When is a PSA card OC?

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Posted By: Geno

I was looking at this card on Ebay, and have to ask what it takes to get a qualifier:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&item=150045280285&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I don't collect graded cards specifically, but I'll buy them if the condition is correct. This one wouldn't rate more than a VG in my opinion, based on centering, however it didn't even get an OC!

If the seller is a poster here, please don't think I'm accussing you of overpricing, because you probably aren't. For somebody who wants the PSA number, that might be about right, so you might as well get it.

I don't want this to turn into a graded card gripe session, I just wondered what the OC actually meant and how bad it had to be...

Take Care, Geno

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

When submitting to PSA, you can request "no qualifiers" on your invoice. A lot of registry guys really hate qualifiers.

So if you submit a card that would ordinarily get a higher grade but a qualifier, PSA will instead factor the defect into the grade.

It's hard to tell from the picture of that card, because the flash is glaring on the slab, but it seems like it's got white borders, sharp corners and edges, and no crease in the middle like you see with some T202s. It's entirely possible that the submitter requested no qualifiers, and the card would ordinarily have been a 7(OC) or 8(OC) and was knocked down to a 5 due to the centering.

According to PSA, their centering standards for a 5 are 85/15.

-Al

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Geno,

I'm sure we all understand that grading standards are just that. PSA may have standards but that doesn't mean that they follow them. I think it's apparent that they make an occassional error in subjectively determining percentages for centering. Of course they don't make too many other errors, they are of course, PSA.

This is from the PSA site:

GEM-MT 10: The image must be centered on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse.

MINT 9: Centering must be approximately 60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
NM-MT 8: Near Mint-Mint.

NM-MT 8: Centering must be approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

NM 7: Centering must be approximately 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
EX-MT 6: Excellent-Mint.

EX-MT 6: Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

EX 5: Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

VG-EX 4: Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
VG 3: Very Good.

VG 3: Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.

GOOD 2: Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.

PR-FR 1: Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.


OC (Off Center): When the centering of the card falls below the minimum standard for that grade will be designated "OC." PSA determines centering by comparing the measurements of the borders from left to right and top to bottom. The centering is designated as the percent of difference at the most off-center part of the card. A 5% leeway is given to the front centering minimum standards for cards which grade NM 7 or better. For example, a card which meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 60/40 off-center on the front automatically meets the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9. If a card meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 65/35 off-center on the front, it may be deemed to meet the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9 if the eye appeal of the card is good.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Judge, I thought you were kidding when you indicated
PSA's subjectivity is applied to OC measured values: "they make an occassional error in subjectively determining percentages".

And when I found that they appear to use a ruler rather than a divining rod, I felt again that I was on secure ground about you kidding: "PSA determines centering by comparing the measurements of the borders from left to right and top to bottom".

But I was wrong. PSA employs a technique which overrides actual measured values: "it may be deemed to meet the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9 if the eye appeal of the card is good".

It is unclear (ain't that strange) whether this good eye appeal standard is proportionally applied to all grades, but then again, why bother?

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Posted By: Cobby33

PSA has a knack (sometimes) of lowering a grade AND giving it a qualifier, which stinks.