Best card grades for the money

cgjackson222 · #1 08-03-2023, 11:41 AM

My experience is that third party graders a) are not consistent enough to generalize from b) are not primarily concerned with eye appeal, and c) the population distribution of a given card's assigned grades holds a lot of weight.

PWCC, for all its faults did bring to the forefront/exploit the fact that some cards just have better eye appeal than others at the same grade.

A lot depends on the pop distribution. If there are as many 6s in a card's population as 5s then there will be a limited premium for a 6. But if 6s and upward are scarce, but 5s or below are not, then it will carry a heavier premium.

Another issue is that eye appeal is obviously in the eye of the beholder, which further complicates the ability to make broad generalizations.

For me, I am foremost looking for cards where the surface, color, and registration are excellent. I also look for cards that are centered from left to right, as top to bottom doesn't matter to me as much. Corners and the back are probably the least important thing to me. And if creasing isn't obvious, it usually doesn't bother me. I have some 2s and 3s that have creases you can barely see, or a stain on the back, that are otherwise gorgeous. And I have some 4s and 5s where the corners aren't great but everything else is. But to someone who cares about corners, these cards may not be appealing.

The attached Mays got dinged because of a small, light stain on the back, and the Clemente has unobtrusive creasing.

bk400 · #2 08-03-2023, 01:04 PM

Wow. Those are two really good looking cards.

NiceDocter · #3 08-03-2023, 02:50 PM

"Buy the card, not the holder" I also invented the internet. bad da bum. But the saying is true.... you can find all variations of 1, 2,3 some of which look like the were run over by a train and some with minor back or paper variations. I love to buy low number cards that have great fronts and centering! Bring me your 1.5s gentlemen!!!

jethrod3 · #4 08-03-2023, 04:03 PM

To a large degree it depends on what issues you are grading. I have seen cards like the minor league 1960 Tacoma Giants issue as well as Jay publishing and team issues come back with very low grades (talking 1, 1.5 or 2) just because the backs or borders have printers marks or spots rather than any real issues that would sink most typical card issues. Yet they can still have glorious eye appeal.

jchcollins · #5 08-03-2023, 04:36 PM

For my postwar vintage PC, I usually like to play from the 6 range down to as low as 1.5. We've all seen cards that look bad for the grade, and then the occasional 4 that looks like a 7, and on the other end of that scale - the 1.5 that looks at least VG.

The lower you go, the more variable range you can get in the "technical grade v. eye appeal" department, as I like to think of it. I list as high as 6, because at least with some older PSA slabs, many straight 6's are really 8 (OC)'s that the submitter didn't want a qualifier on. And they can be had for a fraction of the price of a straight 8. 7's and 8's in my experience (yes, I own a few) are great - but you generally get what you pay for in those grades. Those who pay for the grade / flip will shell out for an 8 in many cases that has worse color or something, worse eye appeal than some 6's. This doesn't pass the value sniff test to me.

As always, go for the cards that look wildly undergraded. They are there if you spend enough time looking. I have a '63 Clemente in a 4 that has pack fresh qualities. Under PSA's system a decade or more ago it would have been at least a 5; but it has one corner ding, the rest of the card is at least a nice 6, and the color is almost dripping fresh. No creases, no wrinkles, no other problems other than less than perfect centering, which doesn't bother me. I'll take that all day long for the price I paid for a PSA 4.

PS - I know dealers hate them and I get it, but I love the half grades. It's the grader's nod that, yes, that's a 5, but it's a really good looking 5. How many 5.5's look better than 6's? How many 4.5's look better than 5's? They are out there and sometimes dramatically less than the next half grade up. Remember, technical grading at it's core is NOT commenting on eye appeal. You can take advantage of the discrepancy between the two most in the middle of the scale, not usually at the high end. Sometimes more at the low end. If you care not about backs, I will be able to find you some fantastic looking PSA 1's.

Kutcher55 · #6 08-03-2023, 05:30 PM

1.5 and 8. Anything centered that is a 1.5 or a 2 and has balanced wear rather than one big ding somewhere�I like that sort of card in older issues.

Kutcher55 · #7 08-03-2023, 05:31 PM

8s can be pretty dang Cherry and set you back for a fraction of the cost of a 9/10. Someone already made this point and I agree.

MikeGarcia · #8 08-04-2023, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceDocter

"Buy the card, not the holder" But the saying is true.... you can find all variations of 1, 2,3 some of which look like the were run over by a train and some with minor back or paper variations. I love to buy low number cards that have great fronts and centering! Bring me your 1.5s !!!

..

.. The card itself instead of that expensive little number up in the corner. Am I the only guy in here who has a card of Wahoo McDaniel ?

..

..

GasHouseGang · #9 08-04-2023, 12:08 PM

I agree that picking up some cards with technically low grades can make collecting much more affordable. The Jackie has a crease that you can only see from the back of the card. The Evers obviously suffers from paper loss on the back.

Bigdaddy · #10 08-06-2023, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeGarcia

..
.. The card itself instead of that expensive little number up in the corner. Am I the only guy in here who has a card of Wahoo McDaniel ?
..

..

A Wahoo sighting. Every thread needs a Wahoo. Used to watch him on Saturday night wrestling. Thank you for the photo, Mike.

One other detail that the TPGs don't seem to grade harshly for is registration. Some issues are more prone to bad registration than others. I always look for good registration and color on a card, regardless of the grade. And on lower grade cards, say anything 4 or under, centering is a wildcard. The allowances are so generous at those levels, the card can have perfect centering or be way off-center.

Kutcher55 · #11 08-04-2023, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

For me, I am foremost looking for cards where the surface, color, and registration are excellent. I also look for cards that are centered from left to right, as top to bottom doesn't matter to me as much. Corners and the back are probably the least important thing to me. And if creasing isn't obvious, it usually doesn't bother me. .

Well said. I think a lot of collectors identify with the above, myself included. These sorts of cards go for a premium for the grade, but I'm willing to pay it, as I suspect you are too. Not everyone likes this profile -- I know some guys just want sharp and clean and are willing to accept off center -- but generally speaking, the cards that have even wear, nice color and registration, maybe some hidden wrinkles, good centering...they are sought after.

Here's an example. This Bronko sold for the same as a PSA 2.5. To me, it's a much better card, much nicer color and balance. These features are priced in, but I'd still rather have this 1.5 than the higher grade card.

Kutcher55 · #12 08-04-2023, 08:02 AM

Here's the aforementioned 2.5. Totally inferior card for the same $.

And here's a 6.5. Is it really worth 6x the price?

6.5 is such a tease. I'll never buy one.

1.5 baby!

cgjackson222 · #13 08-04-2023, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Well said. I think a lot of collectors identify with the above, myself included. These sorts of cards go for a premium for the grade, but I'm willing to pay it, as I suspect you are too. Not everyone likes this profile -- I know some guys just want sharp and clean and are willing to accept off center -- but generally speaking, the cards that have even wear, nice color and registration, maybe some hidden wrinkles, good centering...they are sought after.

Here's an example. This Bronko sold for the same as a PSA 2.5. To me, it's a much better card, much nicer color and balance. These features are priced in, but I'd still rather have this 1.5 than the higher grade card.

That is a fantastic 1.5

What am I missing? Some creases the scan didn't pick up? Something wrong with the back?

Kutcher55 · #14 08-04-2023, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

That is a fantastic 1.5

What am I missing? Some creases the scan didn't pick up? Something wrong with the back?

Not sure, not my card, but it is nice!

That Evers is absurd! What a beauty.

vintagebaseballcardguy · #15 08-04-2023, 02:22 PM

This is a fun topic, and I was actually thinking about it yesterday and found this video. Maybe some of you will like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4h7DETVTQ

bk400 · #16 08-04-2023, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

This is a fun topic, and I was actually thinking about it yesterday and found this video. Maybe some of you will like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4h7DETVTQ

Very informative video -- thanks for sharing. Sounds like there's a lot of value to be found in the lower grades with vintage cards. Makes the hunt more fun than for the modern cards.

UKCardGuy · #17 08-05-2023, 11:36 AM

Personally VGEX 4 and EXMT 6 are where I find the sweet spot for quality vs price for post-war vintage.

I don't mind a card that's a little bit OC but I want sharp corners and no creases. I don't tend to get that with VG 3

jb67 · #18 08-04-2023, 07:24 PM

That Nagurski is off the charts for a 1.5. Well worth the 2.5 price tag if you ask me. Here is my favorite 1.5.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Well said. I think a lot of collectors identify with the above, myself included. These sorts of cards go for a premium for the grade, but I'm willing to pay it, as I suspect you are too. Not everyone likes this profile -- I know some guys just want sharp and clean and are willing to accept off center -- but generally speaking, the cards that have even wear, nice color and registration, maybe some hidden wrinkles, good centering...they are sought after.

Here's an example. This Bronko sold for the same as a PSA 2.5. To me, it's a much better card, much nicer color and balance. These features are priced in, but I'd still rather have this 1.5 than the higher grade card.

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