PSA Question 1960 Topps Football

[D. Bergin]

Let me preface this by saying I don't buy or deal in many graded cards. I do occasionally pick them up if something strikes my fancy, especially if I can land a nice Jim Brown or Gale Sayers card at a good price.

Won a 1960 Topps Jim Brown on Ebay recently for what I thought was a great price. I followed this up with buying a bunch more inexpensive graded cards from the same seller, kind of on a whim.

Received the cards today. Jim Brown was what I expected on the front. Probably close to being an O/C qualifier on the front and a couple small printing press marks, but that didn't bother me because I saw that when I first bid on the card.

JimBrown1960Topps10June16A699.jpg


What bothered me is when I flipped it around and looked at the back. The back left border is completely missing it is so off-center. Is there no o/c qualifier for the back of the card? Am I wrong in assuming most graded card collectors wouldn't be peeved by this? It's not like this card would have graded an 8 or a 9 otherwise if not for the back centering issue. I don't think so anyways.

Is this typical of grading? Do I need to ask for scans of the backs of any relevant cards I might be interested in or am I just being too picky? Is this just a normal issue with 1960 Topps cards that I shouldn't really be worried about?

Am I just venting? Yes! Do I plan on doing anything about it? Probably not. Just take my licks and keep on ticking I guess.

JimBrown1960Topps10June16A700.jpg

[CowboysGuide]

Unacceptable if you ask me. I don't do a lot of graded card collecting, but backs of cards need to be considered in the total grade of the card, or shown by the seller if the back doesn't match the front (centering wise). Seeing the centering of the front, I would expect nothing worse on the back unless it was pointed out. The green is nice an bright, if that' any consolation.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by CowboysGuide

Unacceptable if you ask me. I don't do a lot of graded card collecting, but backs of cards need to be considered in the total grade of the card, or shown by the seller if the back doesn't match the front (centering wise). Seeing the centering of the front, I would expect nothing worse on the back unless it was pointed out. The green is nice an bright, if that' any consolation.

Thanks for the comment. Yeah, I think I would have been happy with 80/20 or even 90/10 centering on the back but this is like 99/1 at the most.

I'm not sure if I blame PSA, the seller or myself. The seller was a high volume dealer and doesn't show any back scans but it might have been obvious to make an exception for this card. I probably should have asked.

PSA, I guess I'm shocked they don't take the back into consideration at all. Maybe it's just me, as I've always had a pet peeve about centering. I think I'd rather have a centered 5 then an o/c 9, from an aesthetic standpoint anyways, even if it's on the back of the card.

The funny thing was I thought I was upgrading the PSA 5 of this card I already have. I think I might keep the 5 and get rid of this one eventually.

[HRBAKER]

I would think two things; 1.) the card is certainly overgraded and 2.) the seller made a conscious error of omission by not disclosing how badly the back was off center. He or she would not get any more of my business.