how low can they go?

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw&nbsp; </b><p>The post about gluing a card back together raised a really interesting issue: what does a "1" grade mean and how should it be used? I raise the issue separately because I have seen more than one card with chunks missing from it or major tears graded a "1" by SGC (check their pop report for N310 Corbett cards--the "1" listed there was missing two chunks) and someone in the recent gluing thread mentioned that PSA had graded a Mantle that had been glued together. <BR><BR>The first aspect I am thinking of is the use of a "1" or similar lower grade on cards with major damage like missing pieces, tears, major back damage or peeling, etc. I know that the services will grade a card with this kind of damage because I have had some OJ's graded this way. So, the first question is at what point does the damage to a card become so profound that the card is ungradeable at any level?<BR><BR>The second aspect is the rationale behind the apparent selection of certain alterations as gradeable (albeit as a "1") and the rejection of others as "bad" alterations. Why is a card with a torn off corner, a rip from a thumbtack, or a peeled back gradeable but a card with a trimmed edge ungradeable? Is there any rational basis for the distinction or have we merely accepted wholecloth a decision made by others as to what is acceptable? Why, for example, do the services grade Zeenuts and Red Man's with the coupons trimmed off yet not a T206 with a trimmed edge? I know that some people say that a tear or removal of a tab is "regular" wear but a trim is an "alteration"; to me this is mere semantics. I mean, first of all, in the case of a "tear" or missing corner no one who did not do the damage knows precisely how it happened. It seems to boil down to a judgment call as to whether someone intentionally trimmed the card or inadvertently tore off its end, which I feel is an inherently indefensible call to make.

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Posted By: <b>Anonymous</b><p>PSA won't grade a card that has been torn in half and then put back together with glue. I would like to see that. There is a PSA grade lower than PSA 1. It is PSA AUTH. It means the card didn't meet PSA 1 standards and it is Authentic.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>I wondered the same thing myself. Why is a trimmed card ungradable, yet a strip card that ahs been cut from it's panel or strip ok to grade? I've seriously considered trimming the w572 Grover Alexander I have becuase the boarders are fat and would go from being Ex to NM+ by being trimmed and the slabbers would have no problem with it being trimmed and 'in spec' since it's a strip card.<BR><BR>Personally, I don't have a problem with slabbers grading trimmed cards. The words "TRIMMED" or a "TR" on a grade would be the death sentance to anyone's hopes of a big profit and people would know it's trimmed. But you know that people looking to make serious money on the card are going to crack it out and sell it raw since a raw, trimmed card will most likely sell for more than a graded trimmed card.<BR><BR>Another reason to slab trimmed cards, for someone like me, I don't do it becuase the card will sell for more, but just to protect the card in general (and SGC holders make a card look good). If I send a card in and don't realsize it is trimmed, I still want it slabbed. I paid to have the card graded AND slabbed. If you are going to reject a card for being trimmed and not slab it, then you better be refunding me some money since you didn't bother finishing the grading process or slabbing the card.<BR><BR>Jay

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Posted By: <b>petecld</b><p>Jay,<BR><BR>Couldn't have said it better myself. I agree with you 100%.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>If nothing else, I'd like to see the slabbers at least offer the option of slabbing a trimmed card or not. If someone submits a card and still wants it slabbed even if it's trimmed make it so that all they have to do is check a box that you want it slabbed. That way, people that want all their cards slabbed can get them slabbed and those don't want trimmed cards slabbed, it will still let the slabbers make their extra money for not having to provide the full service they are offering.<BR><BR>Jay

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Posted By: <b>RC_McKenzie</b><p>I have sent 4 T213-3 Coupons to SGC from 3 different sources that all came back "trimmed". I have a fifth now from a fourth source. Wagers on if it comes back "trimmed"? MW? LOL<BR><BR>I hope they don't put "TR" for "trimmed" in ink on the back as they smear their cheeto-stained fingers on it. LOL