1954 Mantle Photo Pack PSA Grade Guess

[ruth-gehrig]

Still not sure why they used a 1951 photo for a 1954 product but i love the image!!

Bought graded and will give these details. No pinholes, creases, wrinkles or paper loss that I can see and I've been looking it over really well. The dot on Mantles hat is NOT a pinhole! At first I thought it was. Taking pictures is tough as it basically looks like a mirror at all angles lol

What do you think PSA gave it??

[NiceDocter]

Fantastic image. Based on the rear lower left corner issues and the rust stain bottom right rear I would guess a 1.5. Still a great item and a very nice rookie photo!

[GasHouseGang]

I was going to say PSA 2.

[raulus]

I've graded a lot of similar issues, and PSA routinely grades them very hard. They're just so big, with so much real estate, that there's almost always something going on, similar to what you have here with the fun on the back.

Even with really pristine copies, you're usually looking at a 5. Anything above that is basically impossible.

Given the condition issues here, even though they're really not that big of a deal, on a good day, you might get really lucky with a 3. It would have to be the grader of love, and he would have to be feeling really frisky. So not likely.

On a bad day, it's probably a 1. Maaaaaybe 1.5 if the grader is feeling somewhat generous.

[jethrod3]

I agree with raulus. I've had a few graded from the set at different TPGs and most of the time the only major flaws are on the back and not as extensive as the Mantle shown. Never got anything more than a 4.

I'd say 2.5 on this one.

[ruth-gehrig]

Thanks guys for the replies!

So i guess the grader was having a bad day as it got a PSA 1. Feel like it's a bit harsh and initially was suspecting some paper loss somewhere to justify such a low grade but just not seeing it. I do agree the ones I've see graded are not that high of a grade despite their overall really nice appearance. I didn't really care what it graded it's a collection keeper and got it for what I believe was fair for the presentation. Win Win

[raulus]

Not surprised, but certainly feel for you.

I think the stains on the back are what kills it.

Additionally, there appear to be some bends in the paper. If you look at the back, on the right side by the bumper, and below that. It's always hard to tell if that's just from some internal baggie or the slab or something else, but it looks like a big bend to me. Might also be a wrinkle on the back on the left side, right near the top of the bumper.

Also if you look at the back, lower left corner, it looks like there is a crease by that corner. And maybe more than one.

A lot of this is just because these are so thin - basically just sheets of paper, and they can easily pick up stains and bends and other damage that ends up looking a lot worse than it really is simply because these are so condition sensitive.

[ruth-gehrig]

The rust stain is 100% there

I think the other issues you are pointing out are either the glare(dang near impossible for me to photograph without), the picture itself is smashed up against the plastic of the case and that also looks like some distortion. That wavyness i see is definitely my ceiling or something lol. I'll try to take some other pics at different angles and see if I can capture it a bit better. Thanks again for the insight!!

[raulus]

In addition to the rust stain on the back, the lower left quadrant on the back seems to have a bit of foxing. That's not uncommon for similar issues, but of itself would probably bring the grade down a bit.

[ruth-gehrig]

Foxing - guilty as charged.