PSA: Errors aren’t worth thousands

[eldavojohn]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

When there are 500,000 examples of the regular card out there, and only one or a few of the error, it becomes very interesting. It’s essentially a different card- in the mass produced junk eras- with a very small print run.

You're right it can come down to personal taste as to what is attractive. Perhaps I only know this from coins and stamps but the difference between an error card and a defect are that there's at least a collectible amount of the error? Like more than one or two? I mean, I got living set cards with all the same ink blots & ghosting on them and nobody wants anything to do with them -- I actually started sending them back to Topps and asking for reprints if the blot was super visible and more than ten cards. Now, the "Imperial Juggernaut Driver" had a different name in the UK releases and I haven't been able to find that and would easily pay double for one.

I should clarify that I actually see value in the DISCARD cards from Lorcana and ... was there one in Star Wars Unlimited? Granted that they can be certified as actually packed out and not factory harvested. Those seem to be necessary for a "master set" standpoint.

[DynaEtch]

Yea there’s a fine line between error and defect at times. Especially when it comes to miscuts….at what point does just a bad centered card become a miscut error? That sort of thing.

I could see how ink spots etc aren’t really desired as errors, even if they are consistent. A whole different named card..that is interesting enough to be an error/variant. Comes down to how interesting it is I guess.

You hit on one thing with the master set part. There was a 1990 Marvel Universe spidey vs goblin holo made with the back upside down. There was also a 1995 Fleer Ultra X-Men Sauron with him facing the wrong way on back. Both of these error/variants were made in some quantity…and many people like to get both examples (regular and variant) for a master set. That’s what usually happens when the error is made in quantity. Same goes with the 1994 Ultra X-Men Iceman no # error.

Misprints are another story (mistakes made during manufacture, not at the design stage like the errors above). They don’t really “complete” master sets, but I always view them as end stage master set collecting in a sense. Once someone has everything from a set…what’s left? Find whacky examples of misprint flukes to add to a set as a cherry on top.

[meandsharon11]

Error cards use to be a niche collectors dream. Once people found out someone would pay for them, it was all over. Capitalism doing real damage here.

[DynaEtch]

Here is an example of it done correctly…I bought this awhile ago…paid about 30 bucks for it.




I don’t particularly think it’s worth more than 30, and maybe not even worth that. Just a fun curiosity ….cost more than the regular card which goes for a couple bucks. But it’s not into the hundreds and heck not into the thousands.

It touches on the point above…is this even an error or a severely off center card. I can see someone not wanting it at all. But the main point…it cost a few tens of dollars which is what a lot of marvel errors should be going for….but the fact some (more egregious and different than this) actually have sold into the multiple hundreds and in a couple very rare cases, even $1k…has some sellers thinking an error must be worth that much since there do exist comps.

[DynaEtch]

In some ways errors are quite like sketches. There can be $30 sketches but there can also be very well drawn $250 sketches, or even a cream of the crop $1k sketch. Most probably in that $40-80ish range.

That’s about what errors should be…although in the case someone does pay $1k for an error, that wouldn’t be indicative of the market value…more so just desperately wanting it.

The analog here is a seller asking $1500 for a $50 sketch. That’s what some of these error card listings can be on ebay.

[DynaEtch]

I would put this one firmly in that 2nd tier category…the middle one. Actually just picked it up a few days ago.

1994 Marvel Universe Hulk Power Blast over-foil covering most of card…






Card should look like this:



This is one of those if you pull in a pack, it’ll really jump out and you’ll be like what is that? Those can easily be more than a few tens of dollars into the hundreds. Still not thousands of course.

[finfangfan]

There is a sticker error on the back of this plate. Slab confirms it’s an error, not COMC/ePack assigning the wrong scan for the plate back.





The CGC label doesn’t mention the error though and COMC is choosing to list it based on description on plate back (ie Colossus) not character on the front (Annihilus).

[DynaEtch]

Huh interesting one there- I would have thought CGC would at least denote something about that. They’re one of the few grading companies that even has an “Error” designation that you can specifically request (but if doing through comc I guess no way to do that). You’d think they say something about it though.

Comc using the back info to designate the card aligns with what I’ve seen on there…they seem to always go off the back # and info. Like with that common 92 Plat Adam Warlock/Apoclaypse error, they give the number of card on back and say wrong front pictured.

[finfangfan]

Yeah… I kind of thought CGC would have identified the error on the label… oh well.

[DynaEtch]

This one’s kinda cool because it happens to be on one of my fav 90s marvel cards.

A 94 Ultra X-Men greatest battles Wolverine vs Sentinels missing the foil layer. The following two images were taken by the same scanner, identical settings.





I think it’s easiest to see when foil is missing with scans because foil scans dark.

Here is an actual pic though

[finfangfan]

Those are cool! I think the nonfoil looks better!

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

Those are cool! I think the nonfoil looks better!

Yea I think I agree, especially for scans.

I’m a little torn on the no-foils. Like on one hand the foil tech is what gives 90s marvel inserts their snazzy charm. On the other hand, the no foils really let you see the painting best. In this case a masterpiece from Bob Larkin. Pros and cons I suppose!

[Rictor]

Originally Posted by finfangfan

The CGC label doesn’t mention the error though and COMC is choosing to list it based on description on plate back (ie Colossus) not character on the front (Annihilus).

Just submit a correction to CGC. The random people they have scanning and typing in card descriptions don't necessarily know anything about Marvel characters. I doubt they even know that that's not Colossus.

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by Rictor

Just submit a correction to CGC. The random people they have scanning and typing in card descriptions don't necessarily know anything about Marvel characters. I doubt they even know that that's not Colossus.

CGC actually got Annihilus right on the label though. They just didn’t note the sticker error (Colossus). So they actually were able to identify the character name even though it’s not listed correctly on back.

Also, If I resubmit to CGC through COMC there is no way for me to include any message with the submission, so chances are it would be reholdered the same way.

[YayNJ]

when did grading printing plates become a thing? (and why?)

[finfangfan]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

when did grading printing plates become a thing? (and why?)

CGC has been assigning grades to plates since they started grading cards a few years ago. PSA will slab without a grade.

As for why, it’s no different than any other card being slabbed in the hobby. People that do it like to do it.

[eldavojohn]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

when did grading printing plates become a thing? (and why?)

I have graded a few higher end plates. My reasons are protection from humidity and UV as well as ensuring authentication.