Centering Question

[Sdot]

Wondering how the Centering of a card like the attached is determined when being graded, since there’s not a “square” border around the perimeter of the card?

 

[HoosierBuddy]

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[chief wahoo]

Look at cards from the same set online, on ebay, etc. Also check the back.

 

[KCLJ520]

This is a great question @Sdot , I had long wondered about that, how to judge centering without a border to judge from!

 

[Sdot]

Look at cards from the same set online, on ebay, etc. Also check the back.

But isn’t it possible that the front and back can be Centred differently? Doesn’t PSA have different criteria for front and back?

 

[Sdot]

Well, is the image centered? Yes or no. You can tell by looking at the image.

Maybe you can elaborate on this a bit? I can understand that the “image” (the picture inside a border) needs to be centred. But are you saying that the player needs to be centred? How would that be determined in the case of a card with an action shot?

 

[HoosierBuddy]

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[KCLJ520]

@HoosierBuddy

Perhaps not so basic to those of us (myself included) who are not familiar. I have collected for 30+ years, and know little about grading, centering, etc. Just collected what I liked and what looked good and caught my eye. We have a new member here trying to educate themselves on the hobby, and I appreciate the question and some of the responses.

 

[Sdot]

Hmmm anyone else more experienced than myself willing to shed some light on this? Someone here has gotta be willing.

 

[cjay101]

Grading companies will base it off all of the other submitted cards in the set. Personal centering would probably just be eye appeal. What’s the endgame for the centering condition?

 

[anglinomics]

It looks like the card is off center. Not all of his helmet is visible. I have never seen anything about centering on a card without a border. If you have a Beckett Annual, it probably has a condition guide in the front. There is some discussion on condition, in addition to a definition.

 

[shig]

I have collected for 30+ years, and know little about grading, centering, etc. Just collected what I liked and what looked good and caught my eye.

....as it should be