PSA's handling of Printing Abnormalities
PaulMaul
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I'm a little confused. The "PD" qualifier is supposed to indicate the presence of some kind of printing abnormality, like snow, etc., correct?
Yet, for some reason, if the print abnormality is large enough (e.g., the two examples below), it becomes a "variation" and is given an unqualified grade. Can someone explain the logic in that? A huge black blob is OK, but a print bubble the size of the head of a pin will get slammed.
Yet, for some reason, if the print abnormality is large enough (e.g., the two examples below), it becomes a "variation" and is given an unqualified grade. Can someone explain the logic in that? A huge black blob is OK, but a print bubble the size of the head of a pin will get slammed.
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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.
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.
<< <i>I understand, but it gets a bit tricky, because I've seen more pedestrian print defects that occur on large batches of the same card too. They just aren't unique enough that anyone would remember/care. They still appear over many cards though, yet they get treated as defects, not variations. Consistency, that bugaboo of small minds! >>
I think you have to look at what kind of defect (or variation) we're talking about and to what extent it affects large numbers of cards consistently and in the same spot. PD like snow or a bubble on the surface of the card as you mentioned in the OP will never be considered a variation, but a defect. Do you have an example of what you would consider a variation but is instead a defect and not considered a variation by PSA? In the examples above, and with the gap in border in 1973 cards, the variations are pretty apparent. Personally, I'm not a big fan of variations, as they often inflate value undeservedly imo, though I know some collectors enjoy them.
Btw, why isn't the white circle variation noted on the flip? Do all cards bear that mark?
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.
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