Thoughts about Qualifier Graded cards

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DMasci
DMasci Posts: 171 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

I tried to find a discussion on this and nothing popped up. I'm curious as to the reasoning behind cards with the "OC" or "MC" etc designations. Being new to PSA coming from another grading service I'm not sure I get this. For example, if a card is graded PSA 9 with (OC) designation, well isn't centering one of the criteria used to come up with the overall grade of 9?

I noticed this when viewing the average price for a given card in the price guide and saw it quite a bit lower than going price for this card. I scanned down the recently purchased cards and there were a couple that were OC which sold for a fraction of the other cards which of course would bring down the average.

Just wondering why the even do this rather than just giving the card a lower grade.

Thanks

NFL HOF Set
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/398345

Comments

  • Dpeck100
    Dpeck100 Posts: 10,916 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Quick answer is you deduct two points. PSA 9 OC when you ask for no qualifiers you generally get a PSA 7.

    On the MC qualifier they will add that even if you ask for no qualifiers.

  • burghman
    burghman Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭✭
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    Take a look here if you haven't already - it explains a little about the criteria and what each qualifier means: https://www.psacard.com/Resources/gradingstandards#cards

    My understanding is that the qualifiers essentially say "the card is otherwise a 9 - corners, edges, surface, etc. are perfect - but the centering is outside of the requirements for a straight 9". In general, folks tend to view a qualifier as a 2 grade deduction when it comes to price - a 9OC is often priced around a straight 7. The Set Registry also treats them as 2 grades lower. There are also different opinions on whether to get qualifiers or not (when you submit, you can declare that you don't want qualifiers, in which case you'd theoretically get a PSA 7 instead of a 9OC) - some folks hate qualifiers on their slabs while others don't mind them so much.

    Jim

  • DeutscherGeist
    DeutscherGeist Posts: 2,998 ✭✭✭✭
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    What is MC?

    "So many of our DREAMS at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we SUMMON THE WILL they soon become INEVITABLE "- Christopher Reeve

    BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
  • bobbyw8469
    bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,144 ✭✭✭
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    Think of cards with qualifiers like this. IF the card wasn't OC, it has all the attributes of a '9'. IF the card is a PSA 7 (MK) it has all the attributes of a 7, except for the mark on the card.

  • burghman
    burghman Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭✭
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    @DeutscherGeist said:
    What is MC?

    Miscut

    Jim

  • Dpeck100
    Dpeck100 Posts: 10,916 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 19, 2020 1:03PM
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    @DeutscherGeist said:
    What is MC?

    Miscut

    Heenan got one.

  • burghman
    burghman Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭✭
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    How'd that Heenan get an MC? Typically, they're much worse than that - parts of the card missing, other cards showing, etc. Is it slightly skewed/diamond cut/whatever you call it? Maybe it's the angle, but it looks exactly like the Orndorff to me.

    Jim

  • sjjs28
    sjjs28 Posts: 535 ✭✭✭✭
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    Could be on the reverse

    Steve Saldutti
    sjjs28@comcast.net
    Collector of Baseball Hall of Famer's and Stars, 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game and 1969 Topps Decals
    Registered Sets: 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game, 1969 Topps Decals
  • DeutscherGeist
    DeutscherGeist Posts: 2,998 ✭✭✭✭
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    Depeck100,

    Thanks for explaining. Good to run into you again! However, that Bobby Heenan card barely looks MisCut, more like off center if anything.

    "So many of our DREAMS at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we SUMMON THE WILL they soon become INEVITABLE "- Christopher Reeve

    BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
  • DMasci
    DMasci Posts: 171 ✭✭✭
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    Thanks for the explanations, it sure seems odd to me to grade that way.

    NFL HOF Set
    https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/398345

  • Dpeck100
    Dpeck100 Posts: 10,916 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 20, 2020 5:46AM
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    PSA has graded lots of the cards that run down the center of the sheet with a straight grade. Recently I have seen them use the MC qualifier on them. They make the rules and we just have to accept them.

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