Buy the Card? The Slab? or The Front of the Card

[steve B]

Being more opportunistic and on a much lower budget, I tend to worry less about condition, and more about if I need the card or if it's a good deal for that example.

[fkm_bky]

It depends for me. My focus being on mostly T206's the front is always the main area I look at...sometimes the back, especially if it's a rarer back...a damaged Sovereign or Old Mill will get more of my attention than a Piedmont 150 or Sweet Cap.

I bought this one b/c of the front and paid a reasonable amount due to the back damage.

I put very little emphasis on the slab, when buying...but I prefer SGC to PSA just from the asthetics.

Bill

[Zach Wheat]

For pre-war, mainly the front of the card with decent centering. I do not care as much about stains particularly on the reverse. Of tertiary importance, but still a consideration, is the grading company. I have a preference for some companies over others with pre-war

[packs]

I don't mind a little paper loss (or glue):

[bnorth]

In vintage as long as it has no paper loss or major creasing in the facial area I am good with it.

I like cards to have good registration or really bad. Hate cards with really small print offsets(blurry).

The most meaningless thing to me is centering. If it is so far off center it shows part of another card I like those even better.

What I hate the most is PSA slabs. To me personally it is beyond silly to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for cards I can buy not is a PSA slab for pennies on the dollar.