2001 Topps Reserve PSA Graded Auto Rookie Set
 

Here's an oddball set I thought was interesting. In 2001, Topps and PSA coordinated to add boxloader cards that were rookies, PSA graded, and autographed on the custom PSA flip. They look like this:
https://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/2001...&size=original
2001 Topps Reserve - [Base] - Graded Autographed Rookie #103 - Albert Pujols /1500 [PSA*8*NM‑MT]
Courtesy of COMC.com

Despite being numbered to 1500, only 555 of each seemed to be graded by PSA and autographed. And the vast majority (~90%) of those graded PSA 8 straight off the production line:
https://www.psacard.com/pop/baseball...-reserve/50958
Many of the cards in the subset never got a PSA 10 or PSA 9 grade. All 555 cards were graded PSA 8. This was also pre-half grades, so 8.5s were out of the picture. The other 945 cards were presumably in packs.

The only cards to be pre-graded and autographed were the cards numbered 101-145, but there were six more cards at the end of the set, including Ichiro Suzuki. So while Albert Pujols had 555 auto flips in boxes, I guess there weren't any autos of Ichiro included.

Here's how BaseballCardPedia explains it:
http://baseballcardpedia.com/index.p..._Topps_Reserve

Did PSA really grade 90% of brand new cards as PSA 8s straight off the factory line, including many cards where all 555 were graded 8s? Was there ever a chase for these? What would happen if you send the card back to PSA to get a condition review and they said it's now a PSA 8.5 or 9 or 10? Would they have to get the player to autograph the new flip? ;-)

That's interesting. Sort of like "Edge graded" from a couple years before.

Those had similar grading, mostly 8s and 9s. with a few worse and a few better. There was a brief period when people chased them, at least until the next cool thing came out.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the bulk of cards get 8s right off the assembly line. Modern processes are better than back in te 70's, but the picture to the edge and the thinner harder stock means a slightly dull blade leaves a lot of chipping.