Tale of 2 1953 Topps Mantles

[ullmandds]

These ex-mt psa graded examples recently sold in 2 separate pwcc auctions.

If one of them is really worth more than double the other...shouldn't they be graded differently?

[jmb]

Without checking ebay I'd say the one on the right sold for the higher price. It's nearly perfectly centered with no chipping in the red corner. There also isn't a mark on Mick's cap.

ETA: It shouldn't matter too much but the holder on the left is also damaged. Small, but extra hassle to get corrected.

[pokerplyr80]

I just missed on the second one despite what I thought was a pretty big snipe bid. Much nicer card, dead centered, looks like a 7. I passed on the first.

[nsaddict]

The one on the left is NOT a "PWCC certified high end"

[Peter_Spaeth]

It's the era of the extreme centering premium. Whether it lasts, who knows.

[aconte]

Comparing these two cards, you can see there is no comparison. It's
not just the centering. The one on the left has weak corners and print
on the cap. The bottom corners on the left Mantle is bad. The one on the
right has a messed corner on the left but it shows with tremendous
eye appeal. Worth a premium? Maybe, but definitely nicer than the
other.

[MCoxon]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

It's the era of the extreme centering premium. Whether it lasts, who knows.

I just have to believe the centering phenomenon is here to stay.

Any more, under PSA or SGC holders, you can't see the wrinkles or minor corner wear nearly as well as you can see the very ugly lack of centering - thus, centering trumps corner wear - and god forbid - small creases

I know there are threads elsewhere on this, but I think the centering issue will fundamentally change go-forward grading standards, and will also dramatically drag down prices of off-centered (but not qualified) graded cards in the same way that prices of raw cards have been dragged down the past 15 years since grading became prominent.

I'd love a statistical analysis of centered 5s vs. off centered (but not qualified) 6s for high-end star cards. I'm guessing the centered 5s beat the non-centered 6s. I know I just paid way over SMR for 2 centered PSA 6 Mantles...(so maybe this post was my way of trying to justify it to myself!)