T205 Gold Border Chase - Both Ears ...
 

It's always interesting to see how folks collect and why they pick the cards they do, for their collection or otherwise. That being said-

Both backs are clean and the lower grade card only has the surface wear on front for a condition issue. Which would you choose for your collection (and why)? Also, for this practice let's assume both of these are the same version, as I guess the border extends version is a little more scarce. So assume both are the same variations.

I'm abstaining until I get confirmation the both ears are actually his.

The "border extends" one is actually mislabeled by PSA - they're both the "border ends" version. I used to have one that PSA mislabeled the other way. I'm not sure why they have so many problems with this card.

But...the 2.5!

The interesting thing is that the one labeled Border extends is actually incorrect. That's the Border ends version as well. The extends version has the diamond lines go all the way down like this one (not my listing).

Also would take the 2.5 since it's centered better and looks like it has slightly better corners.

Whoops
 

Looks like Dan beat me to the punch!

Great minds think alike :)

Here's the other-way-mislabeled one I used to own:

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/...pswbsjzezb.jpg

I never collected the whole set so haven't followed all of the variations as much as I should have. While I am not old school (except in age and condition) I could see Old Schooler's saying "yeap, got Chase"....but yeah, once known it is quite easy to see one border extends and one doesn't :)

If I were collecting a mid grade set I would not want either one. If I had to take one or the other as filler until a found a more suitable example I would take the 2.5 because of the centering and corners...better eye appeal I guess.

Tom C

EXACTLY the kind of set that I am working and I agree with Tom 100%...

Just curious why you wouldn't want the 2.5? Not nice enough for mid grade, I presume?

The scuffing on the front...especially its placement on Chase's face. Beautiful otherwise but I would take an example with worse corners over that one with the scuffing. I wouldn't want either one if I was collecting only mid grade examples for a set.

Tom C

I like the colors on the 6 much better but wouldn't shell out the difference on that card.

That's insane - I'm surprised that they apparently don't have a database of some sort with the images, variations, etc. Weird that several have been labeled incorrectly - it should be a pretty easy distinction for them.

I like the 2.5 much better because I hate the big white spot in the upper right corner on the 6. On T205's I hate white spots showing in the gold borders.

I assume what happens is that an inexperienced submitter will think Leon's example is the "extends" version because the right border does jut down a little past the shoulders, so they put that on the submission form. PSA then doesn't pay attention and slabs it in accordance with what was listed on the submission form.

whats the back look like? With a bio back card I would need to see whether the back is trashed before answering.

as stated both backs are clean...

What's wrong with the 2.5? Does it have back damage?

When presented with this example in real life, I sell the 6, buy the 2.5 and take the leftover money for more cards. I just did this at the National with a PSA 6 T206 HOFer, which I sold for full value even though it was off-center and a corner was damaged. That's why I voted for the 6.

Clarification on the back..was probably soaked before and is part of the downgrade so isn't really clean, but no letters are messed up (which is what I usually look for).......

I like the 2.5

The 6 is way off-center, and has too much chipping on the gold border.

I wouldn't buy the 6 because of the centering. The 2.5 looks nice but it's hard to tell the severity of the surface issue. It it takes away from the eye appeal I would pass on it as well. I generally avoid cards with surface issues near the players face. But if I had to pick one it would be the 2.5, especially if I were paying market value for the grade.

2 nice cards! Pros and cons to each! Id prob take the 2.5, better centering and beautiful gold borders. Sure that scuff is annoying but i can live with it.