Wow Rare Air 52 Mantle SGC 5 REA

[Peter_Spaeth]

How does this one score on the OCD centering meter? You have to disregard the shadow of the top slat to really judge it.

[53toppscollector]

I obsessively collected the 1953 Topps set (hence my username) and got really dialed in on centering after looking at so many examples. A lot of times the bottom border blends into the uniform or scenery (like the Mantle) so its really the top border and the left/right I focus on. That Mantle is very nice, its off top/bottom but it looks great.

[luciobar1980]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How does this one score on the OCD centering meter? You have to disregard the shadow of the top slat to really judge it.

That's a sweet card. If that centering bothers you you probably legit have clinically diagnosable OCD. haha

[NYYFan63]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How does this one score on the OCD centering meter? You have to disregard the shadow of the top slat to really judge it.

That’s a beauty!


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[GaryPassamonte]

Which one is better and/or more valuable?

[53toppscollector]

I would personally pay more for the SGC 3 because it has much better centering. The 4.5 has less snowing and a more clear image, but the centering is just something I couldnt deal with for a more modern card. Both cards are great, obviously.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I prefer the 4.5, but understand the opposite perspective.

[rand1com]

4.5, no contest IMO.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I prefer the 4.5, but understand the opposite perspective.

I would agree with this. Centering is very important to me on any card. Perhaps even more on the mantle- prob because 1952 Topps issues are tough to find centered and I would be more picky at these high price points.
That said… the ICONICNESS (these letters together should be a word I think) of #311 is the rich Blues/yellow bat/registration/shadow on face/logo/rc sig etc. The image is what is recognizable primarily.. not the centering which is 0-100 on every card with borders.
The “snow” is a big NO for me. Color and registration needs to be on point with more wiggle room on centering imo.

The two below are close. The 4.5 is a bit too off centered for me to be happy with but the sgc 3 is just way too snowy(more than a bit for me).
Obviously still very valuable and great cards but I just wouldn’t be a player close to what they would sell for at auction.

[MattyC]

For me, those two examples above are ones that I pass on, so I would choose Option C: keep stacking my chips for a card like the 4 that was posted earlier in the thread, or my own 4.5.

The 4.5 in question above is just far too OC for me, and the 3 while possessed of decent centering has too many abrasions or scuffing, and the 311 is a card that I like with a deep, rich blue background. Sometimes it is best to holster it and pay much more for beauty that has it all.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by GaryPassamonte

Which one is better and/or more valuable?

Assuming there are not creases I can't see, I personally would pay WAY WAY more for that SGC 3 than I would for that PSA 4.5. Probably double (though I wouldn't pay much for that 4.5). But as for the broader market... I think it'd be close. There's already a pretty big price gap from PSA to SGC just to begin with, but a 4.5 to a 3 is a pretty big "expected" drop. That said, I think if both cards were in the same auction, the 3 might still outperform the 4.5.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How does this one score on the OCD centering meter? You have to disregard the shadow of the top slat to really judge it.

On the 53's I find that if the bottom of the position and team name letters lines up with and sits on the top of the bottom border you have pretty close to perfect top to bottom centering.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How does this one score on the OCD centering meter? You have to disregard the shadow of the top slat to really judge it.

That's a beautiful 53! Not perfect centering, but the top to bottom shift isn't really a big deal on these since the bottom border is hardly noticeable. It has the look of symmetry still, and I think that's what matters most. As far as numbers go, it's 50/50 L/R, and 47/53 T/B. But as Probstein would say, it "looks nicer" than that.