[JustinD]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

You and your friends must have been ahead of your time. I knew nobody that was super concerned about centering (outside of miscuts maybe...) in the 1980's or 90's before PSA. Grading advancing centering issues was not a straightforward proposition. Before PSA, price guides that spoke to centering would refer to "uneven borders" or "slightly off center, OC, miscut". There was none of the paranoia trying to determine say the difference between 60/40 v. 65/35 that eventually came along after PSA. TPG's totally codified that - and a I think a lot of how collectors think of centering today is mainly the result of cognitive bias.

I think the change in discussion only stemmed from dealers and the want and/or need to default only to a very inaccurate method of fair to near mint due to limitations of mail order. They did not recognize centering to make the ease of sending mail order clients the cards that did not move as fast in a storefront and show environment. While at shows and at brick and mortar any dealer of the time would say that the most visually pleasing cards always sold first and just as today the remainder were the more flawed examples.

The times and technology must be considered as to why you did not see this in advertising. It goes against ingrained human nature to ignore symmetry. It has determined human beauty and the progression of genetics since the dawn of biology. To state cognitive bias seems a misnomer and ignores the history of biology.

The comparison of actions toward consumer purchase tendencies during that time must use relatable comparisons. You have to toss a hand typed price list out as it would be certain death in today’s market. You have to be comparing similar sales methods. For example, the 1952 Mr. Mint find sold the high grade centered Mantles at a vast mark up over those less pleasing. Everyone knew they were the better cards and they were sold and treated as such.

The mail order dealers could be the single greatest reason for the success of large shows at the time as buying from them was such a poor experience as it was a true gamble. The need for large and local shows was the love for actually seeing what you were purchasing. Not sure of your age, but either imagine or remember the disappointment of waiting several weeks for your mint or near mint cards and opening something that had 3 full card creases or even was scorched from the great fire…it sucked.

Ps - I do want to say I respect your opinion, the point of this thread is to offer contrarian opinions and that is exactly what you are doing and I am hijacking your right to do that, sorry. I was just thinking my experience at the time may help put it in perspective. I wish I could somehow relate how frustrating blind mail order was, lol. Don’t miss it a bit.