Sent my first Lot of Cards to be graded

youraveragejoseph · April 1, 2013 8:32AM

I sent my first 15 cards (below) to be graded today. Hoping for several 9's and 10's. All 80's cards have perfect centering front and back, sharp corners and great coloring. Will see how it turns out and will report back soon.

1. 1954 Topps Al Kaline (Decent corners and sides, perfect centering)
2. 1956 Topps Ernie Banks (Sharp corners and sides, perfect centering)
3. 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson (Decent corners and sides, perfect centering)
4. 1961 Topps Mickey Mantle #300 (Sharp corners, great color, OC top to bottom)
5. 1961 Topps Willie McCovey (perfect centering, sharp corners, great color)
6. 1962 Roger Maris #1 (Sharp corners, great color, 70/30 OC)
7. 1964 Topps Pete Rose (Sharp corners, great color, perfect centering)
8. 1984 Topps Dan Marino (Sharp corners, perfect centering)
9. 1986 Topps Steve Young
10. 1986 Topps Jerry Rice
11. 1986 Topps Reggie White
12. 1986 Topps Bruce Smith
13. 1985 Topps Kirby Puckett
14. 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco
15. 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds

Dboneesq · April 1, 2013 9:27AM

So tell us what you are expecting on each of the cards.

youraveragejoseph · April 1, 2013 9:44AM

This is my first shot at grading and I will learn a lot when I get them back, but based on the pics of other graded cards that I have seen and other pre-graded ones that I have owned, I am expecting (hoping) for the grades below: All the 86 Topps cards were pulled from a set so they have the curve in them from being in a factory sealed set box, but they are very sharp with no visible blemishes.

1. 1954 Topps Al Kaline (PSA 4-5)
2. 1956 Topps Ernie Banks (PSA 8)
3. 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson (PSA 6-7)
4. 1961 Topps Mickey Mantle #300 (PSA 7-8 OC)
5. 1961 Topps Willie McCovey (PSA 9)
6. 1962 Roger Maris #1 (PSA 7-8 OC)
7. 1964 Topps Pete Rose (PSA 8)
8. 1984 Topps Dan Marino (Really hoping for PSA 10)
9. 1986 Topps Steve Young (PSA 9-10)
10. 1986 Topps Jerry Rice (PSA 9-10)
11. 1986 Topps Reggie White (PSA 9-10)
12. 1986 Topps Bruce Smith (PSA 9-10)
13. 1985 Topps Kirby Puckett (PSA 9-10)
14. 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco (PSA 10)
15. 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds (PSA 10)

MrVintage · April 1, 2013 10:05AM

Could you post some scans of the cards?

youraveragejoseph · April 1, 2013 10:37AM

I would be happy to but they're in the mail... I surely will when I receive them back. In the meantime, I have plenty of others from 1953-current. Let me know what you're interested in?

Dboneesq · April 1, 2013 10:52AM

Joseph ... if those cards come back with those grades, that will be one sweet submission! GOOD LUCK. Show us the results when they POP.

youraveragejoseph · April 1, 2013 11:04AM

Thanks for the inspiration. I sure will.

youraveragejoseph · April 17, 2013 2:17AM

Obviously I was brought back to reality with my first PSA experience. I almost feel like my package got damaged during shipment, but I will wait to see the cards in person. They should be arriving today or tomorrow and I will post scans. All I can figure is original gloss must be significantly important with older cards. I have no explaination for the Bonds, Canseco, and Marino grades because I though they were as close to perfect as right out of the packs. Not sure what Miscut means, other than the explaination on the PSA site, but will post a scan of the 64' Rose too.

21394019 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1986 TOPPS 374 STEVE YOUNG
21394020 NEAR MINT 7 1986 TOPPS 161 JERRY RICE
21394021 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1986 TOPPS 275 REGGIE WHITE
21394022 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1986 TOPPS 389 BRUCE SMITH
21394023 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1984 TOPPS 123 DAN MARINO
21394024 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1985 TOPPS 536 KIRBY PUCKETT
21394025 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1987 FLEER 604 BARRY BONDS
21394026 MINT 9 1986 DONRUSS 39 JOSE CANSECO
21394027 NEAR MINT+ 7.5 1961 TOPPS 517 WILLIE McCOVEY
21394028 EXCELLENT 5 1962 TOPPS 1 ROGER MARIS
21394029 N8: MISCUT 1964 TOPPS 125 PETE ROSE ALL-STAR ROOKIE
21394030 VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1956 TOPPS 30 JACKIE ROBINSON GRAY BACK
21394031 GOOD 2 1954 TOPPS 201 AL KALINE
21394032 EXCELLENT 5 1956 TOPPS 15 ERNIE BANKS GRAY BACK
21394033 EXCELLENT 5 1961 TOPPS 300 MICKEY MANTLE

ShootyBabitt · April 17, 2013 2:22AM

Welcome to the club! Almost every person on here was disappointed with their first submission.

For the N8, look for a wavy side on that '64 Rose.

Bosox1976 · April 17, 2013 2:57AM

Not so bad -- probably average accuracy for your first PSA beatdown. Still some nice cards though ...

1. 1954 Topps Al Kaline (PSA 4-5) 21394031 GOOD 2 1954 TOPPS 201 AL KALINE
2. 1956 Topps Ernie Banks (PSA 8) 21394032 EXCELLENT 5 1956 TOPPS 15 ERNIE BANKS GRAY BACK
3. 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson (PSA 6-7) 21394030 VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1956 TOPPS 30 JACKIE ROBINSON GRAY BACK
4. 1961 Topps Mickey Mantle #300 (PSA 7-8 OC) 21394033 EXCELLENT 5 1961 TOPPS 300 MICKEY MANTLE
5. 1961 Topps Willie McCovey (PSA 9) 21394027 NEAR MINT+ 7.5 1961 TOPPS 517 WILLIE McCOVEY
6. 1962 Roger Maris #1 (PSA 7-8 OC) 21394028 EXCELLENT 5 1962 TOPPS 1 ROGER MARIS
7. 1964 Topps Pete Rose (PSA 8) 21394029 N8: MISCUT 1964 TOPPS 125 PETE ROSE ALL-STAR ROOKIE
8. 1984 Topps Dan Marino (Really hoping for PSA 10) 21394023 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1984 TOPPS 123 DAN MARINO
9. 1986 Topps Steve Young (PSA 9-10) 21394019 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1986 TOPPS 374 STEVE YOUNG
10. 1986 Topps Jerry Rice (PSA 9-10) 21394020 NEAR MINT 7 1986 TOPPS 161 JERRY RICE
11. 1986 Topps Reggie White (PSA 9-10) 21394021 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1986 TOPPS 275 REGGIE WHITE
12. 1986 Topps Bruce Smith (PSA 9-10) 21394022 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1986 TOPPS 389 BRUCE SMITH
13. 1985 Topps Kirby Puckett (PSA 9-10) 21394024 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1985 TOPPS 536 KIRBY PUCKETT
14. 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco (PSA 10) 21394026 MINT 9 1986 DONRUSS 39 JOSE CANSECO
15. 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds (PSA 10) 21394025 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1987 FLEER 604 BARRY BONDS

youraveragejoseph · April 17, 2013 3:05AM

Sure appreciate the encouragement and certainly glad to be in the club..

epatmythes · April 17, 2013 3:36AM

Welcome to the club indeed.

Buy a loupe. Probably the best advice I can give... and is exactly what I did after my first couple of subs came back as not quite what I expected.

The slightest touching on 3 or 4 corners, maybe not really visible to the naked eye but easily seen under a loupe, can easily be the difference on a great looking card being in an 8 holder instead of the expected 10!

youraveragejoseph · April 17, 2013 3:48AM

Do they provide any form of descriptions or reasonings behind their gradings or do you just get the cards back and they are what they are?

Dboneesq · April 17, 2013 4:39AM

They are what they are. But as has been stated above, don't be discouraged, we have ALL been there before. (That's why I asked you to give me your pre-grades. You were a couple of grades higher on average, just like we all were on our first sub!)

BasherBoy · April 17, 2013 4:39AM

no explanations, just get what you get. I had a 57 Snider that I thought was a 7 for sure, came back a 5

I poured over it with a loupe to see if I had missed a wrinkle, never found anything. I was new, so I called and emailed to see if they could explain why. They politely told me I could send it back in and pay them to tell me why. so I sold it to another board member. The other member cracked it out, re-subbed and it came back an 8! I'm not as experienced with submissions as most ppl here, but seems like luck of the draw sometimes, although careful inspection will remove some of the bigger misses.

EDIT:
to echo what everybody else said, my first sub was 3 different 52 Topps Indians that I was confident would come back 7's for my set...and a 60 Mantle that was a 5. What I got was:
1 1 18924555 EXCELLENT 5 1952 TOPPS 399 JIM FRIDLEY Card
2 1 18924556 EXCELLENT 5 1952 TOPPS 257 BOBBY AVILA Card
3 1 18924557 EXCELLENT 5 1952 TOPPS 277 EARLY WYNN Card
4 1 18924558 VERY GOOD 3 1960 TOPPS 350 MICKEY MANTLE Card

and I felt like a dork lol.

Dboneesq · April 17, 2013 5:36AM

<< <i>I had a 57 Snider that I thought was a 7 for sure, came back a 5

I poured over it with a loupe to see if I had missed a wrinkle, never found anything. I was new, so I called and emailed to see if they could explain why. They politely told me I could send it back in and pay them to tell me why. so I sold it to another board member. The other member cracked it out, re-subbed and it came back an 8! >>

No difference ... a $35.00 card became a $300.00 card because of a resubmission!

BasherBoy · April 17, 2013 6:09AM

<< <i>

<< <i>I had a 57 Snider that I thought was a 7 for sure, came back a 5

I poured over it with a loupe to see if I had missed a wrinkle, never found anything. I was new, so I called and emailed to see if they could explain why. They politely told me I could send it back in and pay them to tell me why. so I sold it to another board member. The other member cracked it out, re-subbed and it came back an 8! >>

No difference ... a $35.00 card became a $300.00 card because of a resubmission! >>

Yes sir. I do have to say though, the member I sold it to was decent about it. We had discussed before the sale that I thought it was undergraded, and I had it priced at the high end of what 5's bring. I wasn't shocked when it bumped up...was a bit surprised at 3 full grades though. Anyway, he sent me a few Browns and Indians for my pc which I thought was nice. Helped lessen the sting of not trusting my gut and cracking that one out

hyperchipper09 · April 17, 2013 7:00AM

Well, in fairness I think everyone at one time or another has submitted a Steve Young 86 Topps thinking it was a 9 or 10 only to have it come back as a 7 or 8.
That card gets me every time

youraveragejoseph · April 17, 2013 8:54AM

I think the Rice upsets me more than anything. A 7 is pretty harsh considering I went over it several times and there are no blemishes to the edges and all four corners are razor sharp. The only thing, if you are familiar with the 86 topps set, is some cards have that tiny yellow circle in a random spot on the front that was put there by the factory. Sadly nothing I can do about that, but I still think a 7 is very harsh... The cards came today but I missed the delivery and will have to pick them up at the PO tomorrow.

What is the best/easiest way to post scans of the cards when I have them? I am pretty sure jpegs will be too large.

MrVintage · April 17, 2013 9:08AM

I use photobucket to post on here.......can't wait to see them and don't worry you will get better at pre-grading with more experience. I have done many many subs and when I first started I struggled a lot......still do for that matter, but hey its still fun

RyanAdmirer · April 18, 2013 1:13AM

I remember the disappointment and stun from my first sub. Stick with it and study, study, study. Read PSA's grading guidelines...that alone will help immensely. Find someone that posts very good scans of his cards that he has for sale and study them well and you'll get a much better feel. There's a big difference between what a real "sharp" corner is and what used to be called Mint before grading cards became popular.

mygotta · April 18, 2013 2:13AM

My first sub revealed no 10's, a few 9's but lots of 5, 6 and 7's - and I was in the dark about conditions, grades and in general how the hobby matured over the years.

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 3:42AM

Got the cards back and have looked them over. Trying to post photos but I cannot get them under 58k. Anyone have any good instructions on the best way to post a scan of 14 cards??

Pre72 · April 19, 2013 3:52AM

try photobucket, then click on direct link after photobucket and copy and paste image on here.

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 4:37AM

orioles93 · April 19, 2013 4:38AM

There ya go!

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 5:06AM

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 6:21AM

gameusedhoop · April 19, 2013 6:28AM

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 6:52AM

Thank you for helping with that. I'll figure it out one day.

hyperchipper09 · April 19, 2013 11:04AM

You know all in all that's not a bad sub after looking at the cards. Don't get discouraged

youraveragejoseph · April 19, 2013 11:36AM

Sure appreciate it. Now trying to decide if I want to part ways with my 86' Topps football complete set with the four graded cards?

youraveragejoseph · April 23, 2013 1:11AM

I have contacted PSA to inquire about the cost of submitting cards for re-grades but I may get a quicker response from this board. I looked at some scans of 61 and 62 Topps cards on another post that were graded PSA 8's and 7's and I cannot tell (granted I am looking at scans) any major differences between those cards and my 61 Mantle and 62 Maris that were graded as 5's. My Maris has no white along the borders and the corners are very good. I feel like taking a shot at getting those two re-graded but wanted to see what the cost was and if PSA provides that service after the cards have been popped already?

If anyone has any suggestions I would surely appreciate it.

Thanks,
Joe

JustinsShoebox · April 23, 2013 2:03AM

You have two options on the re-grade route. Send in for a regular service review (means you send the cards back to them in the current slab and they will review the grade given; not usually recommended), or crack them out and re-sub them like you just did.

Most discourage the review route, but I've had good luck with it on older cert. numbers.

I think those cards look close to what they should be slabbed in honestly and probably should just be enjoyed as they are. If you decide to crack the cards out of their slabs for resubmission, do it carefully.

Justin

Bosox1976 · April 23, 2013 2:09AM

Centering looks like the culprit on Mantle & Maris.

onlyanumber · April 23, 2013 2:36AM

In my opinion judging from your scans, the grades are spot on. Mantle's grade is from the centering. Maris is centering, bottom right corner, stain/fisheye on top--actually surprised Maris didn't come back lower...Kaline is paper loss and Robinson is corners and what appears to be indent near his head.

Baez578 · April 23, 2013 2:42AM

Definitely the centering. Even if you re-sub Maris and Mantle, I don't see more than a 1/2 point bump.

Sent my first Lot of Cards to be graded

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