What do you think of these tiny printing imperfections? (photos inside)

chris777 · March 23, 2010 6:16PM

I'd like to get as much opinions as possible. I put up scans... tell me if certain printing on these 1986 fleer basketball cards will eliminate it from ever getting a grade of 10. Even a 9. I've posted pics and a question for each. Tell me what you think....

Question 1... see the tiny circle or donut in the blue area, will that eliminate the card from ever getting a grade of 10? What about a 9?

Question 2... see the hazy redness in back of card which was created when the card was produced(a lot of these cards have them),
does that eliminate it from ever getting a grade of 10? What about 9?

Question 3... see the red dots or specks in back of card which was created when the card was produced, does that eliminate it
from ever getting a grade of 10? What about 9?

Question 4... see the tiny chipping on the edge in the blue area(there's no other chipping anywhere else), does that eliminate it from ever getting a grade of 10? What about a 9?

Question 5... see the super tiny black dot, which was there straight out of the pack, does that eliminate it from ever getting a grade of 10? What about 9?

72skywalker · March 23, 2010 9:27PM

I used to work at a large printing plant for 7 years. Those dots are called "hickeys" and are formed when there is an excess of ink on the rollers. Usually the printers can scrape them off during print. I am always surprised that the plant allows them to go out the door like that. We used to print the coupons that you see in your sunday paper and if there were any of those we would reprint so that they do not go out the door.

fkw · March 23, 2010 9:43PM

Thats cool to know, I always thought those "hickeys" were from dust and dirt. I used to call them "bullseyes", alot of 1950-60-70s Topps cards have them and some can be much larger than the one above.

Im not a PSA grading expert by a long shot, so cant answer, but I think the black dot one is not much of a flaw,,,,, but the others are a bit more. I think the red ink smear thing (#2) has the worst eye appeal, but I guess from the scan that it is also fairly small overall, but still a flaw that might/should kill a 10. I guess they can be much stricter on print flaws on these modern issues.

billwaltonsbeard · March 23, 2010 10:25PM

Assuming all of these minor flaws are the ONLY flaws on the cards....

1. Checklist could still get a 10, but most likely will get a 9 or 8.5
2. Alvan Adams would get a 9 or 8.5
3. Sam Bowie could get a 10, but will get a 9
4. Chipping on the Aguirre could get a 9, but more likely an 8.5
5. A 10 could still be had with that dot.

Of course all of them could come back EOT too.

ElToroLoco · March 23, 2010 11:34PM

<< <i> Assuming all of these minor flaws are the ONLY flaws on the cards....

1. Checklist could still get a 10, but most likely will get a 9 or 8.5
2. Alvan Adams would get a 9 or 8.5
3. Sam Bowie could get a 10, but will get a 9
4. Chipping on the Aguirre could get a 9, but more likely an 8.5 5. A 10 could still be had with that dot. >>

You collect too much 86 Fleer!

UlyssesExtravaganza · March 23, 2010 11:39PM

Unfortunately, I think they are all issues. It's hard to say if each individually would keep you from getting a 10. If your card was flawless outside of a super tiny black dot on the back, probably not. I think issues on the back are considered less of an issue but still count. I think the chipping would be weighted heavily. I haven't gotten specific reasons from PSA for why grades came out the way they did but when I tried to resubmit to Beckett and get bumps, there were usually print spots referenced and often ones I didn't even notice until they pointed them out, like that super tiny black dot on the back.

dizzle · March 24, 2010 2:41AM

I could see the ones with dots getting 10's providing that was the only flaw.. Here's a couple I picked up along time ago from ebay couldn't see the dots in the scans but once I had them In hand I didn't care for the cards much IMO they should have been 8.5's

italianstallionyankees · March 24, 2010 3:23AM

On that 88 fleer ewing that tiny little hair thingy is so common I have 6 cards with that I wonder if psa has taken that into consideration while grading the ewing cards?

Ryan

What do you think of these tiny printing imperfections? (photos inside)

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