Which Topps issue has the worst centering?

[OPC Baseball Obsessed]

A real sleeper in this category, I'm lucky enough to have or have access to all forms of the packaging, and lots of them. The base was mostly wax, vending and grocery racks, with very few from regular racks and cello Packs. Racks seem to be less available than prior years, and cello as well. The grocery racks are, for the most part, abhorrent quality, with substantial print/ink issues on top of our topic, centering.

I collect and sell high grade commons from 72-86 FB, and it is correct that 1979s are a nightmare. There is even some disagreement about which bottom centering variation is perfect and which is 55/45.

But I think if 1980 collectors were compelled to send in enough cards to meet the numbers of other sets, 1980 is the centering nightmare. I am attaching the Bob Griese photo, these are 40 percent grocery, 20 percent wax and 40 percent vending. Note that these are not all collected in those cases, many were 'miscut' where the (usually) left border was involved with the img128 (3).jpg

img130.jpgnext card. I trash those so they arent accidentally sold.

The NM+ to NM-MT example is from my local star dealer who has about half the number I have but I understand hhis to be 80 percent wax and about and even split between vending and racks.

The Griese card is on the second or third tier of the most difficult to find centered lists. See Mark Washington, Sherman White, Hasselback, etc. The set isn't flashy and doesn't have a Campbell/Montana level Rookie but I think it warrants more buzz due to these centering issues.

[jchcollins]

I would agree with whoever said 1954 Topps, because those in addition to generally bad centering also come frequently with tilt or diamond cutting issues - and even if the cards measure, some TPG's refuse to take the time to understand, as SGC recently did to me on an otherwise EX-ish '54 Jackie.

The rest yes, flip a coin. The other vintage sets I have interest in right now (1963, 1967, and 1972 Topps) all generally have horrendous centering issues. '67 is particularly tough because the white borders against often rich, dark backgrounds are pretty noticeable - and they are also for whatever reason a hair thinner than the garden variety Topps white border - compare say to 1961 Topps, or 1958. This coupled with tilt and DC problems means that a truly perfectly centered '67 Topps card with no skew is pretty much a unicorn.

I'm helped out in this department by the fact that I'm not a centering freak - generally I'd rather have a card 70/30 with a sharp image and nicer corners than one 50/50 all the way around with weak corners or surface issues...but yeah. If you care about it even at all, the centering on most Topps sets older than about 1980 can give anyone fits.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I would agree with whoever said 1954 Topps, because those in addition to generally bad centering also come frequently with tilt or diamond cutting issues - and even if the cards measure, some TPG's refuse to take the time to understand, as SGC recently did to me on an otherwise EX-ish '54 Jackie.

The rest yes, flip a coin. The other vintage sets I have interest in right now (1963, 1967, and 1972 Topps) all generally have horrendous centering issues. '67 is particularly tough because the white borders against often rich, dark backgrounds are pretty noticeable - and they are also for whatever reason a hair thinner than the garden variety Topps white border - compare say to 1961 Topps, or 1958. This coupled with tilt and DC problems means that a truly perfectly centered '67 Topps card with no skew is pretty much a unicorn.

I'm helped out in this department by the fact that I'm not a centering freak - generally I'd rather have a card 70/30 with a sharp image and nicer corners than one 50/50 all the way around with weak corners or surface issues...but yeah. If you care about it even at all, the centering on most Topps sets older than about 1980 can give anyone fits.

So true about the thin 67T borders, they really emphasize any tilt on the card.

Your comment also made me realize that collectors have different ideas about what tough centering means. For Snowman it's how many 50/50 cards can he find. For Dale it may be how many cards in his set are worse than 60/40. (52T has some cards that are notoriously difficult to find even 70/30.) For others it's how many unacceptable OC and MC cards there are.

If you do find any 67T unicorns though John, please let me know. I will make you a good deal for them.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Gorditadogg

So true about the thin 67T borders, they really emphasize any tilt on the card.

Your comment also made me realize that collectors have different ideas about what tough centering means.

I just can’t. It’s how they were made. To me, mild to moderate OC is proof of authenticity this day in age. I don’t like truly miscut cards or 90/10, but beyond that I’m hard pressed to care.

LOL here is my ‘67 Aaron:




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[JollyElm]

This otherwise beautiful 1967 Tilterin' Hank card is coming back a 5 from the SGC sub...

1967aaron250tilted.jpg