Card Centering Requirements Flashcards
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Read the first 6 Card Centering Requirements flashcards as text
Which direction of centering deviation is typically considered more impactful on collector value?
Answer: It depends on the specific card design and how borders frame the primary image
The visual impact of centering deviation depends on the specific card design. For some cards, left/right deviation is more noticeable; for others, top/bottom deviation more significantly disrupts the design.
A card has perfect 50/50 centering on the front but 80/20 centering on the back. What PSA grade can it achieve?
Answer: PSA 6 at best, since back centering fails the PSA 7 standard
PSA evaluates centering on both front AND back. With 80/20 back centering, the card fails PSA 7 standards and a grade of approximately PSA 6 is the best achievable.
Why do some collectors specifically seek out OC designated cards?
Answer: OC cards sell at a discount to non-OC examples of the same grade, offering value for collectors who prioritize other attributes over centering
Because OC cards trade at discounts to standard versions of the same grade, value-focused collectors can acquire cards in the same numeric grade at lower cost, accepting the centering trade-off.
What happens to centering standards when PSA grades a tall boy format card?
Answer: PSA applies the standard percentage rules but the visual impact of deviation varies with the card's aspect ratio
PSA applies the same percentage-based centering standards to tall boy and other non-standard format cards, but the visual impact of deviation varies with the card's aspect ratio.
On a card with a full-bleed design (no white borders), how does PSA assess centering?
Answer: PSA measures alignment of the image relative to the card edges and any design elements that should be centered
For full-bleed cards without traditional white borders, PSA assesses centering by evaluating the alignment of the image composition and key design elements relative to the card edges.
Why is left-to-right centering typically more variable than top-to-bottom centering for pre-war tobacco cards?
Answer: Pre-war cards were produced in sheets and cut vertically first, making left/right variation more common
Pre-war tobacco cards were often produced in large sheets and cut primarily in vertical passes, making left/right centering deviation more common and visible in that era's card production process.