Buy the card, not the grade...

The people at PSA (who spent 20 seconds examining your '67 Bob Gibson) don't know the difference between a 4 and a 7.

The lower you go on the grading scale (for either raw or slabbed cards...) the more variability and thus the more room for error and inconsistency when you are buying vintage cards sight-unseen. Your example of the 4 is perfect. 4's can absolutely have wrinkles and light creases, and often do. When you see a card with decent centering and sharp corners and think "Why is this a 4?" that's often the case. The problem is that the degree of the issue and judgment of  severity is up to the individual grader. It used to be with PSA that most 4's would only have something very minor - like a line indent, or a wrinkle small and so shallow you could barely see it. But I have seen this become less consistent in recent years. 4's are a favorite grade of mine, because for most vintage (I'm not particularly a centering guy) the card still looks good and presentable and they are a fraction of the price of the same card in a 6 or 7, which I avoid. Life is too short and it's just not worth it to me anymore if it's only a wrinkle that I can't even see under the plastic unless I'm really looking for it. But I can understand the frustration where one bad crease gets a 4, and the same card with maybe slightly worse centering or corners has a totally clean surface. Heck, when I was a kid back before grading in the 80's, the line on "VG-EX" (what equates to a 4 today) was that was the highest grade a card with a crease could get. So us kids who were nerdy enough to be into grading called anything with a crease "VG-EX" lol. Some of those cards of course were horrible and would probably be 2's or even 1's today. But it goes to show you how the subjectivity inherent in the process still works even today. Among all these "professional" graders...

Thanks! Great analysis of our current state.

I love collecting mid-grade vintage cards (PSA 4 or 5). Yes, I’m aware that those cards are going to have issues, some clearly visible and maybe some at certain angles. But if the card has great centering and nothing major that I can see across the main part of the card (i.e. nice eye appeal to me), I don’t care what the number grade is. And the lower the grade the cheaper the card would be. Very important for me since I have a limited budget. As for potential altered cards by Kurt’s card care methods, if you buy older slabs (say 5 years and older) there’s less of a chance of that being the case since he’s only been around for a few years I believe. Basically, for me, as long as I like the overall look of the card (flaws and all) and I can afford it, I’ll gladly add it to my collection.

Enjoyed your discussion!  Lots of common sense!

lol i almost spit up my milk when you said rarely PSA makes a mistake

I am the exact opposite of you, I buy beautiful 3s because they do have defects that you can't see unless at awkward specific angles. guess what, I DONT CARE. IF IT LOOKS GREAT, WHO CARES. That is literally the reason you want the card.

That’s my favorite Stargell card. Love it.

My biggest mistake when I got back into collecting maybe a year ago was buying cards in old screw downs off ebay. Got a Sandberg Topps and Ripken fleer rookie that once arrived could look closer and they were just so banged up.  I didn't spend too much but even without knowing a lot yet could tell they weren't good purchases. A lot of good points in this vid, very hard to tell with scanned photos.

That Doc Gooden looks very well centered! Good looking card!

Great video and cards, thanks for sharing

Gave a video like. Love hearing your thoughts. I buy low grade vintage in PSA, SGC and BVG on a regular basis. I agree, need to be careful. They no doubt often time have serious issues. I just bought a 50's Ted Williams in a 1, has multiple staples, marks on the front and a crease down the middle. I could care less, just thrilled to find one I could afford that I'm happy with. Your points are valid. You buy low grade then you should expect issues that aren't visible in scans. Don't expect a card in a 3 holder to look like a 5 when it comes in the mail. It could happen, not likely to happen though. Keep up the great videos.

As for PSA having people who have no business grading vintage. I have long agreed. I honestly prefer SGC and have for like a decade now. I know someone will read my comment and reply well SGC doesn't sell for as much as PSA.  Well to me that's like someone saying I gotta have Oreo cookies because the bag has got to say Oreo cookies.  When in fact my kids will eat the store brand name cookies that look like Oreo's and guess what my kids are just as happy, so I'm not paying extra just for the name.  But that is how I look at the difference in PSA and SGC. PSA is hyped. SGC is not.  But SGC has been considered by many many collectors and dealers for most of the last decade to be the best at grading vintage and I feel that way myself. I honestly also love SGC holders, it's just my opinion. I'm not saying I don't buy PSA cards. I have many in my collection. But I prefer to submit cards to SGC if I'm grading vintage cards I picked up.  I also prefer SGC cards for my personnel collection that I know I am never gonna sell. My family may when I die but I won't  But that's me.   Anyway I agree with you in PSA being inconsistent. I know guys here in Ohio who have literally broke fresh graded cards out of PSA holders. Sent them back in again and got a higher grade than the first time. That sounds crazy but I know it does happen a lot with PSA. Also, glad this video popped up in videos I might like. I am gonna subscribe to your channel. Good video.  Good detailed info!

I purposely search for low grade cards if I know that a high grade example is incredible amounts of money….. I just want that card no matter what the grade.

I've been buying raw, well centered cards because I prefer to hold the card in my hand, put it in a nice holder. Then maybe send it away and it will be a surprise when I get it graded. However, I recently bought some 71 Topps and I swear one of the cards has been trimmed. Luckily it was bought in a set break and I didn't pay that much. Still, always gotta be cautious.

It does bother me that a Curt’s card care doctored card could be in my collection.

However, if I buy low grade PSA or SGC slabs I don’t have any delusions that I bought an 8 that’s been under graded. I agree they are very inconsistent.

CGC slabs are really nice.  I was already planning on grading a lot less next year getting some mag pros and making my own labels.

There is an overall PSA slant on the channels that well kinda can subtly influence me with repeated rinses. So thank you for putting out a video like this.

Im trying to get a graded copy of every hof. Id like to get them during their playing days and id perfer a base over an all star or other variety. However for prewar guys i think im going to have to go another direction because i have a limited budget. I cant afford high grade vintage so im aiming for lots of 2 through 5. I prefer sharpish corners and decent centering.

I have a few. Their holders are amazing. I just don’t grade so I have the ones I bought.

nice video.  good to see a video w/ examples.  pretty good thesis supported w/ these cards.  very low grade - there's a reason for it.  4's and up - kinda iffy what PSA is doing.  even w/ those creases, I'd think the first card could have been a little higher.  but not a case of treasure discovered as a result of PSA's "mistake" or anything like that.  just got back into the hobby and have noticed some vintage cards have that mystery wrinkle that seems to have gotten there by I don't know what...  cards that are otherwise mint but have that one blemish.  I, too, love having cards like that in my collection and I'll take them all day for the reduced prices.  no need to grade those