Hold the half-point grade, please.

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:07AM

Some of us have undoubtedly requested that our cards be graded without any qualifiers, but what are the prospects of PSA honoring a request to obstain from half-point grading on a particular submission? I'll give 'em a call later today, though I wanted a little feedback from you guys. Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Scout

mtcards · June 18, 2009 2:11AM

Why would you want that?

Nathaniel1960 · June 18, 2009 2:18AM

<< Why would you want that? >>

Some people are OCD in that they don't like fractions and decimals, only whole numbers. I'm not kidding.

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:18AM

Ah, a familiar question.

Answer:
I've never been a fan of the half-point grading system, as I don't grade cards for the sole purpose of reselling. In other words, monetary value is not my primary, or even secondary motivation for grading. Plus, as is stated in my tag line, I only collect straight 3s for the sake of maintaining uniformity in my sets. It seems silly to some, I know, but it has something to do with my wiring.

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:20AM

No, I'm not OCD, but I do prefer order over disorder. Uniformity is key!

MBMiller25 · June 18, 2009 2:24AM

Call PSA and ask, interesting question and would be curious to know the answer you receive.

lsutigers1973 · June 18, 2009 2:25AM

<< I only collect straight 3s for the sake of maintaining uniformity in my sets. >>

Dude, that is straight OCD. That explanation only works if you are looking for only 10's.

Yankees001 · June 18, 2009 2:29AM

<< No, I'm not OCD, but I do prefer order over disorder. Uniformity is key! >>

I think you mean order over chaos.

I like Chaos. Order gets boring. But as they say to each their own.

Dave

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:32AM

I had no idea that so many clinical psychologists collected cards in their off-time

Dr. Bill, within the '15 CJ set, there are four times as many PSA 8s than there are PSA 3s (just north of 635), making it quite a challenge. Let's say that your truck has four wheels (exlcuding the spare), and that each tire represents 44 cards of a 176 card set. Wouldn't you want each of your Goodyear's to be the same size?

Yankees001 · June 18, 2009 2:34AM

<< I had no idea that so many clinical psychologists collected cards in their off-time

Dr. Bill, within the '15 CJ set, there are four times as many PSA 8s than there are PSA 3s (just north of 635), making it quite a challenge. Let's say that your truck has four wheels (exlcuding the spare), and that each tire represents 44 cards of a 176 card set. Wouldn't you want each of your Goodyear's to be the same size? >>

That's easy.

NO, I have FIRESTONE TIRES.

Dave

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:35AM

No, no, I meant disorder. I don't think that multi-graded sets would lead to chaos........at least I hope not.

scotgreb · June 18, 2009 2:35AM

Scout -- I doubt they would ignore the .5 and purposely "mis-grade" a card.

Regarding your preferences -- I understand what you're saying but think it's a bit misguided.

My two cents.

Scott

lsutigers1973 · June 18, 2009 2:35AM

I just hang out at Walmart and wait on a similar car to pull in and then I steal their tires why they are shopping.

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:36AM

Hey, Firestone have made some great improvements in recent years!

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 2:37AM

That was you, Bill? I want my S*** back!!!

lsutigers1973 · June 18, 2009 2:40AM

<< That was you, Bill? I want my S*** back!!! >>

No one saw me. Can't prove it. Didn't do it.

Elemenopeo · June 18, 2009 3:13AM

<< ... I only collect straight 3s for the sake of maintaining uniformity in my sets. It seems silly to some, I know, but it has something to do with my wiring. >>

What happens if one of your submissions comes back a 4? Or can you also request a grade no-higher-than X?

digicat · June 18, 2009 3:14AM

I can't really imagine PSA intentionally UNDERGRADING by request. That would defeat the purpose of grading. A .5 isn't a qualifier.

I guess, if you got a .5 on one of your grades, you could crack the card out and tap the corner against the table a few times to try to lower the grade....

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 3:20AM

If one of my CJs comes back a 4, I'll sell it off, and for those pesky 3.5s, they get cracked and "handled" a bit before being resubmitted.

detroitfan2 · June 18, 2009 3:30AM

<< If one of my CJs comes back a 4, I'll sell it off, and for those pesky 3.5s, they get cracked and "handled" a bit before being resubmitted. >>

There's gotta be guys out there who will trade you their 3's for your 4's and 3.5's. Although I suppose if another collector on the registry contacted me saying that he'd like to trade me his higher graded cards for my lower graded cards, I'd probably ignore it.

In any case, why can't you just sell off the 3.5's as well? You're really not that different than the rest of us, when we receive grades that are higher or lower than our desires, we get rid of the cards and use the funds to try again. You just have a smaller window.

Good luck!

-Tom

P.S. Do all of you CJs have the number grade under the text grade (i.e. new system)? Or are you not quite that particular ?

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 3:55AM

Hey Detroitfan,

I haven't had any luck trading down for a PSA 3, though I have made a few inquiries to some of the Registry guys. The Registry forum has a '14/'15 CJ thread that is populated by a number of great guys, to include Republicaninmass, stormsurge, Griffins and Pacman, to name a few. As to your question about flips, YES, I've had a handful of cards (about a dozen) reholdered to update the flips, which means that some of the other posters from this thread were right. I am friggen OCD....lol!

Edited to add: There just aren't enough 3s out there for me to risk giving up a 3.5 in need of some additional "handling."

TomGshotput · June 18, 2009 3:59AM

PSA can only be a viable company if they do everything they can to ensure consistency. I would have some pretty big issues if they intentionally provided inconsistent grades

yankeeno7 · June 18, 2009 4:05AM

buy the card, not the grade

that gets tossed out the window here

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 4:08AM

What about requesting NO qualifiers, which can drop a card down as much as two full number grades? Is that not an example of reduced grading at the customer's behest? I see it not as an issue of "mis-grading," but rather as a request that their traditional grading scheme (one free from half-point grades) be applied to a particular submission. In the end, PSA makes the rules, but the option would be welcomed by more people than some would think.

digicat · June 18, 2009 4:38AM

<< What about requesting NO qualifiers, which can drop a card down as much as two full number grades? Is that not an example of reduced grading at the customer's behest? >>

A half-grade isn't a qualifier though, it's part of the numerical grading system.

Qualifiers simply call out a major flaw, and grade around it. Asking for no-qualifiers is basically asking them to leave the flaw in the mix when determining the numerical grade.

WinPitcher · June 18, 2009 4:47AM

Asking for no qualifiers is simply net grading down.

Steve

detroitfan2 · June 18, 2009 5:49AM

<<Edited to add: There just aren't enough 3s out there for me to risk giving up a 3.5 in need of some additional "handling." >>

I must admit, it takes a special skill to take a card from a 3.5 to a 3, especially since as I understand it, centering is the #1 thing that advances a card to the 1/2 grade.

Good luck to you Scout, I admire your passion for consistency.

-Tom

larryallen73 · June 18, 2009 6:11AM

I will trade you my full grade cards for your half grade cards straight up. Give me a list of all your half grade cards and I will trade you my full grade (lower) cards I have straight up. For example, I have a nice PSA 6 Rose rookie. So if you have a 6.5 we could make a great trade. I think we would both be happy! You wouldn't have to mess around with those annoying half grades.

P.S. OCD fo' sho.

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 6:14AM

Larryallen, if you've got a few '15 CJs in a PSA 3, and they're on my list, then I'll trade you my PSA 4s in a red hot minute. Are you guys really that turned off by uniformity? I'll bet your socks don't even match, huh?

nightcrawler · June 18, 2009 6:24AM

I understand perfectly why scoutsout47 wants his set to be straight 3s.

Edit for spellin. And to add that I bet scoutsout47 hates it when he has to edit a post... it just looks bad.

digicat · June 18, 2009 6:30AM

<< Are you guys really that turned off by uniformity? I'll bet your socks don't even match, huh? >>

I twitch unconfortably and have trouble sleeping at night if I know that a closed set box in my closet doesn't contain an actual full set... but matching grades? That's just crazy.

yankeeno7 · June 18, 2009 7:07AM

<< 
P.S. OCD fo' sho. >>

Love the 40 year old virgin reference!

larryallen73 · June 18, 2009 7:10AM

I'll bet your socks don't even match, huh?

They match. I, like most card collectors, have a touch of OCD. However, you may want to think about medication for your condition because it sounds a little more serious. I will look for those PSA 3's for you!

scoutsout47 · June 18, 2009 7:48AM

Nightcrawler, I DO hate it when I have to edit a post because it DOES look bad -- parlicularly for me

And, Larryallen, I'm going to have a sip of water and then confine myself to bed rest for 72 hours. Any advice as to what I should do if the PSA 3 obsession fails to subside? Quit the hobby? Seek a prescription? Or, should I protect myself by sending you my cards?

Please be good to them, buddy...lol.

WinPitcher · June 18, 2009 7:52AM

I can't believe that wanting only all 3's is uniformity. I would think some 4's would like like the best 3's.

Not all 3's are created equally. I would think a set graded between 3 and 4 would be truly uniform.

Much more so then a set in all 3. Unless one is trying to get 3's that all look similar?

Or is the OP speaking strictly of Registry GPA?

Steve

Hold the half-point grade, please.

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