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The toughest PSA 10?

I enjoy perusing the pop report from time to time just to see what cards are tough to find in PSA 10. For the most part (post-war), I keep it to cards that have at least 100 examples graded. In my opinion, I don't really consider anything tough with a 5% or higher ratio, and 3% and under is where it gets real difficult.

Came across this and found the ratio astounding:

1988 Topps Glossy Rookies Mark McGwire

6,156 total cards graded, Pop 2 in PSA 10.

That's pretty remarkable. Anyone know of a tougher PSA 10?

Comments

  • JHS5120JHS5120 Posts: 1,968 ✭✭✭
    I know Dmitri Young has always said the 1981 Topps Fernando Valenzuela rookie was the hardest 10 in the hobby - 964 graded no 10's.
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  • In Basketball it would be 1972 Dr. J Rookie. 2,153 graded and still no 10's
  • 54topps54topps Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭
    Not a particular player but the entire 1954 Topps hockey set has zero 10's out of 12,303 graded.

  • 1967 Leaf Star Trek, 1 PSA 10, few PSA 9's.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,698 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Not a particular player but the entire 1954 Topps hockey set has zero 10's out of 12,303 graded. >>



    That is amazing!


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,875 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 1971 baseball set has only 126 10s out of around 135,000 graded. That's pretty amazing for a '70s set! In comparison, 1973 BB Has over 2000 10s.
  • ergoismergoism Posts: 315 ✭✭✭
    Here's some tough rookies that come to mind:
    1955 Topps Roberto Clemente: one 10, 3,285 graded.
    1963 Topps Pete Rose: one 10, 2,980 graded.
    1965 Topps Joe Namath: 0 10s, 963 graded.
    1968 Topps Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman: one 10, 6,729 graded.
    1969 Topps Reggie Jackson: one 10, 4,384 graded.
    1970 Topps OJ Simpson: 0 10s, 1,697 graded.

  • ClockworkAngelClockworkAngel Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭
    Baseball: The entire 1971 Topps Set: 160 out of 223,000 = less than .1 %
    Individual Card has to be the Fernando 1981 Topps RC. Dmitri would crack open cases looking for 1. Centering and print defects all the time. Still at zero. As Ergo mentioned, Reggie, Ryan, also Carew RC, Pete Rose RC, Schmidt, etc

    Football: 1986 Topps Steve Young: 4 out of 4,522-less than .1 % (remarkable for a modern card)

    Hockey: Wayne Gretzky 1979-80 OPC 1 out of 2,993. However, PSA and I have a differing opinion on whether I own a 2nd PSA 10 or not :-)

    Basketball: 1980-81 Topps Bird/Magic RC 18 out of 6,559 about 2.5%
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  • skinnyjhskinnyjh Posts: 121 ✭✭
    Ozzie Smith RC 4 out of 5353
    Rickey Henderson RC 11 out of 12776
    Ozzie Newsome RC 1 out of 702
    O.J. Simpson RC zero out of 1697
  • CWCW Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭
    >> 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman: one 10, 6,729 graded.

    Wow, never knew that many were graded. That's a pretty crazy ratio on a popular card, and if I recall correctly the only PSA 10 was a weak example with a weird cut and a touched corner.
  • hyperchipper09hyperchipper09 Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    >>>>Ozzie Newsome RC 1 out of 702

    Must be a great example because every one I've seen raw would grade 7, maybe an 8 at best.
  • jradke4jradke4 Posts: 3,573 ✭✭✭


    << <i>>> 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman: one 10, 6,729 graded.

    Wow, never knew that many were graded. That's a pretty crazy ratio on a popular card, and if I recall correctly the only PSA 10 was a weak example with a weird cut and a touched corner. >>



    how many were graded more than once??

    it would be fun to take a 1 of 4 modern card and sent it in say 10 times for grading and see what PSA does with the pop report without sending in old certs.
    Packers Fan for Life
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  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,264 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably the first one that comes to everyone's mind on this topic is 1976 Topps George Brett.

    A really tough card is the 1968 OPC Nolan Ryan RC; there's none higher than an 8 (one 9Q but that's not higher).

    Also on the subject of Ryan, the 1978 Topps is particularly tough to pull a 10.

  • Jack131Jack131 Posts: 70 ✭✭✭

    The 1981 Topps Fernando Valenzuela is up to 1847 graded, but still 0 in PSA 10.

    Same for the 1954 Topps Hockey and 1976 Topps George Brett with both still showing a population of 0 in PSA 10.

    But the 1970 Topps O.J. Simpson and 1972 Topps Julius Erving are now showing a population of 1 in PSA 10.

    Would love to see an image of either card, but can't seem to locate.

  • DotStoreDotStore Posts: 702 ✭✭✭✭

    The 1993 SP Derek Jeter - 21 out of 17,429

  • olb31olb31 Posts: 3,371 ✭✭✭✭✭

    i think the gretzky rookies are a really low pop.

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  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,811 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1 out of 4,506 Harmon Killebrew 1955 Topps.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • habs007habs007 Posts: 130 ✭✭✭

    throw in the 1954 Parkhurst with the Topps hockey and that year has no 10's with over 24,000 graded - you would think 1 would slip thru

  • DotStoreDotStore Posts: 702 ✭✭✭✭

    How much leeway do they allow based on the technology for the given era (and company)? For instance, a card from the 1950's where printing and cutting technology (or quality control) was not as good as it is in 2020. So is there an allowance depending on the year/brand? Example, I've seen PSA 10's for some OPC cards are so bad in terms of edge smoothness, or even early 1980's Fleer/Donruss.

  • blurryfaceblurryface Posts: 5,136 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1971 barratt nicklaus still hadn't 10'd last time i checked.

  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DotStore said:
    How much leeway do they allow based on the technology for the given era (and company)? For instance, a card from the 1950's where printing and cutting technology (or quality control) was not as good as it is in 2020. So is there an allowance depending on the year/brand? Example, I've seen PSA 10's for some OPC cards are so bad in terms of edge smoothness, or even early 1980's Fleer/Donruss.

    This is a good point. We need a WAR statistic for this. A low pop 1950s card isn't as abnormal as a low-pop 2000s card, all other things being equal.

    Arthur

  • thehallmarkthehallmark Posts: 1,332 ✭✭✭

    1990 Pro Set Lombardi Hologram. 125 graded, 38 PSA9s, 0 PSA10s. I've subbed/owned many of the 9s and truly none have deserved a PSA 10. It's aggravating to say the least.

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