1951 Mantle - Guess the grade

[hcv123]

No creases or other surface defects that can't be seen in the scans.

[Hxcmilkshake]

3!

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[John1941]

3.5

[SPMIDD]

I say a PSA 4 or an SGC 5.

[bobbyw8469]

Psa 5-6.

Whoops....I missed the scratch on the back....I am gonna go with '1' or '2' now......still a great card.

[Eddiez]

I think it will grade PSA 3 but will be a very nice 3.

[JollyElm]

I drew (not perfectly aligned, mind you, but pretty damn close) a perfect rectangle around the card to help with the trimmed/not trimmed argument...

1951bowmanmantlerectangle.jpg

I took some of the "it's trimmed" claims to be directed at the right side not being straight and correctly oriented, but the card does seem to be a perfect rectangle. Do with that what you may. The bowing of the lower left corner area could mean the card isn't sitting perfectly flat??

[hcv123]

PSA's opinion is a 2.5. I appreciate all the guesses. Rather than a diatribe, I'll suffice to say I had it pegged at a 4. Thank you to Darren for your amazing "shape work" dispelling what I already 99.9% knew and stated that it is an original owner card and no funny business (trimming, etc.) going on.

[Peter_Spaeth]

AI casualty perhaps? I've been shown some absurdly low grades recently. Howard sorry you did not get the appropriate grade. What are you going to do with it, sell as is?

[ocjack]

When I was growing up, that would have easily been an ex-nm card. It's like the "completed pass" rules in the NFL. It used to be if it looked like a catch, it was a catch. Now the "grading companies" decide how long you held the ball, how many steps did you take after catching the ball, did you let the ball go after you hit the ground, etc. Damn grading is everywhere.

But I will say that's a damn fine looking 2.5.

[3-2-count]

Beautiful card Howard!

To hell with what the flip says! It's a keeper....

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

AI casualty perhaps? I've been shown some absurdly low grades recently. Howard sorry you did not get the appropriate grade. What are you going to do with it, sell as is?

Sell the card - not the holder! If I do well enough at the national, I may buy it myself (it is a private consignment)!!

Attached is a PSA 2 (not mine) - heavy vertical crease down the middle, heavy nik on the right border, something going on on Mantle's face (paper loss?), way worse corners and the one I have is only 1/2 grade better?

I would consider breaking out and selling raw, but too many collectors are uncomfortable with all the fakes floating around on this one.

[maniac_73]

Thats insane how it only got a 2.5

[Peter_Spaeth]

A friend of mine who has been doing this for decades just showed me 4 soccer cards that he pegged as 7-8 but came back 3s and 4s. I really wonder if they are using AI and it can't process the tiny inconsequential flaws in vintage paper. His grades were truly senseless from the images and his description. And to make it worse, Nat Turner apparently has decreed that they won't reexamine grades, so the only choice is to crack out and try again.

[Gorditadogg]

Howard, I don't get that. I'll stop by so you can show it to me next week in Chicago.

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