PSA 8 in an old slab versus a newly graded PSA 7?

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Hxcmilkshake

8 on the left?

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Tough call, but I'll second this opinion.

Maybe it's just my screen, but both of them almost look like they've got some wavy spots on the edges. Could just be I'm over-paranoid about card doctors and trim jobs these days.

[Jenx34]

Not a lot of conviction here, but I'll go new 7 on the left. I can't tell what is going on with the bottom right corner of the card on the right. That could be enough to kick it down to a 7.

[bk400]

The 7 is on the left.

Indeed, there is a fairly noticeable chip on the lower right corner of the 8, and the borders are more yellowish. It's close, but I think the centering is a touch better on the 7, and there is a small, but noticeable stain on the back of the 8.

In my humble opinion, the 7 is a better overall card and, therefore, a bargain at half the price of the 8. But herein lies all the debate.

[Jenx34]

Originally Posted by bk400

The 7 is on the left.

Indeed, there is a fairly noticeable chip on the lower right corner of the 8, and the borders are more yellowish. It's close, but I think the centering is a touch better on the 7, and there is a small, but noticeable stain on the back of the 8.

In my humble opinion, the 7 is a better overall card and, therefore, a bargain at half the price of the 8. But herein lies all the debate.

The 7 has some surface noise that the 8 doesn't. Aside from the ink in the lower left border, there's also stuff in the lettering near the top (dirt? ink overspray?. Near the beard too. Just not as clean of a surface/image.

Centering has zero effect on the grades here. Personal eye appeal, perhaps.

Most of the time, small issues on the surface is what knocks cards at this level.down, and it's the easiest to miss.

[Kutcher55]

Originally Posted by Jenx34

Most of the time, small issues on the surface is what knocks cards at this level.down, and it's the easiest to miss.

Agree with that. Also surface issues are the thing that just won’t show up on a video screen unless the poster points them out. I have seen many a 9 that has a surface blip that the grader either missed or decided it was just normal grain of the card. This seems especially true with mid/late 70s Topps cards as the printing process seemed to produce a lot of loosey-goosey surfaces back in those days with veining and bubbling being an issue on so many cards.

[MACollector]

Here is another quiz. One of these costs a few hundred k less than the others. Which one is the lower grade that is also newly graded? All three were sold recently and I will reveal results once some guesses come in. Good example of what we was being discussed.

[bk400]

Originally Posted by MACollector

Here is another quiz. One of these costs a few hundred k less than the others. Which one is the lower grade that is also newly graded? All three were sold recently and I will reveal results once some guesses come in. Good example of what we was being discussed.

I'm going for the one on the top as being the lower grade. It looks like someone tried to light the top edge with a match.