No 9.5 grade ???

jaxxr

PSA will add a half-point grade within each of the 1-10 numbers with the exception of a 9.5 grade. We felt it was unnecessary to add a third “Mint” grade since PSA already had a Mint 9 and Gem Mint 10 grade as part of the current scale

WHY NOT ????????????

Only 1 thru 8 cards have possible high-end potential ???
Each and every 9 is absolutely similar........ and/or correct ???
A nine, somehow under-evaluated by a grader, MUST go up a full grade to Gem Mint ???

PSA has contradicted themselves by not using a 9.5 grade, and also fails to get in better, on the "Modern/Brand New" card market, just allows Beckett to continue to grade 2006 atomic chrome inserts, or whatever, with possible 9.5 grades and tell collectors, particularily those who enjoy submitting cards straight from the new pack, that Beckett can, in fact, actually tell the difference between a 9 and a 9.5 and a 10.

Sheamaster

I completely agree. It makes absolutely no sense. If you're going to do half-grades, give us the 9.5.

mealeworm

It would shame the PSA 10.

Dave

NickM

And Beckett can also try to tell people that there is a difference between 9, 9.5, and 10 centering on a borderless card.

Nick

digicat

If PSA coppied BGS, they'd have to create a new "PRISTINE 11" grade.

HighChopper

No 9.5 = GOOFY.

detroitfan2

jaxxr,

MattyC has discussed this topic in a few threads in perhaps the most well-written beef I've seen thus far with the new system.

The bottom line is (at least in my humble opinion), even if you are in 100% agreement with the change, you have to admit that omitting the 9.5 makes no sense, as all of the arguments that you make in favor of the change have to apply to the 9 grade as well.

dizzle

why couldn't they do a 9.5 and designate as something like near gem?? or mint+ and just keep the 10 standard gem mint 10 as it is??

viking7

I'm not for the recent change and I'm not for the 9.5 grade either. My PSA Registry set is almost all PSA 9's and 10's. That's good enough for me. I only need one card to complete so I'll have no .5's in there at all.

Thulnanth

I guess I can kind of understand why there is no 9.5 - once you get to that level, you really are splitting a mighty fine hair, don't you think? For me personally, as you move up the grading ladder the difference between steps gets smaller (ie. a 3 to a 4 is a bigger change than an 8 to a 9). I'm not sure you could really consistenly differentiate between a 9 - 9.5 - 10.

Just my $.02

Take it easy,
Jared

mtcards

I think it would make sense from a standpoint that a PSA 10, in some instances is NOT a perfect card. I have seen some pretty rough centering on some 10's before and if you have a 10 with 40/60 centering and one with 50/50, you basically have no grade to differentiate the two.

I think the reason why PSA chose no 9.5 is because of the number of 9.5's those rough 10's should have received

Estil

Personally, I think they're doing the right thing by omitting the 9.5 grade. I mean, what would you call it, Minty Mint?

PROMETHIUS88

I have to agree with mt. Way too many undeserving 10's out there that under the new grading standards would probaly only garner a 9.5...if they had one. How many cards have you seen with barely...and I really mean barely have 95-5 reverse centering in a 10 holder? Hey, if it ain't perfect on the front and back, it ain't perfect! Any you can't tell me ...well, that's just how it was manufactured, cause there are plenty of cards that were manufactured out of focus or with print marks or miscut that would still garner a 10 if that were the case. Why shouldn't reverse centering be just as important?
Anyway...sorry for getting off topic, I just agree that if there are going to be 1/2 grades (which I don't agree with) that they shouldn't exclude 9.5 as it would doesn't make sense.
And by the way, I have to also agree with other posts, PSA can't tell the difference between a whole grade, so you can't tell me this will be any different. Also loved the part where they said they would put some estimated pricing in the SMR for the 1/2 grades until they start selling! What a friggin joke.....get the prices right on the rest of the grades first before you start adding other prices in!
I'm a small fish in a big pond with only a few hundred PSA graded cards, but this really feels like a kick to the cajones for me. I could continue my rant for hours on this like eveyone else, but alas, It's wasted in the end. We all know the truth is that PSA has to come up with a way to keep the business growing as there will be no vintage left to grade in a few years and who is going to want their 2017 Topps set graded at $8/card when the complete set isn't worth but $20.
***Please...back to the drawing board!!!

rube26105

<Personally, I think they're doing the right thing by omitting the 9.5 grade. I mean, what would you call it, Minty Mint?>
having a.5 all the way thru up to 9 ,with no 9.5, is pretty stoopid
i think with their mentality as of late they would call it "pert near mint"

stevek

Yes, I fully agree...if you're gonna do a 1/2 point system you "have to" have a 9.5 in place - and it's really not debatable.

bigredone

They did it to protect the big money cards that are most likely owned by the big money people. The 9.5 grade would have delaued the 10's as the 8.5 will do to the 9's.

While Joe had no problem kicking us small time 9 collectors in the nuts. He obviously didn't want the million dollar guys coming down on him.


The GEM 10 grade is actually a fake grade in the 1st place. created by third party graders to created false rarity. It gives collectors something to chase and prompts alot of submissions looking for that grade.

The fact that the "Gem 10" grade is not required to be perfectly centered contridicts the Name "GEM MINT 10" Its fools gold 10's are nothing more than nice high grade 9's hiding under a GEM 10 label. Its all subjective and always will be

jaxxr

I think I shall send a note to PSA,

A 9.5 is so obvious, IF.... THE HALF GRADES ARE NOW USED, still time to re-consider adding a 9.5.

detroitfan2

<< have to agree with mt. Way too many undeserving 10's out there that under the new grading standards would probaly only garner a 9.5...if they had one. How many cards have you seen with barely...and I really mean barely have 95-5 reverse centering in a 10 holder? Hey, if it ain't perfect on the front and back, it ain't perfect! Any you can't tell me ...well, that's just how it was manufactured, cause there are plenty of cards that were manufactured out of focus or with print marks or miscut that would still garner a 10 if that were the case. Why shouldn't reverse centering be just as important?>>

Prome, I agree with you and mt too, essentially there are "9.6's" that they chose to grade 10, and thus they don't want to create a situation where yesterday's 10's are really today's 9.5's. Problem is, the same situation exists for grades 2-9. I don't understand why it's okay for a 7.7 to reside in an 8 holder but a 9.7 can't reside in a 10 holder.

jmbkb4

PSA can't tell the difference among a MINT 9, MINT+ 9.5, and a GEM MINT 10 card.

But they CAN tell the difference among a NM-MT 8, NM-MT+ 8.5, and a MINT 9, right!!??!!??

God, this company is run by idiots.

fandango

there can be no such thing as a PSA 9.5 and this is why:.....yes, PSA gives leeway on the centering of the reverse, however they are super strict on corners, and edges, and are very good as catching creases and surface nicks..for the most part, a PSA 10 looks perfect, you cant really find anyting wrong with it....

a PSA 9 has a minor defect (such as a touch of white showing anywhere on the front)...

there is no room for a PSA 9.5 what would it be, a small touch of white (thats still noticable)-either way its a minor flaw and should fall to a PSA 9, even though the rest of the card is a Gem....THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE a 9 or 9.5...impossible, and the graders and Joe knew this....

by not including the 9.5, it keeps the value steady on PSA 9's and 10's....

jmbkb4

I agree with you.

However, you also support my point regarding 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0.

Of course PSA cannot reliably differentiate among these grades.

mealeworm

there can be no such thing as a PSA 9.5 and this is why:.....yes, PSA gives leeway on the centering of the reverse, however they are super strict on corners, and edges, and are very good as catching creases and surface nicks..for the most part, a PSA 10 looks perfect, you cant really find anyting wrong with it....
a PSA 9 has a minor defect (such as a touch of white showing anywhere on the front)...

there is no room for a PSA 9.5 what would it be, a small touch of white (thats still noticable)-either way its a minor flaw and should fall to a PSA 9, even though the rest of the card is a Gem....THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE a 9 or 9.5...impossible, and the graders and Joe knew this....

by not including the 9.5, it keeps the value steady on PSA 9's and 10's.....


What????

I stand by my first post. It is to protect the PSA 10's. I think 9.5's from the other company sells for equal if not more on most cards that have a pop above just a few.

Dave

gotsparks09

<< <i>It would shame the PSA 10.

Dave >>



Kind of like how the 6.5 shames the PSA 7, the 7.5 shames the PSA 8, the 8.5 shames the PSA 9...

mealeworm

I am only guessing that all the .5's in each grade would hurt the values on the lower grades. The 9.5 would hurt the 10's as well because it is the top. You have so much money being thrown at the low pop 10's that someone would elect to pay alot less for the 9.5 than say a $100 psa 10 from the 84 topps set. Only time will tell but I think it will hurt the whole grades of the .5 the most,i.e. 8.5 will hurt the 8.



Dave

WinPitcher

Dave I'm thinking the 8's will stay stable and the .5's will go up in price. The dogs within each grade will always lose value.

Nice 8's that are not .5's will still command what the market will bare. I do not see the advent of the .5 hurting the value of the nice straight graded cards.


The problem is we have so many series and so many different pressures on these cards that we just can't in good conscious make blanket statements.


JMO

Steve

HighChopper

a PSA 9 has a minor defect (such as a touch of white showing anywhere on the front)...

There are plenty of 10s running around disguised as 9s. I've lost a ton of cash on these cards.

We can never allow ourselves to be fooled by this fact.