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It's amazing when scanning through vintage PSA 5 's, PSa 6's
olb31
Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭✭✭
and PSA 7's, just how few of them are centered. I went through some 1971's and 90% of them are way off centered, like 80-20 or worse. it's pretty darn obvious that people want centered cards, as i do. Just didn't know how hard to locate them were.
Work hard and you will succeed!!
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IMHO prior to 2000 the focus was more on four sharp corners. Since then it's all about centering.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
I started out in the 1990s as a corner-guy. Now...I am a centering-guy w/eye popping color. Still...corners are important but are 3rd on my list.
Yup - I started collecting the 80's and while centering was a thing now it's _THE _thing. Wonder if that'll hold 30 years from now or if something else (registration perhaps) will supplant it as the thing the majority of collectors value most.
..and just to be clear, for me I guess old habits die hard. I certainly value centering more than I did all those years ago but I feel it's not quite as important to me as it seems to be to others.
When I did my first submission, it went to Beckett back in 2007. My grades were terrible, at least to me at the time. I didn't even consider centering when I sent them in. Corners were the big thing.
Speaking of centering, either this card is mislabeled or I've totally lost my ability to comprehend third party grading. I'm very surprised that a reputable consigner would actually list a card they know is clearly mislabeled.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386793949583?itmmeta=01HQ3ZW34GH73T8WGR29F2YANF&hash=item5a0eb7498f:g:UjoAAOSwcoBl084z&itmprp=enc:AQAIAAAA4IddktCNVGX5bX/vd5sYZAhd6vWaGeEPhZluAwA6yGqTKdG2kMrd4vRUANFtvrgguJRTCorRgBWHKc+dzJsBipqETPN7OBJIR9jrMlTKWrJS7to7eevv/sSuQjPVBfEcVChiedGtjJX5NGd3txuVgmw/HcFh+UjJxmOwAuLMvBOdiRoU2Vvx92XxGRnAqv/jSJwAlgdAn6IUJmCaw4R9QJwC89PY7nL0QcVc9tC85Mik66cxqcQdkEguXNgWHQ/OCDRY4T1Mr7gO0sogYMIyyu5ExmhoCGHum1H7Efow0Ghi|tkp:Bk9SR6qy8P-4Yw
the schmidt should be 9 OC. It's a pity too, because the pop report will show a 9 that really doesn't exist.
It gets a bump because it's bilingual.
My centering "affliction" has hampered me untold numbers of times such that I have rarely ever been able to complete sets to my satisfaction due to those "tough to find centered cards..." than never quite fit into the set I wanted to build.
Think 1971 Claude Raymond. There are others that I've burned from memory.
This set-completion impediment has pushed me off of set building and onto star card and hall of fame player cards, which I currently focus my attention and disposable income.
Unlike other posters - I've focused on centering, and nothing else.
A truly desirable card has centering, corners and registration/color - and they are getting way out of my price range and supply issues keep these cards from finding their way onto the market place too often.
Thankfully I'm retired and can spend my idle hours looking for the next great purchase.
And when I do decide to liquidate, hopefully centering will still be king....
sjjs28@comcast.net
Collector of 1964 Topps Stand Ups, 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game and 1969 Topps Decals
Registered Sets: 1964 Stand Ups, 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game, 1969 Topps Decals
People don’t think like this but comps even through PSA 8 are generally off-centered cards. These same cards turn over again and again while the better centered cards are locked away in collections. If you want nicely centered cards for the grade in today’s hobby for 1972 and older you need to be at or above VCP high to win auctions. Referring to High, Mid and Low on the grade summary not highest ever sold price.
Funny thing, in that post there is a sponsored suggestion of similar card that is PSA9oc.
Better top/bottom centering. Worse left/right centering.
Good topic that comes up from time to time on centering e.g.
Pretty much we're all in on centering these days.
I do remember when I'd pick up OC cards for my collection since I wasn't concerned with resale.
Here's a few and most importantly purchased at bargain prices.
I once put up a thread where I opened 2 boxes of 83F BB and I realized that the first thing I focused on "was" the centering.
And last, I've noted that if the centering on a card was spot on? The competition went up logarithmically.
AI can determine centering more objectively. Something that is so easy for them becomes the definitive grading standard probably because it's automated and cheaper. For better or worse.
It also seems to be more punitive in how cards are graded now.
100% agree with this. But will folks pay PSA 8 prices for a nicely centered PSA 7 or PSA 7 prices for a nicely centered PSA 6?
I have seen people pay PSA 7 prices for high end 6s. There was a good video by Midlife Sports Cards on is centering too important where he showed several examples of centered cards a grade lower selling more than off-centered cards a grade higher.
I think the price difference between 8 and 9 and 7 to 8 is to large for this to happen in all but extremely rare circumstances.
People are paying for eye appeal - for me registration is 1 centering is 2 corners are 3. I will trade off between 2 and 3 but really stay away if a card is not printed well.
I love a nicely centered card, the more the better, though I didn't use to be as concerned with it. If I can find a centered example of whatever I'm going for, then I will try and stick to that standard. On the other hand, if it's a whale card (for me) then I am willing to compromise somewhat if it means otherwise not being able to get an example at all.
I have many times before, and I will again. And based on how many auctions where I am the underbidder, others feel the same way too.
@rugbymarine said: I have many times before, and I will again. And based on how many auctions where I am the underbidder, others feel the same way too.
I can agree with you when the PSA 6, 7, 8 are for example $125, $225, $400 but when the price differences between these grades are $500, $2000, $10,000 I think I'd be looking for a half grade like PSA 6.5, PSA 7.5 and then convincing/ arguing that the half grade is high end based on centering, registration or corners. Just like the big fish buying 8.5's the little minnows could play the mid-grade game.
sayhey looks like he nailed it.
.5 does not always mean the card is centered,glossy or great corners.
Interesting…handyman. Maybe color…that color pops!
I don't know much about the bowman large. Do you think this is fair grade for this issue?
This is the gray back version which is rarer than the regular version. There are only three 10s, two 9s, and five 8's. There are quite a few bidders already, most likely Schmidt registry collectors who will pay a premium for a rare 9 despite it clearly not being deserving of the grade.
I picked up an an 8 gray back schmidt the other day for about $70, i think. I bought with a couple of cards.
Based on how things change with grading I guess you could say it deserved it on the day it was graded.
For what that's worth.
Midgrade .5
I totally agree....the larger the price tag can certainly change my willingness to push the price envelope.