Centering

[Touch'EmAll]

Is the most important thing about a card centering?

If it is not near perfect centering, it probably will not get my dollar. I find this is more true the older I get.

I now won't buy a card that is worse than 55/45 centered. I usually end up eventually selling the 60/40 or worse stuff. But the better than 45/55 stuff makes it to the safe deposit box.

I would consider buying a PSA 1, if awesome centering. I would not even consider a PSA 8 that is worse than 60/40. Since I am not a set collector, I am not forced to fill a hole with a sub-par card. I can understand set collectors buying off center stuff.

I saw a PSA 8.5 that was 60/40 with tilt cut, yes tilt cut - couldn't believe it.

Is centering the most important factor for you? If not, what?

[Ease]

Centering comes second to me after registration. I think an off center beater card can still have great eye appeal as long as the image is crisp and colorful.

[Fred]

I don't mind 70/30. What I don't like too much is 90/10 or worse.

I'd take a card with 70/30 if it was a card I wanted and someone wanted to discount the card because of the centering. What I dislike are completely rounded corners (unless they're supposed to be round) or cards with thick creases.

[Bicem]

centering shmentering. Thanks.

[ls7plus]

One of the nicest things about this hobby--aside from all of the very knowledgable, helpful persons who are members here (you can all take a bow guys!)--is that you can collect what you like. Personally, I primarily collect stars and hall-of-famers, and agree that eye-appeal is very, very important. However, if you're after some really rare cards of key players, you may have to take what you can get, and upgrade later, when and if the opportunity presents itself. Again, it depends entirely upon what you like!
From time to time, I find myself pursuing "true" rookie cards of hall-of-famers, such as the 1947 Tip Top Bread Spahn, Kiner and Berra. It took me about ten years to find a Kiner offered alone, rather than in a large lot at auction. I almost passed on a poor example that had been written on several years ago, reconsidered, and went ahead and purchased the card. I have always been glad I did, since the only one I have seen offered alone since was another PSA 1, which wasn't really much better than my example! I also bought a Spahn graded PSA 1 MK after almost passing on it due to condition. Then I checked the PSA pop report and found that PSA had only graded six examples (which hasn't changed in quite awhile), with the highest being PSA 1! Another member of this board recently commented that the Spahn is the toughest star card to obtain from the set, as it is a short print in a set that is basically pretty rare itself.
Similarly, I recently purchased a 1956 Kahn's Frank Robinson, after passing on one with back damage more than a decade ago. Interestingly, the card I passed on (then offered by Larry Fritsch) may well have been the very same one that recently became available to me, as it also had some very minor back damage, but otherwise presented as EX+ (was probably glued in a scrapbook, which left the rest of the card pretty well preserved).
Centering is important, but if you're after a very rare example of a card you've been looking for quite awhile, I personally would buy first and look to possibly upgrade later!

[fkw]

As long as it has 4 borders I could care less about centering....

Leave the 80/20 cards for me, Im happy to pick them up for 1/3rd the price of 50/50

[ValKehl]

What Frank said + 1. What disturbes the most is paper loss, even if it only affects the advertising on the back. But sometimes, one has to take what one can get. I have a T214 WaJo with a beautiful front that has about 50% paper loss on the back - this really bugs me everytime I look at this card!
Val

[DanP]

Originally Posted by ls7plus

...
Centering is important, but if you're after a very rare example of a card you've been looking for quite awhile, I personally would buy first and look to possibly upgrade later!

I agree 100%. There are cards that I would buy no matter what the centering was like. I personally was referring to cards that you'd have a selection choice (i.e. 69T PSA8 Reggie Jackson).

Dan

[quinnsryche]

As long as it has some border on all sides it's all good. I hate creases, that's what stops me from buying cards that I would otherwise like to have in my collection. To each his own!

[DanP]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

Is the most important thing about a card centering?

Is centering the most important factor for you? If not, what?

Same with me. When I first started buying I barely paid attention to centering, now it's the first thing I look at. I actually just received a PSA 8 today that I am not happy with the centering and I'm bidding on a PSA 7 to replace it!

I vote for another grading category i.e. PSA 8 C1-->10 to save me time looking at all the off-center cards. Even better it would make VCP pricing more accurate. I just looked at a card yesterday that ranged from $460 - $650 for the same grade. VCP pricing at a glance makes you think the $460 guy got a great buy and the $650 overpaid. I would have rather been the $650 buyer.

Dan

[DeanH3]

I too echo that centering is most important factor for me as well. Registration is a very close second though. A perfectly centered card with great registration is what gets my attention. I try and judge each card on its own merits but I'm definately drawn to centered cards.