Thoughts on a card collection

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by baztacula

I have a complete 1975 mini set PSA graded, which I did in multiple installments over a couple year period. I am nearsighted so I have great vision up close, terrible far away so I am rather good at predicting what I'll get. I only submitted cards that I felt would get 8,9 or 10 grades. Perhaps 75% of them came back 8 or better. Out of over 1,000 cards submitted, I got ZERO 10s. Some of the 7's I resubmitted and got 8's. Some 8's were bumped to 8.5 or 9. A lot of this has to do with the grader you get and the mood he is in at the time. The odds of scoring mostly 9s and 10s is very low... unless you get a grader who is in a great mood. I have since bought a few 10s and there is virtually no difference from the majority of my 9s... in fact, some 9s even look better.

The best bet is to only send in star cards because you'll be able to sell and profit from a PSA 7 or 8 of Aaron, Ryan, Brett, Yount, Carter, Rice, etc. A PSA 7 common you might sell for $2 or $3... unless it's a Claudell Washington or other low pop 8. Check the pop report for these as there are a few, mainly of the green top/yellow bottom and red top/yellow bottom color schemes. Be aware that these two color schemes often are shorter than all of the other cards and PSA won't holder them.

Boy was that helpful and informative. Dang! Thanks a lot for the help. I think I am going to sell cards raw. Grading seems like too much of a hassle and cuts too deep into your margins. Unless it is a thousand + dollar card I'm thinking it doesn't make sense.

[baztacula]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

Boy was that helpful and informative. Dang! Thanks a lot for the help. I think I am going to sell cards raw. Grading seems like too much of a hassle and cuts too deep into your margins. Unless it is a thousand + dollar card I'm thinking it doesn't make sense.

Hehe, I just happened to hop on here at the right time. I'm not an expert about much, but 1975 minis is an exception. I added another paragraph to my first response that has a little more info.

At this point, this is only trivia but 1975 Minis are probably one of the biggest headache-inducing sets that PSA has had to deal with. A while back, there were some shady card sellers who exploited the natural "shorties" phenomenon that I mentioned earlier. They trimmed away imperfections on the other taller cards and snuck them past the graders. I was the one who noticed this unfortunate trend. Around 10 years ago I contacted Joe Orlando (president at PSA) and supplied my evidence in a few emails and a phone call or two and got reimbursed for a bunch of trimmed minis in PSA holders. The graders have learned and they have adjusted so you'll probably never get even a naturally short green/yellow or red/yellow mini in a PSA holder these days.

[bbcard1]

I think it helps to have a name in the hobby. I have seen incidences that make me think it is often a rigged game.

[steve B]

Things seem to get really tough at the upper end of grading. I've only done a handful of modern cards and those through SGC. I had a huge batch of 81 Topps, and picked what I thought were almost perfect examples of commons that had low populations in PSA 9 and 10. (SGC has almost no population on those at all) Didn't do all that bad, but didn't do all that good either. A couple 9s, mostly 8 or 8.5, The other modern stuff also got 8s.

I'd target a few likely ones, looking at the population. For the minis it's probably worth the chance on a few as part of a bigger submission. But they have to be really almost perfect.

Steve B

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by steve B

Things seem to get really tough at the upper end of grading. I've only done a handful of modern cards and those through SGC. I had a huge batch of 81 Topps, and picked what I thought were almost perfect examples of commons that had low populations in PSA 9 and 10. (SGC has almost no population on those at all) Didn't do all that bad, but didn't do all that good either. A couple 9s, mostly 8 or 8.5, The other modern stuff also got 8s.

I'd target a few likely ones, looking at the population. For the minis it's probably worth the chance on a few as part of a bigger submission. But they have to be really almost perfect.

Steve B

Just got back a few PSA's and wanna throw up. I had a Jackie that I thought for sure was a PSA 7. I mean this card was perfect. How does it come back a 4? I louped this thing inside out. Centering corners surface, etc etc. Thought it could grab a 8 even. I swear this grading stuff is all politics. I will scan it when it arrives.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

Just got back a few PSA's and wanna throw up. I had a Jackie that I thought for sure was a PSA 7. I mean this card was perfect. How does it come back a 4? I louped this thing inside out. Centering corners surface, etc etc. Thought it could grab a 8 even. I swear this grading stuff is all politics. I will scan it when it arrives.

welcome to the corrupt world of TPGing services! I c you started at the top!!!!

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

welcome to the corrupt world of TPGing services! I c you started at the top!!!!

Ugh tell me about it. What does started at the top mean?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

Just got back a few PSA's and wanna throw up. I had a Jackie that I thought for sure was a PSA 7. I mean this card was perfect. How does it come back a 4? I louped this thing inside out. Centering corners surface, etc etc. Thought it could grab a 8 even. I swear this grading stuff is all politics. I will scan it when it arrives.

You did say you did not understand grading. It is apparent in your for sale post of the 75 mini cards. They are not even close to NM-MT.

Yes PSA is a joke but I rarely see cards under graded for people. With them it is more over grading for some submitters.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by bnorth

You did say you did not understand grading. It is apparent in your for sale post of the 75 mini cards. They are not even close to NM-MT.

Yes PSA is a joke but I rarely see cards under graded for people. With them it is more over grading for some submitters.

Which one of the cards were not NMMT other than the Carter out of curiosity. I put the carter as a 6 because the gloss is there and most corners.