[53toppscollector]

I've always assumed that the things that jump out to me the most are just the way my brain is wired (and possibly the result of a serious concussion I got 20 years ago playing pickup basketball in college)

My brain instantly notices diamond cut cards or cards tilted at all, and it is very distracting to me. I've had to sort of work past that as I've gotten into pre-war collecting, but anything from the 50s Topps Run I am working on, I just don't want to have diamond cut cards. For 50s and newer, I also avoid cards with marks, simply because there is more supply in most cases and it is okay to be a bit pickier. I'm pretty fanatical about centering, because my brain is just really sensitive when looking at a card, and if its off center, I do struggle with it.

For pre-war, basically the only thing I avoid is total paper loss on the back, an entire corner clipped off the card, or writing on the front of the card. I can live with marks on the back, light stains, pinholes, etc. I try to avoid cards that have been knowingly trimmed or recolored, because it just feels off to me, but I'm trying to embrace that too. Less supply = I have to be less picky.