Which Topps issue has the worst centering?

[jchcollins]

I would agree with whoever said 1954 Topps, because those in addition to generally bad centering also come frequently with tilt or diamond cutting issues - and even if the cards measure, some TPG's refuse to take the time to understand, as SGC recently did to me on an otherwise EX-ish '54 Jackie.

The rest yes, flip a coin. The other vintage sets I have interest in right now (1963, 1967, and 1972 Topps) all generally have horrendous centering issues. '67 is particularly tough because the white borders against often rich, dark backgrounds are pretty noticeable - and they are also for whatever reason a hair thinner than the garden variety Topps white border - compare say to 1961 Topps, or 1958. This coupled with tilt and DC problems means that a truly perfectly centered '67 Topps card with no skew is pretty much a unicorn.

I'm helped out in this department by the fact that I'm not a centering freak - generally I'd rather have a card 70/30 with a sharp image and nicer corners than one 50/50 all the way around with weak corners or surface issues...but yeah. If you care about it even at all, the centering on most Topps sets older than about 1980 can give anyone fits.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I would agree with whoever said 1954 Topps, because those in addition to generally bad centering also come frequently with tilt or diamond cutting issues - and even if the cards measure, some TPG's refuse to take the time to understand, as SGC recently did to me on an otherwise EX-ish '54 Jackie.

The rest yes, flip a coin. The other vintage sets I have interest in right now (1963, 1967, and 1972 Topps) all generally have horrendous centering issues. '67 is particularly tough because the white borders against often rich, dark backgrounds are pretty noticeable - and they are also for whatever reason a hair thinner than the garden variety Topps white border - compare say to 1961 Topps, or 1958. This coupled with tilt and DC problems means that a truly perfectly centered '67 Topps card with no skew is pretty much a unicorn.

I'm helped out in this department by the fact that I'm not a centering freak - generally I'd rather have a card 70/30 with a sharp image and nicer corners than one 50/50 all the way around with weak corners or surface issues...but yeah. If you care about it even at all, the centering on most Topps sets older than about 1980 can give anyone fits.

So true about the thin 67T borders, they really emphasize any tilt on the card.

Your comment also made me realize that collectors have different ideas about what tough centering means. For Snowman it's how many 50/50 cards can he find. For Dale it may be how many cards in his set are worse than 60/40. (52T has some cards that are notoriously difficult to find even 70/30.) For others it's how many unacceptable OC and MC cards there are.

If you do find any 67T unicorns though John, please let me know. I will make you a good deal for them.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Gorditadogg

So true about the thin 67T borders, they really emphasize any tilt on the card.

Your comment also made me realize that collectors have different ideas about what tough centering means.

I just can’t. It’s how they were made. To me, mild to moderate OC is proof of authenticity this day in age. I don’t like truly miscut cards or 90/10, but beyond that I’m hard pressed to care.

LOL here is my ‘67 Aaron:




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[JollyElm]

This otherwise beautiful 1967 Tilterin' Hank card is coming back a 5 from the SGC sub...

1967aaron250tilted.jpg