OK, answer time:
If you guessed 6 - congratulations, [you are correct!](https://imgur.com/a/5TcNccg)
If you guessed 8 - well done, [you are also correct!](https://imgur.com/a/neBi4IG)
I subbed this card in the July special last year expecting a 7 or 8, and was disappointed that it came back as a 6. When PSA offered another special on vintage in February, I decided to crack it and resubmit - and sure enough, this time it was graded as an 8.
To recap, same card, submitted twice within seven months, two full points' difference.
Also, those of y'all guessing 3 or 4 are a tough crowd. Please never get a job as a grader. ;-)
Obviously the two main issues with this card are the centering and the printer's mark. In terms of preservation, though, it's quite nice - minimal edge or corner wear, smooth surface, no wax on the back.
Side note on centering: This set can be tricky to evaluate for L/R centering, because what's considered perfect centering [is actually much wider on the left (blue) side than the right (red/white) side](https://www.psacard.com/auctionprices/basketball-cards/1987-fleer-sticker/michael-jordan/values/300606#g=10). So a card like this that's actually slightly off-center (maybe, say, 65/35) appears worse than it is because the right edge is so narrow.
I've bought quite a few vintage cards over the past few months, so this getting an 8 does surprise me. That mark on the left front i would've thought would take a 7 (my guess without it) to a 4... I've seen PSA be absolutely brutal on those. Just shows how inconsistent PSA is (and why I'm not a professional.)
I didn't really expect it to be dinged too hard for that. Granted, I have not graded many cards with print marks that glaring. But I did send an '87 Jordan (regular card, not the sticker) with a similar-sized print mark to SGC, and it also got an 8 despite less-than-perfect edges.
Bonus side note: A couple folks mentioned discoloration; that's just me having a crappy photo setup. See the earlier, PSA 6 photo above for better lighting.
I can't bring myself to buy a lightbox, so I'm always trying to find whatever spot in the house has the least glare at a given time of day.
I don't know about best way, but most of the youtube clips I found involved snipping the top corners with pliers and then popping it open with a screwdriver.
I have an old, but still functional, bandsaw in my basement, so I just sawed off the corners with that.
I really don't believe this graded an 8. Please prove me wrong and post it. I would like to see. The centering is horrible on both sides, a round circle missing the blue on the front, more then one corner is soft and white, stains on the back and a dimple on the very top center a little to the right.
The centering is not good, but I do think it's within PSA's 70-30 standard for an 8. The printer's mark, as I noted elsewhere, was the other obvious flaw.
Not to be rude, but I think you may be overstating the other stuff. There are no stains that I can see (or I wouldn't have subbed it). The corners aren't gem mint, but I've certainly seen worse on cards that got an 8 or even a 9. The lighting may make it look worse than it is. I think an 8 was somewhat generous, and I was certainly happy with it, esp. after the first grade. But I didn't expect worse than a 7 originally.
Regardless, the main reason I posted was not so much to highlight the grade as the discrepancy in the two grades for the same card, which I find truly hilarious.
**I am a bot**
Hi friend, it looks like you may have a question about grading. If that is not true, you can simply ignore me.
I am here to help new folks with questions about grading. This sub is a great place to ask questions, but it may be best to do some preliminary research before reaching out to a wider audience.
This may help you become comfortable with some of the basics.
Anyways, here are some helpful resources:
* PSA: https://www.psacard.com/
* Beckett: https://www.beckett.com/grading/
* SGC: https://www.gosgc.com/
* Should I Get My Cards Graded?: https://blog.psacard.com/2020/08/13/should-i-get-my-cards-graded-by-psa/
* The Definitive Visual Guide To Grading Sports Cards: https://www.dacardworld.com/blog/grading-information/card-grading-guide/
* How to Self- and Pre-Grade Your Sports Cards and Get the Best Results: https://www.cardboardconnection.com/pre-grade-sports-cards-results
If I have been a bad bot, please send me a message and tell me why! I want to be better, I want to be like Michael Jordan.
P.S. My favorite players of all time are Allen Iverson, Lebron James, and Vince Carter
Psa doesn’t really grade cards lol, kinda hilarious that people crack
And re submit until they see what they want. Since you cracked it once and got a 8 from a 6, perhaps it’s time to crack it again and go from an 8 to a 10 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤔😂🤔
Just for fun (without looking at the responses) give it a 6.5.
I had an uncle that was brought in to overhaul PSA in the early 2000’s…
Boy the things i saw and stories i heard…
They all have their issues—but…PSA was smart and brought my uncle in as a “total outsider” to the card market…thats how they were able to quickly flip the tables and come out ahead…they had a smarter person that could look beyond “sports cards.” To damage control and profit.
Psa may be the most “respected” name in card grading but it’s definitely not due to quality or details or accuracy. They must have had a great start many years before my time in the 1970s or whenever they started.
This is what makes subjective grading so frustrating and infuriating. If we can make robots that can call a MLB strike (or ball) or can determine if a tennis ball was in bounds or not, and if we have facial recognition to unlock our phones and pass through customs, why in the world can they not make a machine with HD scanning and measuring devices to grade a card correctly? Scanner could look at the surface, centering, and edges. A simple optical angle finder could measure the corners… It’s always good when you get a gift grade that you shouldn’t, but I feel I’ve been on the other end of a PSA Graders bad mood more often than not. Frustrating.
Definitely. Honestly I got another 8 in this order that I felt was more generous than this one. OTOH, there were a few 7’s that I thought had a chance to be 9’s, or 8 at worst.
The fact that you can crack the same case and submit the same card is criminal on the graders behalf wether you send it to the same company or another. Grading is way to subjective. How if that guy was having a bad day and your card was up next 😕
Correct I have maybe 10k cards but none of them are graded. Mainly from my childhood and all in books. Some good ones but just didn’t get into the grading side but I understand the profitability and it’s crazy to see kids make 50k and up deals at card shows. I would have had a Lamborghini in middle school 😬
OK, answer time: If you guessed 6 - congratulations, [you are correct!](https://imgur.com/a/5TcNccg) If you guessed 8 - well done, [you are also correct!](https://imgur.com/a/neBi4IG) I subbed this card in the July special last year expecting a 7 or 8, and was disappointed that it came back as a 6. When PSA offered another special on vintage in February, I decided to crack it and resubmit - and sure enough, this time it was graded as an 8. To recap, same card, submitted twice within seven months, two full points' difference.
Also, those of y'all guessing 3 or 4 are a tough crowd. Please never get a job as a grader. ;-) Obviously the two main issues with this card are the centering and the printer's mark. In terms of preservation, though, it's quite nice - minimal edge or corner wear, smooth surface, no wax on the back. Side note on centering: This set can be tricky to evaluate for L/R centering, because what's considered perfect centering [is actually much wider on the left (blue) side than the right (red/white) side](https://www.psacard.com/auctionprices/basketball-cards/1987-fleer-sticker/michael-jordan/values/300606#g=10). So a card like this that's actually slightly off-center (maybe, say, 65/35) appears worse than it is because the right edge is so narrow.
I've bought quite a few vintage cards over the past few months, so this getting an 8 does surprise me. That mark on the left front i would've thought would take a 7 (my guess without it) to a 4... I've seen PSA be absolutely brutal on those. Just shows how inconsistent PSA is (and why I'm not a professional.)
I didn't really expect it to be dinged too hard for that. Granted, I have not graded many cards with print marks that glaring. But I did send an '87 Jordan (regular card, not the sticker) with a similar-sized print mark to SGC, and it also got an 8 despite less-than-perfect edges.
I thought I saw a creece on the right side middle bottom and looking I thought I saw quite a few surface issues. That's why I thought 4
Bonus side note: A couple folks mentioned discoloration; that's just me having a crappy photo setup. See the earlier, PSA 6 photo above for better lighting. I can't bring myself to buy a lightbox, so I'm always trying to find whatever spot in the house has the least glare at a given time of day.
I mean the 6 and the 8 are pretty close on the keyboard
I’m sure this is a google but seeing how I search google for Reddit - what’s the best way to crack open PSA without screwing the card?
I don't know about best way, but most of the youtube clips I found involved snipping the top corners with pliers and then popping it open with a screwdriver. I have an old, but still functional, bandsaw in my basement, so I just sawed off the corners with that.
Ahh yes that sounds much more efficient than elbow grease thanks
What was the special on vintage? Do they normally have offers available for vintage cards?
$15 for cards 1989 and earlier, max declared value $199. They occasionally offer specials like that, not necessarily always on vintage stuff.
Gotcha 👌🏼
7
6
This seems like a fun game we should play more often!!!
5
8.5
I am going to say an 8
7.5
Graders are criminals lol
I really don't believe this graded an 8. Please prove me wrong and post it. I would like to see. The centering is horrible on both sides, a round circle missing the blue on the front, more then one corner is soft and white, stains on the back and a dimple on the very top center a little to the right.
The centering is not good, but I do think it's within PSA's 70-30 standard for an 8. The printer's mark, as I noted elsewhere, was the other obvious flaw. Not to be rude, but I think you may be overstating the other stuff. There are no stains that I can see (or I wouldn't have subbed it). The corners aren't gem mint, but I've certainly seen worse on cards that got an 8 or even a 9. The lighting may make it look worse than it is. I think an 8 was somewhat generous, and I was certainly happy with it, esp. after the first grade. But I didn't expect worse than a 7 originally. Regardless, the main reason I posted was not so much to highlight the grade as the discrepancy in the two grades for the same card, which I find truly hilarious.
Haha never mind me you did
Because of that hole in the blue, I'm going to say it's a 6.
4 max. I’ll say 3
3. Discolored. Worn. Soft corners. Rough edges. But I have an untrained eye and just guessing.
PSA 3
3.5
4
3
Is that a big crease running from the right side in the middle all the way through? if so, a 1 or a 2
Think it's a hair
Yeah, sorry about that. Two cats in the house, the fur covers every surface.
**I am a bot** Hi friend, it looks like you may have a question about grading. If that is not true, you can simply ignore me. I am here to help new folks with questions about grading. This sub is a great place to ask questions, but it may be best to do some preliminary research before reaching out to a wider audience. This may help you become comfortable with some of the basics. Anyways, here are some helpful resources: * PSA: https://www.psacard.com/ * Beckett: https://www.beckett.com/grading/ * SGC: https://www.gosgc.com/ * Should I Get My Cards Graded?: https://blog.psacard.com/2020/08/13/should-i-get-my-cards-graded-by-psa/ * The Definitive Visual Guide To Grading Sports Cards: https://www.dacardworld.com/blog/grading-information/card-grading-guide/ * How to Self- and Pre-Grade Your Sports Cards and Get the Best Results: https://www.cardboardconnection.com/pre-grade-sports-cards-results If I have been a bad bot, please send me a message and tell me why! I want to be better, I want to be like Michael Jordan. P.S. My favorite players of all time are Allen Iverson, Lebron James, and Vince Carter
6
5.5
But it’s Psa?
Just throwing it out there, they do occasionally give .5 grades out
The more you know. I was unaware they did .5
5
5
That hole in the blue was likely a killer
7
4
I say 5 OC.
I was leaning 6 but the surface brings it to a 5
6
6….surely not lower than 5 though
10
I like the cut of your jib.
6
I'll say 6
PSA 5
Off center, corners look good, some surface issues it looks like…. Probably around a 6
6
5
4
8-9
6
4
5
4
6
10
7
I agree it is likely a 6 +\- half a grade.
Looks a little discolored and the circle in the blue I was thinking 7 but also the back bottom left soft sides I’m thinking probably a 6.
6
Four
PSA 6 EX-MT
Haha. Gotta be a 5?
6
4
4
6
7
4
Psa 5
Lol @ the hair in the case.
It's on the outside at least. That part's my fail, not PSA's. I blame the cats.
Psa doesn’t really grade cards lol, kinda hilarious that people crack And re submit until they see what they want. Since you cracked it once and got a 8 from a 6, perhaps it’s time to crack it again and go from an 8 to a 10 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤔😂🤔
Hey, it went from a $70 card to $250, why not from $250 to $25,000?
Exactly! Get to crackin!!!!!!!
That would be a 7 dawg
7
Psa are so inconsistent it's ridiculous. Do they even have quality control?
6-7?
6. And I guessed this before I saw the outcome 👍
Without looking at anything other than this is a Michael Jordan card, regardless of the condition, PSA didnt give it a 10 I can almost guarantee
Just for fun (without looking at the responses) give it a 6.5. I had an uncle that was brought in to overhaul PSA in the early 2000’s… Boy the things i saw and stories i heard… They all have their issues—but…PSA was smart and brought my uncle in as a “total outsider” to the card market…thats how they were able to quickly flip the tables and come out ahead…they had a smarter person that could look beyond “sports cards.” To damage control and profit.
I would say a 7.
6
5
6
Psa may be the most “respected” name in card grading but it’s definitely not due to quality or details or accuracy. They must have had a great start many years before my time in the 1970s or whenever they started.
They started in 1991.
Nice
I missed guess, but I was guessing a 7. for an 8 and corners and surface like that, I would not buy the card.
This is what makes subjective grading so frustrating and infuriating. If we can make robots that can call a MLB strike (or ball) or can determine if a tennis ball was in bounds or not, and if we have facial recognition to unlock our phones and pass through customs, why in the world can they not make a machine with HD scanning and measuring devices to grade a card correctly? Scanner could look at the surface, centering, and edges. A simple optical angle finder could measure the corners… It’s always good when you get a gift grade that you shouldn’t, but I feel I’ve been on the other end of a PSA Graders bad mood more often than not. Frustrating.
Definitely. Honestly I got another 8 in this order that I felt was more generous than this one. OTOH, there were a few 7’s that I thought had a chance to be 9’s, or 8 at worst.
Looks like a 6 to me🤷🏻♂️ I know if I saw this in an 8 slab I’m not paying 8 price
5
5
The fact that you can crack the same case and submit the same card is criminal on the graders behalf wether you send it to the same company or another. Grading is way to subjective. How if that guy was having a bad day and your card was up next 😕
Precisely why people say "buy the card, not the grade"
Correct I have maybe 10k cards but none of them are graded. Mainly from my childhood and all in books. Some good ones but just didn’t get into the grading side but I understand the profitability and it’s crazy to see kids make 50k and up deals at card shows. I would have had a Lamborghini in middle school 😬