PSA Minimum grade question
 

I don't submit often, but when I do I am expecting 7's and 8's. But, this time I sent in lower grade cards that are of higher value. I requested no qualifiers. One of the cards definitely has a qualifier (a stray pencil mark), but I figure that they will ding me points on the grade. What happens if the grade is so low that it is beyond that? For example, I own a 1 (MK) card. It seems to me that if you have a 1, why have a qualifier? It is poor. Anyone have an answer for me? If my card grades out as a 2, will they just lower it to a 1, or will it just not get graded?

Some cards will not be graded without a qualifier. Marked and mis cut are the ones that come to mind. You will probably get the card back unslabbed unless you call them and explain the situation with that card.

If you request a minimum grade, and your card doesn't mean that minimum, you get just a flip that says MG (minimum grade). No other explanation is given. They also won't tell you what the card would have graded.

I didn't require a minimum grade. It is a 55 Topps Mays that is probably a 3, but it has a spot where someone erased a pencil mark. I figured for $6.25 on the special it was worth slabbing, even if it was just a 1. I guess we will find out. If they don't grade it I am only out a few bucks.

Sounds like you'll have a definitive answer soon. It really depends on the severity of the mark and the opinion of the grader. As to the issue of a qualified 1 that seems strange to me as well. Poor is poor, by definition the lowest grade. A stray pen or pencil mark shouldn't require a qualifier. But apparently it does.

Well, my Mays came back as "altered stock", so I guess that's what an erased pencil mark gets you. Ironically, I submitted an Express order (5 days), a Collectors Club voucher order (10 days), and a Special Pre-1956 order (50 days) at the same time. The 50 days popped on business day #5, and here we are on day 7, and nothing else has popped. So much for paying extra....

Well..an eraser mark is technically "altered stock", Like it or not.. Personally if I was grading lower grade cards, I would have got em graded "with qualifiers". Anyone who buys/sells a PSA 2 or 3, does not expect a perfect card..Folds ,tears, bends, loss of color, rounded corners and everything else should be expected...

I put "No qualifiers" for all of them. Three came back with qualifiers. Sigh.

PSA notes that they can assign qualifiers in cases where they have to downgrade the card. Normally they still will for miscut and marked cards. Congrats on having a bulk order completed so quickly. That's an outlier.