Terrible in what sense? If you are talking about purchasing with the idea of making a nice profit on resale down the road, then it is definitely not good. Centering is the most common qualifier and is the kiss of death on value, especially in post-war cards. Pre-war is another issue altogether, where on certain issues of candy and ice cream cards, centering is all over the place and is not typically as big of a concern. But when the market offers large quantities of better looking cards, whether it is is T206 or 1955 Topps, the price will suffer on those cards that have qualifiers. The bottom line is to collect what you like and can afford. I never realized how off-center so many of the cards I bought as a kid in gum packs actually were until the advent of grading as an adult.
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