It’s my understanding that PSA no longer offers half grading. (I was ill informed…)
Wouldn’t a card graded at an 8.5 be a bit more desirable/valuable considering their limited run and lower pop that can never increment? In theory, that rarity alone would make it difficult for novel collectors who want a card in every grade. Interested in thoughts and the general consensus on opinions for half grades for PSA.
sure, if you can find any collector that found PSA 8.5 grades desirable in the first place. most 1 - 10 collectors don’t bother with half grades.
When did they say they stopped? I received an 8.5 in June. 
Have they really moved away from the 8.5 grades? Is this recent? For anyone with these grades would you say they’re closer to 8s than 9s if regraded?
I would say you have a 50/50 shoot at each grade if you resubmitted.
If the card in question is middling that would be a fair assumption.
My one 8.5 is a sore spot in my collection that bothers me more each time I look through my cards. The 4 and 5 I have do not bother me at all. But I have to say when I look the card over, it is absolutely an 8.5. A 9 would make it a weak 9 and an 8 would feel like a slight to the card. But I’m selling that mother and any other PSA returns that come back 8.5. So when you find that 8.5 guy, please let me know.
PSA half grades are illegitimate jokes of a grade. >90% of the time they are not replicable and a measurement is not valid if not replicable. 8.5 would be the best on this front and they get worse down the line for replicability. I have some extremely low pop 4.5’ 6.5’s etc. for cards that have thousands graded and it just makes no sense.
BGS and CGC half grades are more valid because they are determined with an algorithm from the 4 subgrades. Each of the 4 subgrades would be subject to differences across multiple submissions just as PSA will not be 100% consistent but you are more likely to regrade a BGS 8.5 as a BGS 8.5 than a PSA 8.5 as a PSA 8.5.
I agree with gengaranimal. They are an eye-sore. They aren’t as desirable as the in-between grades. Sure, the price would be theoretically in between, but collectors, as the general thread has acknowledged, would prefer a 9 if they are mint collectors, or an 8 if they aren’t or can’t afford the mint.
8.5 grade? Looks crappy to me. Give me a damn 8 or 9.
Love my 8.5 Shadowless Charizard here
To the people that say they are an eyesore - in what way? The little 2 extra characters 1millimeter tall ("." and “5”) on the white paper above the card make it an eye sore to you? It makes it something special to me as 8.0 is the most common grade.
The one guy in this thread posted “My one 8.5 is a sore spot in my collection that bothers me more each time I look through my cards. The 4 and 5 I have do not bother me at all. But I have to say when I look the card over, it is absolutely an 8.5” HUH?! You bought/submitted an 8.5, received an 8.5, are admitting the card is a perfect 8.5, but there’s a problem? Very confused haha.
i want to ask everyone here: Gary hands you two Base Set First Edition PSA charizards and says you can have one for free - one is PSA 8, one is PSA 8.5 . i think 99% would take the 8.5.
I agree with others that an 8.5 is generally less desirable, but maybe that has more to do with the fact that people often are trying to collect either 8 or 9 sets. If the card is very unique and is not part of a set (trophy cards for example) then at least for me an 8.5 would be perfectly reasonable, and not an eyesore at all.
yeah i can agree with that. on the bigger cards it matters less i suppose.
Value is inherently between those of the 8 and 9. But round numbers just aesthetically look nice and are appealing. Round numbers are bold and wholesome. It isn’t so much the extra space on the label as much as it’s neatness. To me there is little difference between 8.5 and 8.2–Imagine getting an 8.2.
Just doesn’t look good because it isn’t round and “crisp”.
I’m just speaking for the people that generally don’t find it desirable, myself included. This is the general reason.
I’d rather have the 8.5 merely to make more money for it, then get the 8. So technically, I’d rather have the 8 if it were a “what if” in that you couldn’t sell.
Are you saying you are 8.5 guy?? Jesus I’ve been looking for you man. You can skip questioning the logic behind the subjectivity of my tastes and preferences which are sometimes illogical to others because…they are individual preferences…and just buy my damn card.
I would rather have a PSA 8.5 than a PSA 8. People hate on the grade, but they are probably just OCD with numbers. I think it’s a mighty fine grade. In fact, I purchased a PSA 8.5 1st edition Starmie not too long ago; it was a steal!
Also, I have the worlds only PSA 7.5 1st Edition Base Dragonair. I always thought that was kind of neat.
There is no grade that is purchased due to the number’s rarity besides psa 10. People who list “LOW POP PSA 6” can eat shorts
Time to post low pop PSA 8.5 Skyridge Charizard.
Absolutely nothing wrong with an 8.5. Let people shy away from them, more for me 
I remember a couple of years ago, people would specifically seek out half graded cards because, on average, when resubmitted they typically came back a 9 more often than an 8. Keep in mind a couple of years ago, PSA 8s outside of incredibly rare/desirable cards weren’t worth a whole lot and were hard to sell so the gamble was definitely worth it. The half graded i have picked up recently, however, would probably round down (maybe the strong 8.5s have already been resubmitted lol?)
Personally, i like half grades, and i think they add something unique to my collection. 8.5s seem to be the most common, but every so often i see a 7.5, which is pretty gnarly.
I’m actually watching the Lugia 1st edition PSA 7.5 on eBay. They want $1750
I might have to jump on it because PSA 8’s and 9’s are so out of reach for me at the moment.