PSA - grading mis-prints
 

Ok, I thought I saw it all.... The following card (ebay item 320634953212) was graded by PSA with the following commentary on the label:

"BORN IN 1931 -3 OBSCURED"

Does this mean that the coin graders are now grading cards?

It's a 1959 Topps Spahn card.

Are things that desperate? I don't get it. It's a frigging print defect and now PSA actually makes it look like something worth a $hit?

The seller didn't even provide a scan of the back (obscured 3).

Any comments?


http://cgi.ebay.com/1959-Topps-Warre...item4aa7551dfc

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This is a catalogued variation
 

This is and should be noted as it is a catalogued variation, much like the 1957 Bakep, which is essentially just a print smudge or something of the sort. SGC, BVG, and GAI will note which version of Spahn it is as well. Espescially if noted on the invoice.

If I remember correctly, the 1959 Spahn had a "1921" and a "1931" version, so if there is a version where the "3" is blocked out, that tells me that it is another variation, or some sort of interim correction of the original error. It is not just a fluke that the block out happens to appear over the same number of which there are two known variations. This one is legit.

Tom C

Catalogued version is right. Original card had born in 1931 on the back (error). Next version was an obvious attempt to change the '3' and make it a '2'. The last version is the correct 1921 date. The higher prices that the 2nd version generate are a bit odd. Doesn't appear to be any harder to obtain.

Thanks for the responses. I'm not to "clued in" to the modern issues and variations. I guess this goes into the same category as the 1989 (I think) Fleer Billy Ripken card where the end of the bat has three different variations: FF, blocked out or "scratched out". Something like that.

I figured the "obscured 3" on the Spahn card was just a print defect, which to me would mean that it is a defect more than it is a variation. Perhaps it was Topps way of trying to correct their mistake.

Again, thanks!

Here's an image of the "obscured 3" version...

http://images.checkoutmycards.com/zo...180b1e8c68.jpg

...and here's the "1921" version.

http://images.checkoutmycards.com/zo...c8dad39e03.jpg