I don't get the concept of removing qualifiers in lieu of a lower numeric grade UNLESS they follow the grading criteria for the lower grade. As indicated, the lower grade doesn't make it more centered. Lowering the grade to remove a qualifier brings up the actual grading criteria for the grade to be assigned (without the qualifier). According to PSA, an "8" has the following centering criteria:
Centering must be
approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse. DOES APPROXIMATELY MEAN IF YOU'RE A HUGE SUBMITTER YOU GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT?
In my book, if a card exhibits ALL qualities of an 8 but has poor centering then you can have a card that actually drops 3 full grades if it doesn't meet the grading criteria for a 5:
Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back. NOTE THAT THEY ACTUALLY INDICATE (OR BETTER) FOR THIS GRADE. WHY USE "APPROXIMATELY" INSTEAD OF "OR BETTER" WHEN CENTERING IS CONSIDERED FOR
ANY GRADE?
So, what if a card has worse than 90/10 (front or back) centering? It appears that card would grade a max of "1" according to the PSA grading criteria. However they have given themselves some wiggle room with the following statement:
The centering must be approximately 90/10 or better on the front and back.
The following is PSAs OC qualifier definition:
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 that 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.
What they are saying is that they are subjective to the point of being the best judge of whether or not they are feeling generous that day.
It's all busslhit to me.....