and NO PSA 10's !! I have uploaded a scan of the card. The back is also perfectly centered.

CreeperKat · June 23, 2006 1:38AM

If you send it to PSA, make sure to put a minimum crossover of PSA 10 on the submission form. If PSA thinks it is a 10, they will crack it and slab it for you. If not, they will return it to you in the original (GAI) slab. You still have to pay for the submission/review.

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 1:39AM

Is there ANY Chance it will crossover ??

ToppsCo1lector · June 23, 2006 1:42AM

Very low if it isn't cracked but you should keep it in the GAI holdster.

Brian48 · June 23, 2006 1:48AM

Very nice card. I agree with the concensus that unless you crack it, you're probably not going to get a 10.

Lothar52 · June 23, 2006 1:54AM

your BEST bet is to send it into psa IN THE ORIGINAL SLAB with just as said before...a MINIMUM crossover grade of 10.......if they dont decide its gem mint that is THEIR opinion...and its still in a slab that says its gem mint.

Loth

baseballfanatic · June 23, 2006 1:54AM

Guarantee. No crack, no 10. Would they admit that GAI is a tougher grader? But if you crack it you are leaving yourself open to having it come back an 8....

onlyanumber · June 23, 2006 1:57AM

Wow! Nice Ryan you got there. I personally find nothing more enjoyable than cracking GAI 9's and sending them to PSA. I always get 9's back. With that said however, you are taking a serious gamble cracking and submitting to PSA in hopes of the 10. I hate to say it but I agree with the consensus to do crossover service with minimum grade 10 on this one...If they don't cross it, at least you still have a GAI 9.5 Ryan

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 2:10AM

<< Is there ANY Chance it will crossover ?? >>

Are you 100% sure it is not sheet-cut...?

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 2:13AM

From a purely theoretical perspective - any seller out there should know ABSOLUTELY that a card like this will sell for well over $1,000 in PSA 10, but not so much in GAI. The premium for PSA 10 over GAI 9.5 on modern cards is often a multiple instead of a percentage.

When this GAI 9.5 card was last on Ebay, reserve was not met at $345 [reserve was set at $725]. So back to my premise: Assuming the seller is not an idiot who likes leaving hundreds of dollars on the table -- there is a reason that this card is in a GAI holder instead of a PSA holder. What that specific reason is, I can not tell you. But I would bet, with a 95% confidence level that this card will not find its way into a PSA 10 holder.

~ms

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 2:14AM

Especially since, also, this seller has sold numerous PSA-graded card sin the past.

Why would he have a long GAI 9.5 Ryan when many of his other graded cards are PSA.

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 2:16AM

Thanks for the Response !! I actually have a 1980 Topps Mike Schmidt PSA 10

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 2:17AM

Is it possible that one of the large volume graders would have a much better chance at getting this to crossover ??

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 2:19AM

OK, the consensus rules. Card stays in the GAI 9.5 and I sit on it. Next question, how about a BGS 9.5 Nolan Ryan. Does it crossover to PSA 10 in a Beckett holder ??

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 2:22AM

<< OK, the consensus rules. Card stays in the GAI 9.5 and I sit on it. Next question, how about a BGS 9.5 Nolan Ryan. Does it crossover to PSA 10 in a Beckett holder ?? >>

Again, it depends. Depends on what card. Definitely depends on whether or not it is sheet-cut. Most OPC baseball BGS/BVG 9.5 cards are sheet-cut and thus will not cross to *any* PSA grade. But if it is a regular-issue card, maybe. I've gotten at least two or three BGS 9.5 Schmidt cards into PSA 10 holders.

But crossover rates on *any* grading company's GEM MINT grade to another's tend to be pretty low. Each company likes to think of itself as a tough, strict grader, and all they need to do is fine one thing wrong with that card to say "Ahhh, this is MINT, not GEM MINT" and come off all high-and-mighty.

Cross-overs between PSA/SGC and even Beckett can be had fairly regularly. But I would absolutely say without hesitation that in this hobby, crossing over any GEM MINT card from one company's holder to another's is one of the toughest crossovers there is. The more high-profile and valuable the card, the more likely it will not crossover.

~ms

baseballfanatic · June 23, 2006 2:25AM

PSA admit a Beckett 9.5 is equal to a PSA 10? Um, better chance of having the Royals win the World Series this year.........

Brian48 · June 23, 2006 2:39AM

<< Guarantee. No crack, no 10. Would they admit that GAI is a tougher grader? But if you crack it you are leaving yourself open to having it come back an 8.... >>

Although personal bias is only human, I'd like to think the folks over at PSA are a little more professional about this. I think it's more of a liability issue for them than anything else. It's better to err on the side of safety.

Let's just say they observe it as a 10 in the GAI slab. They crack it and then discover that there's a flaw that they didn't see before or couldn't see due to the holder. Now they're really in real pickle since the original slab is cracked and they're obligated to assign the minimum grade requested. If they choose to give it the minimum grade despite the flaw, then this a) invalidates any creditability that PSA might have and b) may eventually come back to bite them in the butt if who ever winds up with the card takes PSA up on their "guaranteed grade" policy. If they choose NOT to give the grade despite already cracking the slab, then they've got to explain to the customer what happened and hope not to get sued. Obviously from their standpoint, if there's doubt, then just say NO. I can't blame them for this.

RipublicaninMass · June 23, 2006 2:39AM

<< Assuming the seller is not an idiot
~ms >>

That is a big assumption

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 2:43AM

<< 

Let's just say they observe it as a 10 in the GAI slab. They crack it and then discover that there's a flaw that they didn't see before or couldn't see due to the holder. Now they're really in real pickle since the original slab is cracked and they're obligated to assign the minimum grade requested. If they choose to give it the minimum grade despite the flaw, then this a) invalidates any creditability that PSA might have and b) may eventually come back to bite them in the butt if who ever winds up with the card takes PSA up on their "guaranteed grade" policy. If they choose NOT to give the grade despite already cracking the slab, then they've got to explain to the customer what happened and hope not to get sued. Obviously from their standpoint, if there's doubt, then just say NO. I can't blame them for this. >>

Actually, you are wrong, PSA assumes no liability in such a situation. PSA's policies and procedures as they relate specifically to cross-overs specifically discusses this. If PSA thinks a card will cross over, but, upon cracking the card out realizes that the card is trimmed, for example, they will return the card to you in a Card Saver, with "Evid of Trim." on it - and you are out your grading fee and the card's slab/old holder. This has happened to board members here before.

~ms

Brian48 · June 23, 2006 2:51AM

It may not be a "legal" liability, but can you blame them for not inviting the headache? It's better to avoid the issue altogether. Not because they want to show up a competing grading service. That's my point.

RYANFAN · June 23, 2006 2:58AM

It's probably worth $400-$500 as a GAI. I am actually sitting on the Number 1 graded Ryan collection, but don't want it registered yet as it invites a bidding war. The possibility of owning the ONLY PSA 10 card gives me the edge. Worst case, it comes back a PSA 9 and it's worth $300. Big deal. I'll just bill a client for the difference. LOL

I'm looking to dump about 100 PSA 8 Ryan's from the 70's and just keep 9's and 10's. If interested, let me know.

jad22 · June 23, 2006 3:21AM

I am sitting on what would be the number one graded Calvin Schiraldi collection but I am also concerned about bidding wars so I am keeping that a secret as well.

ctsoxfan · June 23, 2006 3:29AM

<< I am actually sitting on the Number 1 graded Ryan collection, but don't want it registered yet as it invites a bidding war. >>

With regards to the GAI 9.5 Ryan, I would bet that it was already once in a PSA holder in it's past life - a PSA 9 holder.

baseballfanatic · June 23, 2006 3:30AM

<< 

<< I am actually sitting on the Number 1 graded Ryan collection, but don't want it registered yet as it invites a bidding war. >>

With regards to the GAI 9.5 Ryan, I would bet that it was already once in a PSA holder in it's past life - a PSA 9 holder. >>

Game
Set
Match

mikeschmidt · June 23, 2006 3:50AM

<< It's probably worth $400-$500 as a GAI. I am actually sitting on the Number 1 graded Ryan collection, but don't want it registered yet as it invites a bidding war. The possibility of owning the ONLY PSA 10 card gives me the edge. Worst case, it comes back a PSA 9 and it's worth $300. Big deal. I'll just bill a client for the difference. LOL

I'm looking to dump about 100 PSA 8 Ryan's from the 70's and just keep 9's and 10's. If interested, let me know. >>

Again, worst case is that it is sheet cut, and if you cracked it out and submitted it, it would not be graded at all. That is why I asked if you are 100% sure it is not sheet cut?

~ms

CDsNuts · June 23, 2006 4:00AM

I guess I'm in the minority, but I say crack it (carefully) and send it in. Worst case, you have to resubmit to GAI or BGS a few times to get it back into the 9.5 holder assuming it doesn't get damaged. I say it's at least a $1500 card in a PSA 10 slab- the bidding war between the Ryan guys and the 76 Topps guys will get out of control. I say throw the boat in the water and see if it floats.

Lee

(Note- this is only if it's important to you to have it in a PSA holder. My feelings are that the card is still the same and that's your real commodity- not the slab. I keep all of the cards in my personal collection raw. Often I will buy them graded and break them out of the slab because I like the way they look in screwdowns).

gregmo32 · June 23, 2006 7:04AM

I have had at least four or five cards cross over from SGC and BGS 9.5's to PSA 10. I submitted in the holder and a minimum of PSA 10.
No risk except the grading fee...

jackstraw · June 23, 2006 8:28AM

Doug
I sent in an SGC 96 76 Topps Ryan that was perfect, I thought for sure it was a 9 and maybe just maybe a 10? I don't even think they looked at it? I got it back in the mail with min grade on it. I have sent in many cards to PSA and I am 99% certain it was mint. If it doesn't have any print marks that usually plague the 76 it looks solid enough!
I would be very interested in seeing your collection on the registry? No matter what you do with Ryan anything tough or high grade with a lower pop is going to create a bidding war! He is one player that sells graded or raw take your pick.

John

ColleSystem · June 23, 2006 12:53PM

Have you looked at it under 10x magnification yet?

1976 Topps Nolan Ryan GAI 9.5 Gem Mint Crossover

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