How Much More Will You Pay For Great Centering?

[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.

[icurnmedic]

Personally I agree centering makes or breaks the eye appeal. I tend to look at it from a different perspective, though it may be difficult to articulate. Centering is a factory defect. There is no way to change this once it is cut and packaged, Much like registration. Surface , edges and corners however may or may not endure nicely the test of time. To me having a 100 year old card with tight corners, strong colors and no creasing is where it's at. Also I would opine, myself included, many folks pay a premium for centered say in a "5" holder. Im okay doing this. But I will never pay a "7" or "8" price for a "5". Just my $.02.

Card Collector thoughts only, not a professional card guy by any means.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by sycks22

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

Yeah, so you got to me on that one and thanks for the sale
I guess it's debatable which is nicer.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by sycks22

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

Man, that E90-1 Young has incredibly wide borders on both sides. Compare them to the miscut Thomas card below that shows the border width between 2 cards. It looks like Cy got more than 2/3 share of the border space on each side. Off-center cards do have their uses...

Brian