Below are two T206 Frank Chance, Red Portraits. One is a PSA 6 that sold in a Memory Lane auction 5/6/17 for $1,365. The other is a PSA 8(oc) that sold in a Heritage auction 5/11/17 for $1,020. Both are common backs (although the SC 350, 25 on the PSA 8(oc) is actually a pretty tough back). In my opinion, the PSA 6 is less OC than the PSA 8, but no doubt off-center, and the bottom right corner is terrible. In my opinion, the card in the (old) PSA 6 flip, really is no more than a 4. The PSA 8 card, while extremely OC, is, in my opinion, a much cleaner card, with big wide borders and sharp corners. In my opinion, the PSA 8(oc) card is superior in quality to the PSA 6.
Same card, same general sales date. HOWEVER, the PSA 6, which I think should be a 4, sold for $350 (25% times) more than the card in the PSA 8(oc) flip. Why? Because having the "oc" designation on the flip is the kiss of death for the card -- its small pox! The market despises cards with an OC on the flip.
Sure, maybe I picked a card in a vacuum. So lets look at a more objective example. Below is a PSA 8(oc) T206 Red Cobb portrait that sold in Steiner sports auction on 5/6/18 for $12,105. Also attached is a screen shot of VCP's listing for PSA 6 Red Cobbs - every one of the last 3 of which sold for more than PSA 8(oc); maybe not 25% more in every case.
Bottom line - the market place hates an "oc" flip. If someone is going to spend fairly large money on a card, seems that money is better spent on a 6 with no qualifier (even if inferior -- like Chance) than on an 8 with an "oc" on the flip.
The question of this thread is whether you would rather have a PSA 6 or a PSA 8(oc). The marketplace prefers the PSA 6. I am a pure collector and I strongly prefer the PSA 6 and would not spend a single cent on any card with an "oc" on the flip, regardless of the grade that precedes it.
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