PSA 6 vs. PSA 8(OC)
 

I was looking to purchase a PSA 6 of a older era card. I also found a PSA 8oc of the same card in the same price range as the PSA 6's. It fits the bill of an 8 nicely, and is only off center top to bottom, but not so much that you can't see a clear straight border across the bottom.

So which would you choose. They are in the same price range and the PSA 6 is not spot on centered itself. I have seen cards that are more off center than the PSA 8 oc, that are not graded oc.

Thanks for your thoughts.

If the o/c isn't too bad, like you said, I would definitely jump on that one. Of course, if you're planning on selling the card at some point, the rule of thumb is an 8 o/c 'equals' a straight 6. So keep that in mind, too.

I’m a stickler when it comes to centering, so I wouldn’t buy either at the moment and wait for a much better PSA 6 to come along.

What is the top to bottom centering on the 8 o/c? 75/25? 90/10? 99/1? A decent 8 o/c will often grade a 6, but if it's really bad it might come back lower. Once in a great while I only lose a single grade when regrading to get rid of a qualifier. Obviously that's ideal and you'd be way ahead if that was the case but it's the exception not the rule.

OCD about centering. Will never purchase an o/c card. That's one of the reasons my 1967 set has taken so long, I'll leave a hole in my set rather than having an o/c card.

It's really hard to find top tier OC cards these days......Kevin bought them all.
Hi Kevin :)

Why does everyone ask us questions they should ask themselves? This is only your opinion that matters. Buy whichever one you like best.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
exactly!

The OC stuff drives me crazy; I've got just a couple in my collection and if they're really off center I can't even look at them. I also think a nice 6 is better -- and worth more -- than a sharp-cornered 8OC.

OC is the kiss of death!!!!

the best thing about the OC cards in my collection is i can show them to friends and quote values of the same cards in the same grades that aren't OC.

Top to bottom or vice versa is more tolerable to me than left to right centering run amok.

I'd take an 8 oc over an equally off center straight 6 if forced to choose. But I wouldn't spend my money on either. I'd rather pay the 6 price for a dead centered 5.

Off-center cards don't bother me personally so if it was just for my own collection, I'd probably take the 8(OC). But if you want the card easiest to sell with the biggest return down the road, I'd probably say the 6. OC is like the plague for many buyers.

If it's the 1933 Goudey Gehrig PSA 8 OC you are talking about, I think you can't go wrong.
IMO that card should not be in an OC holder.
Goudeys have major problems with centering and that's not bad.

If it’s an older (pre-war) card, I’m likely going with the 8OC, since it’s so hard to find cards from that era with NM-MT corners. But for something 1940s-50s and newer, give me the 6, as a card with NM-MT corners are much easier from the postwar era.

+1. I can tolerate, and will even purchase, a 75/25 top to bottom card, especially if I've been hunting it for awhile. Gotta be nearly perfect left-to-right to tickle my fancy, however.

I’ve been watching that one as well. It’s a gorgeous card. I never buy cards with qualifiers, but I’d buy that one in a heartbeat if I didn’t already own that card.

PSA 6 no question.

Buy the PSA 8(OC) and submit for review down to PSA 7.

Depends on what you plan to do
 

As a number of people have said, this really comes down to what you want to do with the card. If you're planning to sell it, I know the rule of thumb is that 8(oc) = 6, but, unless the card really doesn't warrant the qualifier, I have trouble getting 6 prices for an 8(oc). If you're looking to keep the card, go with eye appeal. I don't have much of a problem with a card being a little off vertically, but I can't stand horizontally off center cards.

Just my opinion and experience!

I'm the same.

When I first joined the site and began collecting again, I really never gave centering much thought as I assumed the way the cards came from the factory would be an accepted fault, so to speak, but like many on here now, and after reading how important centering seems to be to most people, I also now try to purchase my cards more centered when I can.

Truthfully, creases/dings/rounded corners bother me more, and still do as I know those issues were self made and not the way they came from the factory.

The issue with that card (to me) isn't the centering t/b - it's the diamond cut. Well that and the stain at the top.

But of course, I'd personally buy a psa 1 beater ... so what do I know!

Cheers,
Patrick

Is that before or after you claim you have a family emergency that requires you to sell the cards at the fake low price right away?

In my opinion, the phrase “oc” on a flip is marginally better than “altered”. It’s not the Bubonic Plague, but it is small pox. Granted some “oc” designations are harsh, but unless you are planning to buy and resubmit, even a harshly graded card in an “oc” flip is not something I am interested in, at all.

If this isn’t a particularly rare card, why not find a better copy than those two options? As others have mentioned, some people can live with questionable centering while others cannot. If you can live with it, then fine. But in my opinion, why “live with it” when you can get a centered 5 like Jesse suggested. On rare cards, you get it when you find it, but on more common cards, get something you will love to look at, even if its in a slightly lower grade.

Yea Ronnie, whats up with that?

Marginally better than a grade of A? That is the dumbest thing I've heard in 25 years....A high grade card that is off centered versus a card probably trimmed? Come on Ryan, you're smarter than that....I thought anyway....

I don’t mind OC cards per se. I despise OC flips and unless it’s a really rare card, I will never spend money on a card in an OC flip. If that’s dumb, then I guess I am dumb.

To answer the OP’s original question - I would take the 6 over the 8(oc)

Signing off

So just to be clear, you have a 33 Goudey Ruth in a PSA 7(OC), not much difference value wise in the Ruth graded PSA A?

Totally agree with this as a general rule, depending on the card and rarity of Pop reports, and card issue. A strong, well centered 6 over an 8OC, yes, probably more times than not. Also, I wasn't calling you dumb because your not....The statement about little differences was what I was referring to...

the question was directed at you

This question Ronnie? You're losing me....

That one hurt, Band-aid?

Wow, really interesting conversation going on here. So as a submitter I could request qualifiers or not; so would you buy a 6 or 7 for that matter that should have an OC qualifier obviously but doesn't? Which means NQ was requested.

TONY, Yes, you can request that. You can ask for a higher qualified grade versus a much lower straight grade...Most collectors prefer the lower, non qualified grades....

this one, wizard:

Thanks Ronnie, now I can at least sleep tonight...

I would prefer the 8 oc. I would happily buy it at the price of a 6, but I rarely find someone willing to sell it for that price. Most of the time they want the price of a 7 or more. I can't stand cards that were abused by their previous owners, creased, worn corners, writing, etc. OC is something that comes from factory and not from abuse by collectors. Topps didn't start worrying about centering until 1987. Most of the cards they sold before that had some sort of centering issue.

Below are two T206 Frank Chance, Red Portraits. One is a PSA 6 that sold in a Memory Lane auction 5/6/17 for $1,365. The other is a PSA 8(oc) that sold in a Heritage auction 5/11/17 for $1,020. Both are common backs (although the SC 350, 25 on the PSA 8(oc) is actually a pretty tough back). In my opinion, the PSA 6 is less OC than the PSA 8, but no doubt off-center, and the bottom right corner is terrible. In my opinion, the card in the (old) PSA 6 flip, really is no more than a 4. The PSA 8 card, while extremely OC, is, in my opinion, a much cleaner card, with big wide borders and sharp corners. In my opinion, the PSA 8(oc) card is superior in quality to the PSA 6.

Same card, same general sales date. HOWEVER, the PSA 6, which I think should be a 4, sold for $350 (25% times) more than the card in the PSA 8(oc) flip. Why? Because having the "oc" designation on the flip is the kiss of death for the card -- its small pox! The market despises cards with an OC on the flip.

Sure, maybe I picked a card in a vacuum. So lets look at a more objective example. Below is a PSA 8(oc) T206 Red Cobb portrait that sold in Steiner sports auction on 5/6/18 for $12,105. Also attached is a screen shot of VCP's listing for PSA 6 Red Cobbs - every one of the last 3 of which sold for more than PSA 8(oc); maybe not 25% more in every case.

Bottom line - the market place hates an "oc" flip. If someone is going to spend fairly large money on a card, seems that money is better spent on a 6 with no qualifier (even if inferior -- like Chance) than on an 8 with an "oc" on the flip.

The question of this thread is whether you would rather have a PSA 6 or a PSA 8(oc). The marketplace prefers the PSA 6. I am a pure collector and I strongly prefer the PSA 6 and would not spend a single cent on any card with an "oc" on the flip, regardless of the grade that precedes it.

I vote for the PSA 8 (oc). I guess that makes me an "impure collector."

Agree with this and I think the empirical data suggests that an OC qualifier does not cause the card to be valued two levels lower, but more like three. I also think that the detriment of the qualifier varies based on how bad the miscut is. Some OC cards look no different than a badly centered card without the qualifier; most just look like shit.

At the end of the day it is "us" who make the decision to buy or not. Screw anything on the flip. If you like the card buy it and if not, don't. Personally I don't like OC cards whether on the flip or not. I collect cards for their aesthetics (among other things), others buy for their technical grades. It is a personal choice on how we collect but, as mentioned often lately, the hobby is moving a bit more towards buying the card and not the paper above it with a totally subjective opinion.
There isn't a right or wrong way to collect but it is true the market doesn't like OC on a flip (as Ryan mentioned). This T205 has a small stain on back. No creases, no wrinkles, no chipping and no letters can't be read on back due to the small stain. It is a PSA 2. Who cares? I am just grateful for the stain :). I guess if I collected flips I would be upset.