Do PSA qualifiers reduce the card value?

I'd love your perspective on this.

I just bought a T205 PSA 5(MK) card on ebay for $21. The SMR for a PSA 5 of this card is $150, and $75 for a PSA 4. I noticed that many of the PSA 4's went for about $40 on the same evening, sold by the same seller.

So what gives? Do collectors think that the PSA 5(MK) is worth less than even a PSA 4? Or is it considered to be worth between a PSA 4 and 5 (like a 4.5)?

I'd love to hear what you think. Thanks.

Everyone will have their own perspective. For me a (MK) meaning mark on the card would certainly downgrade it more than one grade particularly if it was on the front. As a straight grade without a qualifier this might very well get a 1-2. Would have to see the card.

It depends on which qualifier the card has. Also, obviously, in a `mark`situation how intrusive it is. A mark could be an erased pencil mark on the reverse which is barely visible going all the way to pen writing on the front. I would expect at least a 1 and a half grade price drop for any qualifier.

Thanks Pro and HrBaker.

As a result of this downgrading, do you think that collector's send their vintage cards to SGC instead of PSA because they don't use qualifiers?

memail.m444 wrote:Thanks Pro and HrBaker.

As a result of this downgrading, do you think that collector's send their vintage cards to SGC instead of PSA because they don't use qualifiers?

No, SGC will be just as tough, probably tougher. A PSA5 (MK), again depending on the severity and placement of the mark, is likely to be a SGC10 or 20 at best.

psa drops 2 grades in weight on the registry, so that's the basic guide.

it depends on the card/issue whether it's better to have the card in psa or sgc holder and take the downgrade. we can break it down to other qualifiers such as OC/MC/ST etc...i think sgc has lightened up alot on the staining. a few years ago stains could knock a card down a couple grades, don't think that's the case anymore...at least on the stuff i see

I would say an OC or MK card probably has 1/5th -1/8th the value of a card with the same grade and no qualifier. It depends on the card but if its a more valuable one the differences can be huge. I guess its because people basically want as close to perfect as they can get and cards with a MK are seen as being damaged-no matter whether its insignificant or not.

I get a kick out of the low grade cards with qualifiers, I have a few 2(MK)'s, why bother?

By the Way that is a great price for a PSA5(Mk).

Lee