Are all PSA 5s equally valued?

[wmullis]

My son and I just got into the world of collecting graded cards, not so much because we prefer them but more because we thought valuing these cards would be easier.

We have been watching ebay auctions and the other day we subscribed to VCP. We were shocked at the range of prices for a particular card despite the fact that they are all equally graded by PSA. There seems to be almost as big of a gap for completed auctions as raw cards. The swing of prices even in the matter of a few weeks is astonishing.

My question is, is there more to valuation than just the grade? For example, can one 1964 Pete Rose PSA 5 be worth more than another with the exact same grade? I know about the qualifiers(MC,OC,etc) so I am not referring to that.

[mintacular]

Absolutely, while most 5s should be in the same "ball park" there can still be quite some variance within 1 grade category, ie. weak 5 ex's and strong 5 ex's...Centering is one of these big differences and you will see that cards strong for the grade will sell for higher (Also, before PSA added half grades a few years ago there are some cards out there that perhaps someone hopes to resubmit it and get a .5 grade "bump")

Keep in mind that grading is a technical science so 1 issue could automatically prevent a card from reaching a higher grade but it's "eye appeal" is much superior to a similar grade card...The best example of this is that you will see an absolute beautiful pre-war card in every way except a tiny pinhole and therefore the card is automatically a Fair 1.5 or worse, and then you can see the same card that looks like it was run over by a truck a few thousand times with also the grade 1.5 Fair...obviously both are the same grade but the pinhole has greater eye appeal (with most people).

In short, focus on the overall eye appeal of the card inside the holder iand not just the final grade

[vintagetoppsguy]

My question is, is there more to valuation than just the grade? For example, can one 1964 Pete Rose PSA 5 be worth more than another with the exact same grade? I know about the qualifiers(MC,OC,etc) so I am not referring to that.

In addition to what Pat said, a MINT card with a very minor surface (front or back) wrinkle will always bring the card down to a PSA 5.

Most people are willing to pay more for a PSA 5 with a MINT appearance rather than a PSA 5 with noticable corner wear.

[wmullis]

Would you say that a general rule of thumb would be that the higher the grades the less of variation there would be between two cards?

Like I said I am new to this whole grading process and we was under the assumption that all PSA 5s would be treated equally but it is apparent that is completely wrong.

[xdrx]

Would you say that a general rule of thumb would be that the higher the grades the less of variation there would be between two cards?

Like I said I am new to this whole grading process and we was under the assumption that all PSA 5s would be treated equally but it is apparent that is completely wrong.

Spend some time here browsing threads about how inconsistent grading can be and I think you will answer your own question. Smarter collectors are looking carefully beyond the number because they know it is hardly an exact science kind of thing.

[Doug]

Would you say that a general rule of thumb would be that the higher the grades the less of variation there would be between two cards?

Like I said I am new to this whole grading process and we was under the assumption that all PSA 5s would be treated equally but it is apparent that is completely wrong.

I've seen PSA 5s that look like a typical EX card and I've seen ones that looked NM, but might have some minor flaw like a small paper wrinkle on the back. I'd pay more for the nicer card, but at the same time I've had trouble getting any kind of premium for "high end" cards unless I really have time to wait. I'd say there is less variance in the condition with the higher grade cards. When you get into the PSA 8-10 range other than centering or some kind of microscopic flaw there's not a huge difference in most cases.

[ls7plus]

We did a nice thread about eye appeal versus technical grade back in May of this year, with lots of insightful comments. If you search the archives, it'll pop up. Generally, eye appeal counts for a lot now, and I think its becoming an even stronger value factor with time. I'll throw out a high-end example: Both myself and an advanced collector on this board have 1907 Dietsche Cobb Fielding Position cards, which are not only Cobb rookies, but significant rarities, each graded EX. Jeff's however, has significantly better eye appeal, and certainly would carry the day with regard to $$ generated when it comes time to sell (which I would prefer doesn't occur with my card until my estate sale!). Someone also recently posted a nice enough 1926-1929 Exhibit Grove in VG-EX, but I personally would take my own in VG due to its four strong corners and my personal opinion concerning eye appeal. Don't let it surprise you if ultimately, a card with a lower technical grade brings a higher price than one with a higher grade, if the former had significantly greater eye appeal. If you think the card is unsightly despite that its slabbed in a fairly highly grade holder, chances are the next guy you hope to sell it to will think the same way. Trust your instincts!

Happy collecting,

Larry

[Brianruns10]

In my experience eye appeal makes all the difference in the world. I'm building the monster '52 Topps set, and I've never ceased to be surprised at the premiums over SMR a PSA 5 will get if it's got 50/50 centering and white borders. In extreme cases, if we're talking a high number card that is impossible to find with centering, I've seen them go for 50% over SMR, and those last 20-30 seconds are a feeding frenzy!

[ThoseBackPages]

Also keep in mind that some sellers just get more bids for their listings then others

[scmavl]

Also, the price of higher grade cards can often fluctuate more than lower grades. People are often willing to duke it out and pay whatever it takes to get high grade cards for their Set Registry.

[Leon]

I never pay for a card based on the grade on the flip. I always pay based on the way it looks to me. I would rather have a million cards that are great on the obverse, with a speck of dirt on the back, than one with a higher grade that doesn't have the eye appeal. I buy almost entirely on eye appeal, as a lot of collectors do. Great conversation and welcome to the board wmullis.