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davidcyclebackPeople, including I, tend to like items that are in nicer condition-- Who prefers a Pete Rose rookie with a grease stain or a figurine chipped? I believe some collectors sincerely like things in pristine condition. However, professional grading and the graded card hobby often is a simply a device to make the common appear rare. I mean, what's the point to get a 1981 Fleer common graded a 10 other than as an attempt to make it appear 'rarer' than 50,000 examples of the card. A T206 Ty Cobb Tobacco is rare. To make a 1981 Fleer valued as rare, you need an alchemist, a hypnotist and Hollywood agent -- and that's were professional grading comes in.
Sometimes "rare in this grade" means "rare in this grade." Sometimes it means "If you ignore the opposition's six touchdowns, we won the game."