GM Cards, Even Some Of The Best Get It Wrong.

[Lucas00]

Here's a story I had on a recent GM cards eBay purchase.
I picked up a '52 Berk Ross Schoendienst for my collection under the notion of being NM. I could see what I thought was just a print dot and a slight oc to the card. But otherwise it looked great. Fast forward 4 days and the card arrives.
What I thought was a print dot is in hand very clearly a Pin hole. I paid a psa/sgc 7-8 price for this card. So I was Annoyed to say the very least.
I contacted GM and was given a 50% refund (I opted to keep the card). Probably still paid too much as I expect this is now a 2.5 possibly 3 at best.
I did not catch the exit hole on the back while looking at the eBay scans unfortunately.

PS: If you have a true NM copy and don't mind a downgrade I would be willing to trade+$



Even the best Aren't always right.

Lucas Dewease

[Tere1071]

I had a similar experience with a 53 Bowman Color Dale Mitchell. It's a difficult card to find centered and during the Super Bowl, I placed the winning bid at a price that was well below what they'd go for. When I received the card it looked beautiful until I was putting it in a plastic sheet; the light caught a fairly significant indentation at the bottom left of the card. I contacted GM and asked for a credit of $10.00 towards the next purchase which was granted. However, on my next purchase, the discount wasn't applied, I'll try again, and hopefully, I'll receive it.

Phil aka Tere1071

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

we have a raw Schoendienst in EX (no pinhole, I promise!) and a PSA 8 in our auction that starts Wednesday. Tons of high grade Berk Ross.

[G1911]

I don’t think a pinhole can get higher than a 2.

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

we have a raw Schoendienst in EX (no pinhole, I promise!) and a PSA 8 in our auction that starts Wednesday. Tons of high grade Berk Ross.

Will definitely be checking it out!

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by G1911

I don’t think a pinhole can get higher than a 2.

Yea Now that I think about it this is probably true. I had a very nice looking '61 mantle with a pin hole and a very small wrinkle that was a 1.5. it was perfectly centered as well. Had the eye appeal of a 5 or 6.

Definitely got burned on this one..

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by G1911

I don’t think a pinhole can get higher than a 2.

Agreed; used to be an automatic PSA 1 Poor, but in recent years they have started giving 2 GOOD to cards with a pinhole with overall nice eye appeal.

Why not return it as Item Not As Described and get all your money back? It's not NR-MINT.

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Agreed; used to be an automatic PSA 1 Poor, but in recent years they have started giving 2 GOOD to cards with a pinhole with overall nice eye appeal.

Why not return it as Item Not As Described and get all your money back? It's not NR-MINT.

Decided on a 50% refund and keeping the card. It Has good eye appeal. And better color than most of the berk ross cards I’ve seen.
And simply because I was missing this card for my run.

[Chris Counts]

Staple holes seem common on 1952 Berk Ross cards. I read they were distributed by two popcorn companies (and perhaps other manufacturers?), so maybe they were stapled to a box or a bag. They apparently were a bootleg issue, and there was a court case that shut down their production.

I still think it's a great card, regardless of the grade.

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

Staple holes seem common on 1952 Berk Ross cards. I read they were distributed by two popcorn companies (and perhaps other manufacturers?), so maybe they were stapled to a box or a bag. They apparently were a bootleg issue, and there was a court case that shut down their production.

I still think it's a great card, regardless of the grade.

Chris,
It is absolutely still a beautiful card. Pin holes are my damage of choice. A card hanging from a kids wall is always my favorite thought.

Key man has a great article on them. Like most of his articles it is top tier.
Apparently they were in packs of gum as well, classic.

I did not know Berk Ross was the name of the actual photographer. And on top of that, Berk was believed to have been the official photographer for the 1948-1950 Bowman sets.

Article: http://keymancollectibles.com/photos...8%20and%201950.

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

Staple holes seem common on 1952 Berk Ross cards. I read they were distributed by two popcorn companies (and perhaps other manufacturers?), so maybe they were stapled to a box or a bag.

Doesn't look like this was stapled, since there is only one hole and it looks like it has the outline indentation of a thumbtack.

[parkplace33]

It’s a tough job, but I have heard more complaints about GM this year than in past years. Are they overloaded with cards and forced to list quickly?

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by G1911

I don’t think a pinhole can get higher than a 2.

I don't think a pinhole can get higher than a '1'. But they always 'set the bar" as far as PSA 1 pricing though, because EVERYONE wants a '1' with a pinhole.

[Leon]

If you were annoyed you should have just done a return. To keep it and complain is your right though.
.
.

Originally Posted by Lucas00

Here's a story I had on a recent GM cards eBay purchase.
I picked up a '52 Berk Ross Schoendienst for my collection under the notion of being NM. I could see what I thought was just a print dot and a slight oc to the card. But otherwise it looked great. Fast forward 4 days and the card arrives.
What I thought was a print dot is in hand very clearly a Pin hole. I paid a psa/sgc 7-8 price for this card. So I was Annoyed to say the very least.
I contacted GM and was given a 50% refund (I opted to keep the card). Probably still paid too much as I expect this is now a 2.5 possibly 3 at best.
I did not catch the exit hole on the back while looking at the eBay scans unfortunately.

PS: If you have a true NM copy and don't mind a downgrade I would be willing to trade+$

Even the best Aren't always right.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I don't think a pinhole can get higher than a '1'. But they always 'set the bar" as far as PSA 1 pricing though, because EVERYONE wants a '1' with a pinhole.

SGC at least will go up to a 1.5 for 2 pinholes. I’ve seen multiple 2’s in both SGC and PSA with pinholes. Of course, that may be because they didn’t notice the pinholes…

[rjackson44]

Boy these berk ross cards have jumped in value omg .

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by G1911

SGC at least will go up to a 1.5 for 2 pinholes. I’ve seen multiple 2’s in both SGC and PSA with pinholes. Of course, that may be because they didn’t notice the pinholes…

There were a couple of PSA graded Topps Clemente or Mays cards listed a year back that were 7s with a pinhole in them. Never heard if PSA recalled them to fix or not.

[T205 GB]

Originally Posted by G1911

I don’t think a pinhole can get higher than a 2.

I sold it to a board member about 7-8 years ago but it was a T205 PSA 4 with 4 pinholes. One per corner and more obvious than the OP's card. Maybe someone still has it and can post pics

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by rjackson44

Boy these berk ross cards have jumped in value omg .

The Berk Ross cards were sneered at for so long that I just can't believe the new price levels. I've had the same reaction to the current prices for all of the strip cards.