Opinions on my '56 Mick...

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Nice card John!

Personally, the first thing I would do is get the card out of the screw down holder. I have seen cards get a little wavy in those things and that may hurt grading if you choose that route, and can certainly damage the card.

Keep in mind those new PSA holders are going to be a BEAR to bust a card out of if you do not like the grade your Mantle gets.

I don't have the screws too tight on it, but good point just the same. Most of my other pre-57 cards that are not graded are in Card Saver I's.

Don't have plans to send this off for grading really because of my experience with SGC. Do you think they would slab it or tell me that it was altered again? PSA does seem to go easier on paper loss, but with this card I'm wondering if they see something else on that corner under the black light. In any event, this card is from a time in my collecting past when I was much less concerned with condition, so I will probably be inclined to leave it as-is and enjoy it for what it is. Back when I was a kid if a card was roughed-up some, that was just more proof that it was old, LOL. (And you should have seen the '65 Mantle I once had that was so waterlogged it couldn't be taken out of it's top loader without disintegrating...) I will admit that though I see the point in professional grading now (and prefer to buy graded cards online for peace of mind...) when I first heard of the practice, I did think it was pretty ridiculous for a good long while. Grading even today remains very subjective. And a quick glance at some other PSA graded '56 Mantle's out for sale right now confirms again what I've seen before: My card even with the paper loss is still a very decent example for the grade. :-)

[KCRfan1]

John, I don't believe PSA goes easier on paper loss. It's a bit of a coin flip, but generally count on a 2 grade deduction for paper loss. So what may appear as a 5 could grade as a 3. An eraser could come back as altered or certainly mk ( mark ) qualifier.

[CW]

I would agree that the EX 5 you showed is overgraded. PSA definitely misses things on occasion. As far as what you did to your card... hey, if you like the way it looks and it's for your collection, more power to you. Even with the minor bit of paper missing that is still a great Mantle!

[cammb]

You didn't doctor anything. You removed something on the card that wasnt put there to begin with. Second of all, if you want a true grading of your cards, then SGC is the company. PSA is a joke with their grading.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by cammb

You didn't doctor anything. You removed something on the card that wasnt put there to begin with. Second of all, if you want a true grading of your cards, then SGC is the company. PSA is a joke with their grading.

I like the way you think. PSA and SGC aside (I like SGC better too...) I have my own grading standards that I've been comfortable with for years. I may be in the minority but I actually think it's fun to grade cards and be able to explain why a card is a certain grade.

[nebboy]

Im showing my 56 Mantle with the same corner chipping problems but my was from being in a screw down holder that was to tight or so I was told by the guy I bought it from. Its has never been graded because Im not getting rid of it. I have been told in a past thread that PSA would be the company to sent it to for the would be more forgiving on the corner chipping or SGC. My best guess is that both of are cards would grade a 3. All of this has been brought up in this tread already but its maybe help to others to know how fragile the corner can be on the 56 set.

[KCRfan1]

Nice card John.

[jchcollins]

Sorry again to ressurect an old thread, but as I've said before - I'm prone to do that at times.

(Yes, this is my card - I still have it). Question:

If I were to entertain getting this graded and was looking for just "Authentic" from either PSA or SGC - what would the deal be with the corner discussed in this post? I should know this - but would you have to note it when sending in for PSA and then it gets an "Authentic Altered"? Or if you were to say don't evaluate it for anything other than authenticity - i.e. I'm not looking for a number grade - would it just get A and not the Altered? Does SGC handle differently?

I'm more curious than anything. On the whole still a pretty remote chance I'm going to send it anyway - as it's a card with sentimental value that I will not be getting rid of.

-John

[swarmee]

PSA will first determine if the card deserves a number grade; if so, they'll compare it to the minimum grade you list on your submission form. If they deem it Altered Stock or Altered, you would have to write on the order form "SLAB IF AUTHENTIC", otherwise they'll return it to you ungraded.

If it would get a number grade and you only want it slabbed AUTHENTIC instead, you'd have to write that instruction on the form.

[ls7plus]

[QUOTE=jchcollins;1478092]I don't have the screws too tight on it, but good point just the same. Most of my other pre-57 cards that are not graded are in Card Saver I's...

My experience over 25+ years is that if the screws are only tightened finger tight, you will almost never have a problem insofar as damaging the card is concerned, and the card won't fall out. Screwdowns, especially 1/2 inch lucites, were how we did it prior to TPG slabbing--they are very protective. I say "almost never" because my one exception just happened to be a '62 Maris in NrMt-Mt. The inner holder surface was uneven, leaving a slight wrinkle in the card's surface. I spooned that out as best I could, but it still got downgraded to a "7" by PSA due to that flaw.

Happy collecting,

Larry