1909 American Caramel Auction Question - What am I missing here?

kmnorton

The same seller has a Comiskey that is PSA 1 and a McGraw PSA 1. They look miles apart. Is it because the McGraw has what looks like a circle drawn on it? I'm fairly new to the grading game, so any explanation would be helpful (if you can from the pictures)

Please Explain

Kurt

Griffins

IMO, there is much more variance in the lower grades than the higher ones. At arms length a PSA 8 can look like a PSA 10, or vice versa.
A PSA 1, however, can vary greatly. It can be a complete trainwreck, like the Comiskey. Or it can be like the McGraw, or any number of others.
If the card is blank backed, like an Old Judge, '64 Topps Standup, or '41 Goudey, and has a fair amount of back damage, it's an automatic PSA 1. If a T3 or T9 has sharp corners, but one small, barely visible pin hole (they were commonly pinned up to bulletin boards) it's an automatic one. I've seen 3's that look horrible, and 1's that look incredible, but the technical grade rules over everything.
My advice? Buy the card, and not the holder. I'd take the McGraw over the Comiskey anyday.

storm888

See if you can make both cards fit into this standard.

PR-FR 1: Poor to Fair.

Poor to Fair A PSA PR-FR 1 card's corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting framing of picture. Surface of card will show advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. Picture will possibly be quite out-of-register and borders may have become brown and dirty. May have one or more heavy creases. A Poor card may be missing one or more small pieces, have major creasing and extreme discoloration or dirtiness throughout. Card may show noticeable warping. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.


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The McGraw is a dog, too. The MK cost it as well.
Paper loss. Bent corners and probably some creases
we cannot see. Somebody will call it a "high-end 1;"
they might be right, but I would not want it.