Overgraded Grover
 

I have a 1914 Cracker Jack Grover Alexander graded PSA 5. One of my prized cards for sure, but in my opinion significantly overgraded at 5. Looks like a 4 at best and probably a 3. I would rather have an accurately graded card than pretend I have a 5, but I'm not sure how PSA would handle that. If they review it and lower the grade, do they compensate you for the drop in value?

https://allthecubs.com/wp-content/up...over-small.jpg

Maybe?

Not the same facts, and it took some doing, but I did have a valuable card that was doctored and located in a PSA 8.5 holder. Once they recognized that it was doctored, it was just a question of negotiating the difference in value.

I think the more challenging part about your situation will be to get them to admit that it is overgraded.

PSA wont compensate you if they lower the grade.

Honestly, grading is so subjective that what if they come back and under-grade the card? It comes down to a graders opinion. I recently graded 11 CJs (mostly 14s) with PSA and they all came in under the grade expected.

If it were mine I would leave it alone. If you ever decide to sell it you will have 2 potential buyers; one that only cares about the grade and one that looks at the card and compares against similar cards sold.

It’s a beautiful card anyway and the 14s were all in the box with the candy so most have the caramel stains and buyers of these know this.

Enjoy the benefits of the old grade.


Geoff Bedine
Premier Card Collectors
Since 1977

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stephen,

Usually the owner of an overgraded card agrees with the overgrading :p

It's good to see that collectors are aware of the questionable subjectivity of TPGs.

One could assume that if compensation is provided in submissions, then you'd have a lot of free submissions coming your way or a high $$ of credit coming.

If it were me, I'd just keep it in the 5 holder. Enjoy the card and ignore the flip.



How did the negotiation go with PSA?

Why not apply the grading standard to this:

PSA 5 (Excellent): Features minor corner rounding, more visible surface wear, and potential printing defects or light staining.

Is that really considered "light staining"? Oh, that would be subjective so it potentially could be "light staining" if the grader determines it's light staining.

You are spot on - good luck in getting PSA to admit it is overgraded.

I personally wouldn't care for that card due to the excessive soiling.

My advice? Sell it, find a nicer looking replacement in a lower grade and pocket the difference. If the overgrade bothers you, there are exponentially more people who are only concerned with the grade. Maybe someone out there has one they'd swap you with some additional cash.

Then again, those same people who are more concerned about the grade will likely try to whine about the old flip in an effort to secure it for less...then immediately send for reholder upon having it in hand.

They are supposed to compensate you for a lower grade, at least by past policy. I doubt it would occur, however. Once I submitted a creased PSA 5 Yogi Berra 1958 card for review. The crease was over an inch long in the upper right area, but PSA just returned the card untouched and in the same PSA 5 holder.

It's subject to a NDA, so I can't get into details. Obviously part of the fun in my case is that it was an 8.5, and there aren't a lot of transactions at that grade. But they offered a number based on a premium above an 8.0. I countered with my own calculation of the value of an 8.0 and the amount of the premium. We honestly weren't that far apart, so we landed on a value that was in the middle.

If you feel the card is overgraded, maybe sell it and then buy a more accurately graded one?

I would not engage with PSA on the card. Leave as is.

There are collectors out there who would holler from the rooftops that PSA really blew this one; it should be a 3 with that soiling on the front. And look at the comps between a VG3. and an EX5. Think I will run down to Goldin's and consign. If anyone knows how to pump an overgraded card it's him.

The drop in value of the slab?

They would probably just let you keep it.

The soiling doesn't bother me too much, that's pretty typical for a 14 CJ. It's the off-center, the ding to the the top edge, and the three bits of color loss on the surface that stand out.

+1

:)

I'm having a hard time making sense of your post, what is your opinion of the quality of the card?


Ok, so you think it's a 3 out of a possible 10.


Oh wait, you think it's a 5 out of a possible 10.


3 + 5 = 8, right?

Maybe you should get Dmitri Young to buy a new opinion for you, he has a pretty good track record with that sort of thing.


Doug "a fan of eating my cake and having it too" Goodman

Great card, but to me, it probably should have gotten an ST...

I would leave as is and let someone buy the holder. That will teach them. LOL

.

Better an Overgraded Grover than an Undergraded Postgraduate.


Brian (not sure what that means, just had to get it out of my keyboard, which is where non-sensical sayings like this seem to be stored)

Any way you slice it, that is a nice Grover!

Now we're advocating trimming it? Sheesh!!! :D