Should I focus my collection on PSA 8's and 9's?

[Shankweather]

I collect Cubs RCs from all eras. I use the PSA population report to decide which grades to pursue. I try to get cards that grade higher than 80% of the total pop.

So for a 77 Andre Dawson that means a PSA 9. The total pop is 3,690, with 50 10s, 458 9s, 57 8.5s, and 1,529 8s. I assume my 9 is average for its grade, so that means there are (458/2)+50=279 cards graded higher than my card. Which means my card grades higher than 92% of the total pop of 3,690. The 8 would only grade higher than 64%, so 9 it is.

Obviously older cards will mean a lower grade. The same math for a 33 Goudey Gabby Hartnett gets you a PSA 6.

So you could use the same process, and adjust your target % to match your budget. 70%, 50%, whatever.

[Peter_Spaeth]

As a general matter, what grade I buy is dictated by how much I want to spend on the player. So I will pay a lot more for RCs of players I consider elite all time greats (Clemens, Maddux, Bonds) than for players I just want to complete my HOF run (Larkin, Alomar, Biggio).

[bnorth]

Here is some more 80's eye candy in slabs. They are for sale as a lot if anybody is interested.

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

For my 1980s/early-90s collection my goal for everything is a PSA 10. But I can be completely satisfied with a lesser grade if the right situation presents itself. I was able to get an '86 Traded Tiffany set for an obscenely low price and the Bonds came back a 9. So in that case, with getting the Bonds 9 for so cheap, that will probably cause me to not go for a 10 down the road. It just doesn't make sense financially.

I think the only card I would completely write-off as a possibility at this point is the Rickey rookie. There's just so many other things I'd rather have along with a nice PSA 9 Rickey than one of the few PSA 10s.

Arthur

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Shankweather

I collect Cubs RCs from all eras. I use the PSA population report to decide which grades to pursue. I try to get cards that grade higher than 80% of the total pop.

So for a 77 Andre Dawson that means a PSA 9. The total pop is 3,690, with 50 10s, 458 9s, 57 8.5s, and 1,529 8s. I assume my 9 is average for its grade, so that means there are (458/2)+50=279 cards graded higher than my card. Which means my card grades higher than 92% of the total pop of 3,690. The 8 would only grade higher than 64%, so 9 it is.

Obviously older cards will mean a lower grade. The same math for a 33 Goudey Gabby Hartnett gets you a PSA 6.

So you could use the same process, and adjust your target % to match your budget. 70%, 50%, whatever.

I didn't know there was going to be math...

For the cards the OP listed, Henderson is a different animal than the rest. Pre-Fleer/Donruss, usual 1970s Topps horrible QC. I have this one and I am happy with it:



Of course, part of my happiness with it is that I pulled it from a pack when I was 14 years old...

I would go after the Henderson in 8 or better, the rest I'd try for raw. Frankly, the minute differences between grades on these post-1980 issues is frustrating for me. I don't see it and I don't care to see it. An 8 often looks just as nice as a 10 and there are tons of beautiful raw cards out there. I have almost none of them except raw. I think the goal should be to get cards that look undergraded rather than labeled a 10.

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

Every collector has their own see-saw to balance. On one end is fun and on the other end is future financial consideration.

I can both relate and disagree with Adam's comment about the differences in grade. I've picked up some PSA 8 basketball cards from the 1970s that I feel like on any given day could have landed in a 9 or 10 slab. Yet, at the same time, I honestly cannot find a PSA 10 1989 Donruss Griffey that I'm happy with. Every single one is either pushing the centering limits for the grade or has a nasty white tip corner. I'm being 100% serious. It's been a many months pursuit.

It all just boils down to one thing -- spend what you can afford to lose and have fun doing it. That's two things but I'm calling it one because shut up.

Arthur

[stevecarlton1972]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I would go after the Henderson in 8 or better, the rest I'd try for raw. Frankly, the minute differences between grades on these post-1980 issues is frustrating for me. I don't see it and I don't care to see it. An 8 often looks just as nice as a 10 and there are tons of beautiful raw cards out there. I have almost none of them except raw. I think the goal should be to get cards that look undergraded rather than labeled a 10.

That is where I am sort of confused about the PSA Grading. Now I know that centering isn't the only issue in grading a card, but I have seen PSA 8's better centered then PSA 9's on Ebay?

I guess that goes back to my original question: PSA 8 seems to be in my price range for most rookie cards (Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Football) from the 80's/early 90's. There are some PSA 9's that are in my range, but mostly PSA 8 seems to be right around my budget.

Will I be happy with a Majority PSA 8 collection a few years down the road, or regret it? Again, I am not looking to buy and then flip these cards, but I still have the value in the back of my mind, and don't want a worthless PSA 8 collection when the majority of collectors are buying PSA 9 and 10 a few years from now? Or do PSA 8's sell just as well, just not to the high high end collectors?

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by stevecarlton1972

That is where I am sort of confused about the PSA Grading. Now I know that centering isn't the only issue in grading a card, but I have seen PSA 8's better centered then PSA 9's on Ebay?

I guess that goes back to my original question: PSA 8 seems to be in my price range for most rookie cards (Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Football) from the 80's/early 90's. There are some PSA 9's that are in my range, but mostly PSA 8 seems to be right around my budget.

Will I be happy with a Majority PSA 8 collection a few years down the road, or regret it? Again, I am not looking to buy and then flip these cards, but I still have the value in the back of my mind, and don't want a worthless PSA 8 collection when the majority of collectors are buying PSA 9 and 10 a few years from now? Or do PSA 8's sell just as well, just not to the high high end collectors?

Did you store your cards in binders as a kid? If you want to go the nostalgic route, get a decent binder, buy PSA 7s, crack 'em and put them in Ultra Pro sheets. Can probably get most of those cards for a few dollars each in PSA 7 (just be picky and wait for the right 6 or 7) and feel like a kid again as you hold the card and put it in a binder sheet.

If you do go this route, don't confine yourself to just PSA. SGC and Beckett will also be available.

Good luck with what you decide!
Rob

[glynparson]

It’s your collection focus on what you like. But if you are looking for investment advice. Stay away from 80s-90s stuff altogether and buy vintage 50s and back top tier players in extremely rare sets or extremely high grade.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by glynparson

It’s your collection focus on what you like. But if you are looking for investment advice. Stay away from 80s-90s stuff altogether and buy vintage 50s and back top tier players in extremely rare sets or extremely high grade.

Could not disagree more. While the market for those is there, investment at a high is huge risk. I think cards should never be an investment, but the currently building cycle of the next monied collector is in their mid fourties and starting to wind down the kid costs. As they reenter the market with more liquid cash they will start with the players they grew up with. It then takes an advance d collecting progression to dive into vintage with players you have only read about.

The cards posted on this thread are going to just build in popularity. To the OP, enjoy your new found fun and the 8-9 talk in this thread will just be echoed by me..they are a great spot to look.