Bumping this thread that I started more than 2 years ago.
Recent thought has again led me around to the conclusion that centering hyper-focus / paranoia is mostly still just the result of cognitive bias that was introduced to us 20-25 years ago along with the advent of professional grading. Does anyone honestly disagree? How many of you who were big into vintage cards in say - 1988 - can honestly say that centering was on your top 10 list? I'm sure there are a few, and that's fine. Sure, empirically I guess a perfectly centered card is preferable to 80/20 s-s if you are looking at them next to one another. But when did the lesser centered card just become inherently ugly and shunned?
I'm interested in researching this particular issue almost as a sub-hobby in terms of condition evolution. It's something that for some dumb reason endlessly fascinates me.
Anyone else?
