PSA 10's

[55koufax]

So in 2009 or 2010 I sat down with Joe O. and had a discussion about why it was seemingly so impossible to get 10's? Specifically from the hundreds (now well over a thousand) of '55 Topps AA's fresh out of cello packs I had graded. (Mind you I had already spent $150 per pack to get several packs graded - I actually paid for PSA to obtain a new mold to fit them). 48 of the 57 PSA 10's in the pop report are from my submissions, and I firmly believe 3 others that have somewhat recently popped are from my cards that I sold, and then they were subsequently trimmed to ascertain 10's (sad but true). Anyway, he offered this:

"PSA wants to maintain a certain aura or mystique surrounding the grade of 10".

They had just started with .5 point grades and I then asked him why they skipped the 9.5 grade His response?

"PSA wants to maintain a certain aura or mystique surrounding the grade of 10".

Now I ask all of you, does this make sense?

Looks like PSA feels a 9.5 grade would detract from those "mystical" 10's ??? Not only that, how can you say you are objective when the boss admits in so many words they are not - when it comes to 10's.

I could show you MINT 9's of the same card next to GEM 10's of same, and even with the all the tools of the trade, you would never discern the difference. Not only that, I have had 4 Otto Graham 9's that I compared to the only 10 in existence (from pre 2009 which was one of only six tens in the entire pop report at the time) that belonged to Nate Sanders at the time, and it is a joke. That antiquated 10 is noticeably inferior to all 4 9's...

[brian1961]

I for one am very happy PSA didn't install a 9.5 grade. That would create such a wretched mess and mass of hysteria for collectors wondering if they should send in their prized PSA 9s back to PSA, hoping for an upgrade.

PSA 10s are the favored few; we all get that. However, my fellow humanoids are infamous for splitting hairs until something is totally out of control, complicated, no longer enjoyable, and nauseating.

I completely agree with you over the matter that some PSA 9s look just as good as PSA 10s, and even as you described look better than a called 10!

Where many of our fellow collectors fall short in their minds is knowing when a PSA 5, 6, 7, or 8 is either ultra-high for a certain issue or the finest known specimen. Some idiots think it's gotta be a 10, or nothing, to achieve renown significance. I know of a few issues where a PSA MINT 9 is the ultimate and virtually unimaginable at the MINT 9 level for that issue, whereby to think in terms of a GEM MINT card from a profound condition rarity is reckless, ignorant, irresponsible, and dare I say flat-out stupid!

The premiums some collectors will pay for the 10 / DIME/ Double Digit is a world I cannot enter, but let's face it, sure makes interesting reading. It must be recognized, however, that the sky-high price points for some PSA 10s were achieved because of a knocked down auction fight between at least two deep-pocket collectors who both wanted the card at all costs. A decade later, when the winner decides to part with the ultra-expensive card, it may not fetch the money it took to originally win it. Such a shock may also occur if the card falls out of favor for any of several plausible reasons.

Have a swell day. Keep enjoying those beautiful Topps A-As!!!

--- Brian Powell