Michael Jordan Rookie PSA 9 OC (but not really an ugly card)

Boyk1182

Hi, I am new to this forum, but have browsed and read a lot, and collected cards since I was a kid. I have a quick question for anyone willing to give an opinion. I recently purchased the Jordan rookie in the picture below. Based on a blown up version of this picture, L to R centering appears nearly perfect, corners and edges appear nearly perfect, and T to B centering appears to be about 32 - 68. I think that if I submitted this to PSA and asked for "no qualifiers," it meets the centering standards of an 8. If I submitted it to BGS, it appears to meet the centering standards for a 7, making an 8 the highest possible grade. Of course I could leave it alone, because I think it actually looks pretty nice (T to B is probably the only OC situation I could deal with).

My questions are:

(1) If I were to crack it open and submit it to PSA, do you think there is any chance of this card getting a straight 9? How about if I kept trying and trying? I have seen 9s on eBay that look to have the same or worse T to B centering.

(2) If I were to crack it open and submit it to BGS, do you think there is any chance of this card getting an 8.5 or a 9? Again, I have seen what looks to be worse where BGS gave it an 8 or 8.5 for centering.

I intend to display this on the wall like art, and not sell, so it isn't really a big deal what the PSA case says. Of course, I would much rather it say PSA 9 or BGS 8.5, that's why I ask.

All opinions are welcome, thank you for reading!

secretstash

No chance at a 9 ever. 8 possibly. Something I don't know, but I assume you can--send in as a review asking for a minimum 8 no qualifiers and if not they will leave in the 9oc.

Dand522612

It is a nice card. My 8 has similar centering t to b. It might be a bit better and therefore not O/C??

Dpeck100

Sometimes the grading companies make mistakes and perhaps a card with identical centering slipped by but it would be an anomaly. When I submit cards I ask for no qualifiers and I do have some cards that have graded a PSA 8 that had I not made that request would have received a PSA 9 OC. When I first started getting cards graded myself in 2010 I didn't realize until a fellow collector pointed it out that there was a 2 point deduction for registry purposes and made the adjustment on how I submitted cards. If you have the guts and feel comfortable doing it perhaps you can crack it and get the straight 8 on submission. Not all cards sell at a steep discount in a PSA 9 OC holder so make sure you check and see what the value differential is and see if it is really worth it as this card will have to be sent in at a higher service level with the value exceeding $500 and there is always the risk of damage. Good luck.

Boyk1182

Thanks guys. I don't think it would be a 9 on 99 out of 100 days, but maybe that one day?

And I think your 8 above has better centering than mine, but looks pretty similar.

Here is what I saw (currently on eBay) that got me thinking:

secretstash

@Dpeck100 said:
Sometimes the grading companies make mistakes and perhaps a card with identical centering slipped by but it would be an anomaly. When I submit cards I ask for no qualifiers and I do have some cards that have graded a PSA 8 that had I not made that request would have received a PSA 9 OC. When I first started getting cards graded myself in 2010 I didn't realize until a fellow collector pointed it out that there was a 2 point deduction for registry purposes and made the adjustment on how I submitted cards. If you have the guts and feel comfortable doing it perhaps you can crack it and get the straight 8 on submission. Not all cards sell at a steep discount in a PSA 9 OC holder so make sure you check and see what the value differential is and see if it is really worth it as this card will have to be sent in at a higher service level with the value exceeding $500 and there is always the risk of damage. Good luck.

I am curious if you ever submit cards intentionally off center so that you can get a psa 9OC or bust? Do you have to do a separate form or are they smart enough to not just think since 90% of your order asked for no qualifier so would that? Just want to make sure as I had plans to do this.

Dpeck100

@secretstash said:

@Dpeck100 said:
Sometimes the grading companies make mistakes and perhaps a card with identical centering slipped by but it would be an anomaly. When I submit cards I ask for no qualifiers and I do have some cards that have graded a PSA 8 that had I not made that request would have received a PSA 9 OC. When I first started getting cards graded myself in 2010 I didn't realize until a fellow collector pointed it out that there was a 2 point deduction for registry purposes and made the adjustment on how I submitted cards. If you have the guts and feel comfortable doing it perhaps you can crack it and get the straight 8 on submission. Not all cards sell at a steep discount in a PSA 9 OC holder so make sure you check and see what the value differential is and see if it is really worth it as this card will have to be sent in at a higher service level with the value exceeding $500 and there is always the risk of damage. Good luck.

I am curious if you ever submit cards intentionally off center so that you can get a psa 9OC or bust? Do you have to do a separate form or are they smart enough to not just think since 90% of your order asked for no qualifier so would that? Just want to make sure as I had plans to do this.

The new online order form forces you to mark no qualifiers if you want it by each card. In the past I used to write it down the side and in only one case did a card still come back with a qualifier even though I requested none. I phoned in as there was an issue with my order and I asked them to review it while they addressed the other issue and they did and it actually came back a PSA 7 vs. a PSA 8 OC. It was very off centered and very sharp.

If you are using the new submission form I think you should have no problem specifying which cards you want graded with or without. Perhaps you could call ahead and just confirm to avoid any surprises.

addicted2ebay

Sure it has a shot. I recently popped a 9 Mint on that same card and I was hoping for a 7. Stranger things have happen.

Dand522612

Thinking I might want to send mine in for review as well

Boyk1182

Review, which would be asking them to look at their last decision and decide if they can change it (with your argument as to why); or crack it open and pretend it has never been rated before? I am wondering if asking for a "review" would ever actually get a change?

secretstash

@Boyk1182 said:
Review, which would be asking them to look at their last decision and decide if they can change it (with your argument as to why); or crack it open and pretend it has never been rated before? I am wondering if asking for a "review" would ever actually get a change?

You mean any review??

I believe you meant the exact scenario discussed for review since obviously they have reviewed and changed grades. I would personally be expecting a 2 grade drop if not cracked and if it was 1 pt I would be more or less surprised.

KnightRider

Your card looks to be accurately graded by PSA. It's a mint card that's just off-centered top-to-bottom. You're probably right that if you had them regrade it without qualifiers, it would come back a PSA 8.

If you get serious about wanting to crack it out, I would suggest thinking this over before taking any action. Not knowing how wealthy or how much of a gambler you are, this would be a card that's too valuable for me to risk potentially damaging it on a crack-out. But even if that's not a concern of yours, this card just doesn't deserve a straight PSA 9. Sure, you could submit it 18 times and maybe you'll get lucky. But the reality is that it doesn't deserve a 9, and you're hoping for something that shouldn't be. I save the reviews for cards that I deeply, truly feel are under-graded; not ones that I see as accurately graded but could get a bump on the grader's birthday...

All that said, I hope you do get lucky if you go for a review.

Boyk1182

@KnightRider said:
Your card looks to be accurately graded by PSA. It's a mint card that's just off-centered top-to-bottom. You're probably right that if you had them regrade it without qualifiers, it would come back a PSA 8.

If you get serious about wanting to crack it out, I would suggest thinking this over before taking any action. Not knowing how wealthy or how much of a gambler you are, this would be a card that's too valuable for me to risk potentially damaging it on a crack-out. But even if that's not a concern of yours, this card just doesn't deserve a straight PSA 9. Sure, you could submit it 18 times and maybe you'll get lucky. But the reality is that it doesn't deserve a 9, and you're hoping for something that shouldn't be. I save the reviews for cards that I deeply, truly feel are under-graded; not ones that I see as accurately graded but could get a bump on the grader's birthday...

All that said, I hope you do get lucky if you go for a review.

No, it's not really that big of an issue. I would probably offset any increase in value by resubmitting it until it got a 9 (which may never even happen). Just thought it was interrsting that i have seen some 9s that look worse. I actually agree, the more I think about it, it really doesnt deserve a 9. I guess I'm really debating if I'd rather it say 8 or 9 oc on the case. Or if it even matters.

Dboneesq

I don't think I would take a chance of cracking it out and re-subbing.

VCP on a 9o/c and a straight 8 are about the same. A straight "7" is a $600.00 loss. Of course a straight "9" would more than double the value, but like others have said it's going to be tough to get that card in a straight "9".

If you do crack it out and re-sub, I hope I am wrong. Good Luck! Let us know how it goes if you try for a higher grade.

Dand522612

What is the value of 9 O/C VS 8? I would not crack out as Knight Rider said. That would take brass ones and should only be done with high end baseball 71's

Boyk1182

Ok, I've been convinced, not going to open it. I may send it to BGS with a minimum accepted grade of 9, and just see what happens. Worst they can do is send it back to me.

Dand522612

This one sold for pretty good money as it was graded pre half grade and is barely OC. As always but the card and not the holder. Eye appeal is everything

Boyk1182

That one is centered much better at its worst point than the straight 9 I posted a few posts up. I guess that's why I started this thread, I can't believe the inconstincies. BGS seems to be better, but also seems pretty inconsistent. I have seen 7.5 centering that look better than some 8.5s.

Cakes

@Boyk1182 said:
Ok, I've been convinced, not going to open it. I may send it to BGS with a minimum accepted grade of 9, and just see what happens. Worst they can do is send it back to me.

Makes sense, good luck.