[drcy]

A7 is good and is a number they'd give to a bat they think is game used.. I'd have to see the specifics for the bat, but the grading does take off points for non-authenticity qualities such as damage. For example, if a jersey is considered perfectly authentic, but the number has been repaired, they will deduct a point(s) for that. They deduct a point(s) if a bat is cracked. If the bat is cracked it won't receive an A10, even if MEARS took the bat from the player's hand right after he left the batter's box. So deduction in points may have nothing to do with their opinion of the authenticity itself, and MEARS's final grades are a curious conglomeration of authenticity and condition. I guess they want a 10 to be perfect example of the bat in all ways.

For modern player jerseys (I think post 1987), without provenance tying the jersey to the player the highest grade received is a 5. That's because modern pro model jerseys were sold retail to the public. Thus, a higher grade jersey has a photo match, team player or related provenance documentation along with it. Different stories with bats, though.