Just wondering if there is any significant difference between these two PSA ratings or are they viewed more or less identical? Thanks 
In roughly 95% of cases a PSA 8 card quality is the same quality as a 8.5 simply because PSA rarely considers adding the +0.5 sub-value. But in the cases that they do add the +0.5 sub value to an 8 it’s usually because the the card is pretty close to a 9. ///So…
PSA 8: 95% of the time the card quality is either an 8 or 8.5
PSA 8.5: ~100% of the time the card quality is slightly better than a 8. Closer to a 9.
Hope this makes sense
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8.5 grade should die. Nobodies going to collect an 8.5 nm-mint 
Heaps of people collect 8s though.
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ya not sure who would get 8.5’s not sure why they do that.
who should identifiy this grader and throw relatively large Objects at him/her.
Ok so 8.5s are probably not a good choice then, best try to get a 9
9s are the best!
I’m all about the 9’s! Easier on the wallet and I kinda like the idea that the card isn’t completely ‘perfect.’ Kinda like it adds a tiny bit of character to my card. I have been watching some PSA returns lately and it seems as though 8.5’s are coming out a lot more frequently can anyone confirm/deny that observation? 8.5 is just such an ugly grade 
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Many more 8.5s are now coming out and are being used for strong 8s. Good or bad, there can really be a huge valley between 8s and 9s so maybe an 8.5 isn’t a bad option.
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The 8.5s are a secret way for psa to make more cash with resubmissions obviously! Jokes aside I agree with Gary to be honest Holding a well centred 8 and a well centred 9 next to each other a lot of the time the difference in condition is quite large so the 8.5 actually makes a lot of sense as it bridges the gap so to speak.
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I think it’s really awesome that PSA has added a designation (+.5) that proves they’re more concerned with accurately describing the condition of the card than they are with how the grade makes someone feel.
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I mean I have no problem with it I just think it’s interesting because from what I’ve seen all the sudden 8.5’s are much more common. Did PSA come out and say they changed grading standards or catch a bunch of heat from people? I’m just curious of the factors behind it all. Is it 8’s and below that get the .5’s a vast majority of the time because I have yet to see a 9.5 card?
9.5 doesn’t exist for PSA. Now THAT would be a VERY unpopular change if they added 9.5’s for many collectors.
So true. So many 10s I’ve had/seen would fall in that category sadly.