GAI vs PSA graded Henderson RC question

cpettimd · August 9, 2008 2:35AM

I have two graded RHenderson RC, a GAI 8.5 purchased 1.5 years ago, and a PSA 8. The GAI looks better to me ( edges smoother, sharper corners, deeper color, and better centering). I understand that GAI has taken a major credibility hit. Do you think that this card is so greatly dimished in value in its GAI current holder ( collectability and $wise), compared to a PSA 8, that it should be cracked out and resubmitted to PSA ?; even if it comes back an 8. I understand that there is variability within the grade, and they say buy the card and not the holder.

lsutigers1973 · August 9, 2008 2:38AM

Centering looks similar on both. Both are OC a little, just OC in different directions. I do not see why the GAI card would not get an 8.

WinPitcher · August 9, 2008 3:06AM

Hopefully the GAI card was not trimmed.

I'd send it in raw to PSA and hope I'd get the 8.

Good luck in whatever you do.

Steve

dizzle · August 9, 2008 3:10AM

If the GAI card is not trimmed or altered in anway I would take it over the PSA one anyday much better eye apeal. If sending to PSA crack it out first and you'll have better luck.

VitoCo1972 · August 9, 2008 3:11AM

Neither card is trimmed. Both have a smal tilt. You got the 8.5 because of the better features that you already stated. You won't get a 9 with PSA because of the tilt. Leave the card where it is. Either that or do a minimum crack grade of 8.5 with PSA if you're concerned about value.

Stone193 · August 9, 2008 3:15AM

I think the GAI card looks great - as Steve says - hopefully no problems with trimming.

If you plan to hold onto the card for your collection, it's the same card no matter what holder it's in. I have some GAI's and plan to leave them right where they are.

If you plan to sell? Then - I would say - crack and resub.

The GAI card is a beauty IMO.
mike

WinPitcher · August 9, 2008 3:32AM

The tilt on the right side does not match the tilt on the left IMO.

That is why I am concerned that it MAY be trimmed.

With GAI you just never know.

Steve

VitoCo1972 · August 9, 2008 3:39AM

<< <i>The tilt on the right side does not match the tilt on the left IMO.

That is why I am concerned that it MAY be trimmed.

With GAI you just never know.

Steve >>

I disagree on this particular card. 1980 Topps is known for a ton of diamond cuts. I have 3 Hendersons that are cut just like that one that I pulled from packs.

lawnmowerman · August 9, 2008 4:50AM

I'm not 100% sure of course but I think the GAI card may be a fake. I had a fake Henderson rc at one time and it looks eerily similiar to yours. The thing that stands out to me is how bold his name at the top of the card looks. In fact all the text seems to be bolder than the PSa version. Look at the word outfield as well. You can also see print dots in the green behind the A's

I started a thread about my fake because I was not sure if it was real or not at the time. Here is an excerpt form one of the board members that turned out to be exactly right.

<< <i>I'll save you the money of a review and give you a better explanation than PSA would provide.

You can see it's fake from even those scans. The most obvious difference, even if you didn't know how to use a loupe or were not familiar with half-tone printing, is that the text for OUTFIELD on the front of the card is printed in green ink on the authentic card. On your fake, it's black. Additionally, (and not taking into consideration half-tone printing yet) you can also see there is a distinct difference in the thickness/boldness of the ink that forms his signature as well as his name on the front.

Now, after that... you can see even with this low-resolution scan, the ink that makes up the green behind A's on the front is printed in half-tone (tiny dots), while on the real one, that ink is solid. You will also find that to be true about the ink used to make up the yellow area as well as the blue border on the front. And on the back, the entire back is also printed out of tiny dots, including even the blue background, while the real one is printed entirely in solid ink on the back. You can see from the scan how the lettering on the back that forms Henderson's name is not crisp like the authentic one, as the black ink around it was printed in half-tone and half-tone printing will not give crisp lines. All the other text will be the same way as well, as it is made up of tiny dots, and will not appear crisp under magnification >>

Stone193 · August 9, 2008 5:40AM

Matt

Only the OP can tell fer sure with a 5 or 10X loupe - but I blew the pic up 400% and IMO the banner with "outfield" looks good but then again I'm blind.

mike

lawnmowerman · August 9, 2008 5:44AM

Yeah Mike. It's hard to tell in the yellow color in the outfield banner but I am seeing print dots to the right of the word A's in the green banner.

Like you said, the op surely needs to loupe it

WinPitcher · August 9, 2008 6:32AM

And for that matter only PSA can say for certain if a card is trimmed.

At least that would be their opinion.

I never said it was trimmed, I said I hoped it wasn't.

Steve

pandrews · August 14, 2008 12:22PM

if its staying in your collection, i'd keep the GAI..

if your selling it, i'd probably still keep it in the GAI holder rather than investing more money in cracking & resubmitting.. i dont know what GAI's sell for anymore, though.. but is there enough difference in price to make it worthwhile to crack out?

Matt is right about the fakes having a bolder font for the players name, but in this case i think its just better print quality on the GAI card..

i think it's real, here is a scan of the counterfeit Rickey RC that Matt was talking about, compared to a legit RC.. you can make out the print dots on the green background for the fake card..

GAI vs PSA graded Henderson RC question

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