How Much More Will You Pay For Great Centering?

[JollyElm]

It's all about sharp corners for me. Centering (as long as it's relatively decent and not a smack in the face) is much further down on the list.

[DJCollector1]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

It's all about sharp corners for me. Centering (as long as it's relatively decent and not a smack in the face) is much further down on the list.

I'm pretty much on the same track Darren, especially for my PC-type cards.
I've written about it before, but I tend to go for "overall appeal", and that includes everything, corners, centering, registration, print etc etc.
(any projects I may do, are a bit different though.....)

Give me a sharp card that is "respectable" in all areas, and I will take that over a beautifully centered card, that has other notable problems.

I said it a few years ago, but I think the trend may ultimately move in that direction, and not strictly for the centering purists....but thats just my opinion.

All that aside, it sure is nice to find a beautifully centered mid grade (and up) card.
Its getting harder and harder as time goes on to find the extremely well-centered cards, as thats what so many have been going after for years now.

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by DJCollector1

I'm pretty much on the same track Darren, especially for my PC-type cards.
I've written about it before, but I tend to go for "overall appeal", and that includes everything, corners, centering, registration, print etc etc.
(any projects I may do, are a bit different though.....)

Give me a sharp card that is "respectable" in all areas, and I will take that over a beautifully centered card, that has other notable problems.

I said it a few years ago, but I think the trend may ultimately move in that direction, and not strictly for the centering purists....but thats just my opinion.

All that aside, it sure is nice to find a beautifully centered mid grade (and up) card.
Its getting harder and harder as time goes on to find the extremely well-centered cards, as thats what so many have been going after for years now.

I’m mostly a 1956 Topps collector and I strongly agree with the above. It’s all about overall eye appeal, and the human desire for centering is a big part of that. I recently added this centered Williams and I probably paid an additional 20% compared to an average 6 without a second thought. I had been looking for a nice example for at least two years so I jumped at the chance for this one.




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[CJinPA]

That's one gorgeous '56 Williams there!!! Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by IgnatiusJReilly

I’m mostly a 1956 Topps collector and I strongly agree with the above. It’s all about overall eye appeal, and the human desire for centering is a big part of that. I recently added this centered Williams and I probably paid an additional 20% compared to an average 6 without a second thought. I had been looking for a nice example for at least two years so I jumped at the chance for this one.




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[brianp-beme]

To look at it from another angle, I don't pay any less for something like this compared to the same card in similar condition with more typical centering.

Brian

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by CJinPA

That's one gorgeous '56 Williams there!!! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, I appreciate it.


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[Fred]

I'm not a centering freak. I don't mind a little off-center (let's say 70-30) but once you get to 90-10, then it bugs me a little.

What the heck to the TPGs use to determine centering. I think they "eyeball" it in most cases because (not trying to pick on PSA, but...) there are so many cases where I've seen OC qualifiers on some cards that were marginally OC for the grade and then I've seen cards that should have had an OC qualifier that didn't.

IMHO, I believe that TPGs really need to not "eyeball" centering if they're going to use it as a reason to lower a grade on a card. This is one of the criteria that PSA just doesn't seem to "measure" very well.

Centering is NOT subjective, it's something that can actually be measured. I guess the extra minute it would take to use a proper tool just isn't worth a graders time.

[sycks22]

Don't think I've owned a more centered card.

[robkas68]

As a favor to all of you, I will send you this perfect centered card for your garbage 73/30 Mantle rookie or perhaps a miscut t206 Wagner. No need to thank me.

[notfast]

Glad we all like different stuff.

Leaves more centered copies for me.

[ZiggerZagger]

The '52 Mays example made me laugh. It's tough. So tough that even after I finally found one centered, I couldn't pass up a nicer raw second one I found, just because it was centered

And I'm not an impartial party here -- when I started really collecting vintage about 10 years ago, I made my primary focus on centering, so that's how my collection has been built.
It's right for me -- as long as the eye appeal is good as well. I can handle a soft corner, no problem...

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[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Originally Posted by ZiggerZagger

The '52 Mays example made me laugh. It's tough. So tough that even after I finally found one centered, I couldn't pass up a nicer raw second one I found, just because it was centered

And I'm not an impartial party here -- when I started really collecting vintage about 10 years ago, I made my primary focus on centering, so that's how my collection has been built.
It's right for me -- as long as the eye appeal is good as well. I can handle a soft corner, no problem...

Haha....so that’s why I couldn’t find a centered mid-grade 52 Bowman Mays....because you are hoarding them

[hcv123]

Centering is definitely one of the top of the list qualities for me - I think the only thing that would be more important is actual front or back damage (including creases). When I saw this thread I started contemplating why - what I came up with is for my eye the centering has a HUGE impact on the eye appeal of the card - an off center card pulls my eye immediately to the defect - a well centered card allows my eye to focus on the image - for me - soft corners all day long over an off center image.
As far as premium as has been mentioned it is card specific - for a rarity - condition is virtually out the window, centering or otherwise.
For a card that is more available but hard to find centered - ususally willing to cough up a 10-15% premium.

[Phil68]

Centering, image quality/registration and strong ink are my big 3. Centering is absolutely mandatory for me. I won't even consider purchasing a card--regardless of price or scarcity that is visually off center. If a card sells for 1000.00 in NM-MT I'll pay 50% premium or more to go from 60/40 to nearly spot on.