Grade or Not

[Volod]

Originally Posted by thatkidfromjerrymaguire

1952 Bowman is my favorite set, and as of this week I'm only FOUR cards away from completing my set. I estimate at least 50% or more of my set have wax stains because it was very common with this issue. My set is mostly EX to EX-MT...so I avoid wrinkles, creases, and marks, but I don't think twice about wax stains, to me they are just part of the card.

Wax stains on the back of 1952 Bowmans are SO common, I'm not sure they really even affect the grade. I know they don't put ST qualifiers on the cards that have them. I only have a handful of graded, but my Mantle is graded a straight SGC 6 and it has wax staining on back similar if not a little worse than your card pictured. Maybe a 6 is as high as you can get with the stains, but as a previous poster mentioned, with those corners on your card, you aren't going to get above a six anyway.

My recommendation is leave the wax stain, and don't bother getting it graded. Save the money and enjoy it raw....wax stains and all.

John, many of my sentiments, as well. Something I have never been able to figure out regarding the '52 Bowman cards is exactly how so many got stained in the production process. I find it hard to believe that any wax on the plastic wrappers actually stained the cards. Even if that were a possible source, only one of five cards in the pack would have been touching the wrapper. As well, only one card would have been in contact with the gum, if that were the source of staining. It seems more likely to me that the sheet cutting process, or perhaps the collating and packaging process involved the use of some oily substance that came into contact with most of the cards. Or, maybe, the guys on the production line just never washed their hands?