Why I like qualifiers
 

I have had this BSF e98 Mack residing in an SGC 30/2 holder since I bought it from Heritage. I never planned to sell it so I never worried about the grade. Finally I decided that even if I didn't want to sell it now that it may come up that I would or that if I passed away suddenly my wife would. So I sent it in to PSA for a crossover.

Found out today that they graded it a 8MC. Sure the grade doesn't change the card, but it will tell any potential owners that there really isn't any other hidden flaws. If you care about centering than the card isn't for you, but if you are like me and like factory flaws (registration issues and miscuts) than you do like to know that there isn't also a crease or wrinkle bringing down the grade.

http://whitewhalecards.com/files/car...ae64_front.jpghttp://whitewhalecards.com/files/car...5ae64_rear.jpg

Why I like qualifiers
 

Holy cow, congrats Andy!

Now for the question on everyone's mind: did you submit in-holder or raw?

In holder. That way it would keep the BSF pedigree.

Crossed over another MC (t206 Name on Top) card. That one only went from SGC 2.5 to PSA 4 MC. I was hoping for a 5 or 6 MC, but there was also mis-registration so maybe that keeps it down. That one was also kept in the holder for crossover.

I can't imagine that keeping in the holder would hurt it when crossing for qualifiers since SGC already has knocked it as low as it can possibly go.

I guess that debunks the 2-grade difference myth for qualifiers?

Not exactly as it went from SGC to PSA. If a PSA 2 went to an 8 MC that would debunk the myth.

That was meant to be almost tongue-in-cheek, but thank you Captain Obvious.

nice andy...i remember when u got that one...i was appalled by the grade!!!!

I guess tone and sarcasm can be lost online. And you're welcome.

Uh yeah, I'd trade up from a 2 to an 8 with any qualifier in a heartbeat! Congrats man!

I tend to agree with the OP and subject line, and I definitely don't dislike qualifiers as much as some others. I think anything that helps me better specify the condition of the card is beneficial. I thought the old Beckett breakdown was a good idea... and a nice thing about PSA qualifiers is that when I see, for example a 6MK card listed on eBay/AH, I immediately know that the card has MK (due to pen/pencil or eraser), however given the "6", know it doesn't have any hidden wrinkles, tiny patches of paper loss, and likely nice sharp corners. If in turn that grade is just shown as a blanket "1.5", I have no idea if any of those other tiny/hidden flaws (invisible by viewing scan) may be present, in addition to the said mark.

Again, anything that better helps me determine the condition of the card is good IMO. May be difficult to some for pricing/valuation purposes, but gauging re-sale value is generally not my concern.

Here's an example of a qualified card I was totally happy with (one of my favorites overall). If no qualifier, and graded a straight 3 or 4, I may have been suspicious of wrinkles or other. As is, it's super sharp and clean aside from centering, which I don't mind and that little printing dot.

It wasn't lost that time. :rolleyes:

I have a bunch of qualifiers, especially T206s, and T206s are much more forgiving on centering than some of the other issues. The centering tends to be not as distracting as other cards..But the bottom line is, 95% or better of collectors hate them. Yes, they are good values for the dollar, but so many people these days are hung up on centering...Big time

not me...i prefer a low/mid grade centered card to a severely oc high grade any day of the week!

I'm a nobody in this hobby. And I know opinon holds little value.
But, I can not see that card as a PSA8 OC. The off cut is terrible and the red spots on the back are overlooked.
Andy, not dogging your card, just the jump in grade by PSA. Sorry, but I had to say how I feel.

Off to the blackballed corner.:D

also raises an issue how the oc moniker can be used on a card like this with a severe...disfiguring off centeredness...whereas sometimes I see cards designated oc by psa that look pretty well centered to me.

The OP did mention MC and not OC which is for the more drastic miscuts. Still a nice upgrade from a 2.

ahhhh...but still!

As pointed out this is a MC not OC. MC is used when ever the card is cut so that it shows a bit of the next card or in the very least text or photo is cut into.

Those that don't like MC or OC cards won't buy the card no matter what it is graded. They can see that flaw very easily. My point is that to me I prefer MC cards to regular.

When I have my Miscuts graded I want it to be graded fairly on the rest of the aspects. In this case there could possibly be other miscut e98 Macks, but this would be the best graded miscut. If you don't like miscuts it won't matter to you.

I understand if someone doesn't like qualifiers in their collection, but they can just simply not buy them. I can't easily distinguish a grade of a card that is miscut but graded by SGC merely off the assigned grade. I have to look very hard for other flaws.

When a grading company lumps factory "flaws" in with the post manufacturing flaws it can unfairly represent the card to an entire aspect of the hobby. That aspect is those of us that actually like factory flaws/errors. For a more thorough thought about this check out Frank's "Thoughts About A Grading Proposal" thread.

I will say that this may seem like I am against SGC because they don't do any qualifiers, but I actually prefer them when it comes to my t205's and t207's. PSA still doesn't checklist the backs of these like they do for t206's (where they go all the way down to factory numbers). I really run into a conundrum when I have a Miscut (or other qualifier) that is a t205/t207 on who to use.

Good thing I don't grade very often (this is my first submission in over a year).

Very weird Andy. I like PSA for T206 now, but still like seeing T205 and 207s in SGC holders. I don't know why though.

those are good points actually....for the first time i acutally was looking for some qualifers on some waterfront property cards ...if paying a 4 price for a 7 MC and i can live with visual of the card i going to take it..

This definition can then only apply to cards that have like borders. For cards with a full white boarder, it can be cut the same as a card with full bleed or a pattern/color border, yet have a different designation.

If the card has a full bleed the rules are slightly different because it doesn't become MC until it is obvious that it has gone into the next card, or that the text is cut into.

I agree with liking the OC cards, when the appearance is still respectable. In a case like this one (wish I had a better scan handy), it allows me to get a card with NM-MT corners for much lower than a PSA 8 would've cost, and still presents well with solid R/L centering. So,

The scan is o/c too! That's a beautiful card!

The Mack on the throne in the OP would bug me; too far out of whack. But the 1952 Jackie is a beautiful card. I like qualifiers just because they can get me a really nice card with one identified issue to it at a price that is often a small fraction of the cost of an unqualified one. I recently picked up this card:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...A%209%20oc.jpg

I know it is FB and my scan is not great but bear with me. A PSA 9 Brown sells for about $1,000; way out of my comfort zone. I picked up this one for $110. I've also picked up other qualified 9s recently for my collection, same idea. Spectacular cards with centering issues priced like lower to midgrade cards. My favorites are MC qualified cards with perfect fronts and miscut backs. Who cares about the back of a Topps card; half the time you can't read the blue or green ink on gray cardboard anyway.

I totally agree! PSA seems pretty inconsistent on enforcing the back MC's too. Some get dinged for it and some don't. I see a lot of cards with slight back miscuts in non-qualified mid, or even high grade holders, which realize full price because the holder doesn't carry the dreaded qualifier. I then see others with slight back miscuts go for substantial discounts due the fact they are in qualified holders. Guessing maybe it has to do with the registry thingo? I don't know, nor do I judge... I just take advantage:D

Attachment 224720Attachment 224721
Attachment 224715Attachment 224714

ADDING: Beautiful Brown and Williams btw

Park me in the minority camp of someone who likes qualifiers. it allows you to get an awesome card, with only one issue keeping it from being REALLY awesome at only a fraction of the price. When you are dealing with a card that can get up to the mid 4 figures, at a fraction of the price (usually around 10% or so), then it is a no brainer to me! I am just thankful that more people can't stand qualifiers, as it allows me to pick up beautiful cards for pennies on the dollar!