Who can provide the best advice to "earn" PSA 10s?

llafoe

I thought I knew what I was looking for in my quest for PSA 10s... perfect corners, no surface imperfections, near perfect centering on the front, etc. Then I received 2 early 1970s PSA 10s in the mail today... there were surface imperfections (2 tiny bubbles on the front - I thought there could be no imperfections), chipping on the bottom (although it may have been caused by contact/no contact/contact with the slab), one or more corners slightly imperfect (I assumed they had to be perfect... I discarded a lot of cards with one slightly imperfect corner under 10x magnification)... does anyone know what the actual grading standards are for a PSA 10 or is it a moving target.

BaltimoreYankee

Hi Larry - Here is the PSA 10 standard from their web site, but it's really subjective. Best way to NOT get a 10 is have me submit the card :-)



GEM-MT 10: Gem Mint

A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse.

llafoe

Daniel,

Thanks! I've read the standards a hundred times but I guess I let the posts of unwanted results here persuade me to under grade cards in fear of getting too low a grade. I'm going to submit cards I think will grade 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and see what grades I actually receive to grade my grading. :-D

Meatloaf

meet the standard

llafoe

Meatloaf - If I knew it was that black-and-white, I would have never asked the question. Thanks for the advice! ;-)

GoDodgersFan

Learn from experience would be one advice. The more cards you submit, the better you get in determining 8s, 9s, and 10s. I have been submitting cards for over 10 years now and I have gotten a lot better. I collect mostly modern stuff.

miwlvrn

I'd suggest you spreadsheet everything you sub, and assign an objective grade to each item before sending them in. Then compare the results and see how you did compared with the employed grader. I've subbed several thousand items now, and I still keep records of what grade I think they'll get before sending in and compare with assigned grades. I'm confident your accuracy will improve over time if you try to be more honest than hopeful with your items.

IndianaJones

Hi Larry. You're getting good advice all around, for the most part. Even when you believe in your guts a given card has all the ingredients of the 10, PSA has the final word. BaltimoreYankee expressed the key caveat---it's still very subjective. PSA knows their cards, mind you, though on some esoteric pieces and hand-cut cards, I would beg to differ with them.

This has nothing to do with what I just wrote, but one time I submitted a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie I actually pulled from the center of a pack I bought back in 80 and did not open for over 20 years. It was centered all the way, without a print spot on the dark dugout background. I thought this baby had what it takes....

When it came back "only" a MINT 9, I was dumbfounded. I asked, and they willingly reviewed the card. Apparently some back corner wear, and a hint that the card's print registration was not crisp enough. Wow, but at least they gave Rickey two good looks. But I thought for sure ....

The double digit is indeed so hard to come by, and some collectors so obsess on having 10s they fight among themselves at auction to pay those hefty prices to gain their prize and those guarnanteed bragging rights. I have a term for those niche collectors, and it really hits the mark though is not meant to be unkind. With a homage to Yosemite Sam's classic mispronunciation of the word, idiot, they are "DOUBLE DIGIT IDJETS". Now, having written these lines, I well remember the occasion I purchased a PSA 10 1971 Kellogg's football 3-D card. It was a pop 4 when I bought the beauty in 2009 or 10. I just checked this moment to see what it is today; it's a pop 6. So there's been two added in 5-6 years, which isn't very many. The card just glowed; indeed, it was perfect. No regrets, but then I did not pay a king's ransom. Still, I think it set me back over 400 bucks, and that was top dollar for this HOFer. Not trying to be secretive---it was George Blanda. He was the one guy I wanted the most in that gorgeous set back in 1971.

Larry, if 10s are your goal, virtually memorize the PSA guidelines, follow miwlvrn's advice and meticulously create and use a spreadsheet, and you'll probably be more of an expert than most. Then again, each issue has its own distinctives, and your fellow collectors are not that apt to share such specific pungent information, as they don't want more competitors for the same cards.

Here's wishing you well, bro. Take care. ---Indiana Jones (Brian Powell)

cards651

I hear you -- I vow not to buy 10s but when they hit $15 to $25 (mid-70s football, hockey, basketball), I often succumb. But you are right, better to avoid them.



Here's one that just came up for sale from 4sc. It's a 1 of 1 so who knows what the price should be but these ones are always interesting.



1975 Thurmond $999



Thurmond PSA 9

Littletweed

In my experience, the way to "earn" PSA 10's is to submit more cards. If you have cards you're not sending in because of a minor flaw, they don't have a chance. I have been pleasantly surprised by cards I sent in hoping for a 9 and getting a 10. I have seen 10's that are questionable, and I have also cracked out many 9's and gotten 10's the next time around. So basically put, sub a lot of 'em and see what happens.

cards651

I agree to an extent -- the more you sub the more you learn. But that $6 to $7 per graded card adds up real quick and you can find yourself broke. I sometimes go through my raw cards with the idea that each one is $6 that's still in my pocket...

cards651

Meant to respond to the OP as well -- spend some time on the Pop Report! Folks aren't dummies. We don't send in junk cards by choice. Most people make an attempt to send in their very best. And what happens? A very small percent are 10s. PSA has the say. You're shooting hoops at the carnival for a prize. Have some fun but as Bernie would say, 'The game is rigged.'

UncleTwoPillow

Some fella named EagleEyeKid used to roost here, I think. He could tell you how.

Mapleleaf

I've pretty much given up on subbing cards as I received only one ten on hundreds of cards subbed. On cards I expected to get 6 to 9 grades, I'm usually right on the money as I write down expected grades before subbing. I found it more cost effective to buy 10's rather than sub. As you say, the subbing fees add up.
My big mistake was selling my 9's (which looked like 10's) to pay for more subs which just came back as 9's.
Pet peeve: Buying a 10 and having it look worse than my 9.

grote15

I think it the era you're focusing on makes a huge difference~Eagle Eye Kid had a remarkable percentage of self-submitted 10s, but virtually all of the cards were post 2000 modern issues, where the percentage of PSA 10s in general is very high to begin with. For cards from 1980 or earlier, the percentage of PSA 10s is vastly more difficult.