What could this grade?

mrmint23

Without the stains on the back...would this grade any higher?

handyman

What can get a stain out like that?
Maybe a 5 but I still think its a 4 without the stain. Those 2 white dots next to mickeys neck are those print dots or scratch spots?

mrmint23

Small scratches

handyman

and under his bisep in his jersey. Are there scratches there?
I think a PSA 5 could easily have that stain, but maybe the scratches and the stain put it in a 4 and with one missing I guess it could be a 5. But what do you have to use to make it not have the stain?

BrownBlueGreen

Why ask unless you are planning to remove the stain which will make it altered? Back stains are almost impossible to remove and even harder to get past PSA.

mrmint23

I am trying to determine what made it a 4 and not a 4.5 or 5...Is it the stain or scratches or combination of both.

handyman

In order I think
Centering,Corners, Stain, Scratches.
Withougt the stain
I still cant see that nice of a 5 in it. That being said It would probably sell for 4 money in a 5 case. The centering is more of an eye soar than the stain.
Just an example of a PSA 5 Mantle recent graded.
Good color and good corners. Average centering not great. If your 4 is a 5 this 5 is a 6.
mantle

mrmint23

Nice card it must have a wrinkle...This card is wrinkle/crease free..that is as far as I can tell.

handyman

And old PSA 5 Mantle Bowman.
Mantle

One centered like yours but upsidedown.
Mantle

I can still see a big difference from your card and these 3 that are on ebay right now. I dont feel this card/4 is in the same ballpark as these PSA 5s. Keep it as it is I think. A solid 4 with or without the stain.
This is also the #1 Key to the 1953 Bowman set so they will grade it harder as well i think.

Dboneesq

I would think it's a combination of both as well as the T/B centering. IMO the graders, whether consciously or not, take into account how well the card presents when they decide if the 1/2 grade should apply. That being said, I don't think the card belongs in a "5" holder. If you re-sub I hope I am wrong.

mrpeanut39

A number of years ago I made a short lived attempt at building this set. You could get nq PSA 7s with visible wax staining on the back (maybe not as heavy staining as that Mantle though). Not sure if PSA has changed their stance on that or not. The theory being that the majority of cards were from the 1cent packs that contained a single card.