“Ideal” centering for 1954 Topps Banks

[Wanaselja]

I picked this one up last year and from what I can see is as close to perfect centering as one can expect. I use the 3 borders (excluding the top) as my drivers. The b/w action image is clearly meant to encroach into the border as part of the original design intent.




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[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by Wanaselja

I picked this one up last year and from what I can see is as close to perfect centering as one can expect. I use the 3 borders (excluding the top) as my drivers. The b/w action image is clearly meant to encroach into the border as part of the original design intent.




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I remember when you posted this one! In my opinion, this example has nearly ideal centering. Beautiful card!


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[pawpawdiv9]

Here is mine---the way i like them

[1954 topps]

Originally Posted by IgnatiusJReilly

I remember when you posted this one! In my opinion, this example has nearly ideal centering. Beautiful card!


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This is a beautifully centered Banks, left right on bottom, top to bottom is right on point, and I always pay attention to the Cubs logo to see if it's exactly parallel to the card both on the right side and top. This will tell you if the card is miscut at all.

For the black and white image, you want to see some white space between his rear end and the edge of the card, if it's touching or even close to the edge it's off center. See this overgraded SGC example in HA, you'd never see this in a new PSA holder in a 5. https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...umbnail-071515

I can't attach mine as I scanned it high resolution, tried compressing it to a zip and it's still too large.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by 1954 topps

See this overgraded SGC example in HA, you'd never see this in a new PSA holder in a 5.

Sadly, the "new" SGC lost the script on centering in the last 3 years along with their myriad other problems. That card could be considered miscut and is definitely not a 5. But with other things, it seems they have hired some graders who don't know how to compute centering and are overly harsh on it. Last year I had two different '72 Topps cards in SGC 5's that were moderately OC, but not more than 70/30. The centering downgrade was overkill - both could have been 7's.

[jb67]

Great thread. Some great looking Banks cards being shown. Here is my contribution to this thread. Not perfectly centered but not too bad for a 54.

[ZiggerZagger]

The thread just keeps getting more interesting, especially on the topic of the Banks RC.
The L/R centering on the card is of course famously tough, but I'd never really noticed how the playing image encroaches into the right border until it was mentioned above.
It's really easy to lose your bearings on the white background '54's.

Someone else on this thread is about to get my spare PSA 6 Banks, which is 50/50 centered left to right. I wasn't really sure why I was ok downgrading the L/R centering on this recent 7 pickup, but I'm looking at it with new eyes now from the comments above. This one's getting re-holdered as we speak. Great discussion!

And a couple of great Mays cards above! -- one of my favorite Mays issues.

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by ZiggerZagger

The thread just keeps getting more interesting, especially on the topic of the Banks RC.
The L/R centering on the card is of course famously tough, but I'd never really noticed how the playing image encroaches into the right border until it was mentioned above.
It's really easy to lose your bearings on the white background '54's.

Someone else on this thread is about to get my spare PSA 6 Banks, which is 50/50 centered left to right. I wasn't really sure why I was ok downgrading the L/R centering on this recent 7 pickup, but I'm looking at it with new eyes now from the comments above. This one's getting re-holdered as we speak. Great discussion!

And a couple of great Mays cards above! -- one of my favorite Mays issues.

Awesome card! I think there is no right answer for the 54 Banks. I think whatever you think looks great is the right answer for you, and whatever the grading companies think be damned. That said, I would love to know how they determine the centering scale for this card.


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[ASF123]

Originally Posted by Wanaselja

I picked this one up last year and from what I can see is as close to perfect centering as one can expect. I use the 3 borders (excluding the top) as my drivers. The b/w action image is clearly meant to encroach into the border as part of the original design intent.




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What am I missing that makes this only a 4? Or is it just more PSA chest-beating? “Oooh, we’re so tough!!”

[Wanaselja]

Originally Posted by ASF123

What am I missing that makes this only a 4? Or is it just more PSA chest-beating? “Oooh, we’re so tough!!”

Definitely some PSA chest thumping. No creases or wrinkles and sharp corners. You can see a little ding/dent(?) on the right edge by his butt. Otherwise it’s very clean. It’s one of the best I’ve seen in any grade.