View Single Post
  #11  
Old 08-24-2002, 03:34 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default Grade Tech- corner magnification question

Posted By: Dr.Koos

...about relative magnification in his post. At 20 power, all cards without "ceramic tile type corners and edges" (which rules out 99.999999999% of all pre-1980's cards) cease to be identifiable at grades other than 9 or 10. Cards graded 6 to 8 will have "powder puff" appearing corners and 1 to 5's will look like an indistinguishable snow drift. While magnification on the order of 20-250 power is an excellent analytical tool for identifing alteration, actually being able to focus in on and study the paper fibres themselves, keep in mind that under enough magnification, even the finest quality razor blade cutting edges, honed to exacting tolerances, appear like a craggy mountain range. Inclusion of 10 power corner images should have been sufficient, and far more indicative of the tools used by most grading services, which have become the industry normalcies, and more sensible. Eye appeal and comparative grading take place at normal focal lengths. This is a "naked eye" hobby. 10 power tools are used to analyze, not necessarily needed for mandatory use in order to enjoy this hobby. This isn't astronomy and it isn't micro-photography. Ten power is MORE than enough, anything more used for the grading itself, is unnecessary over-kill, or a gimmick as I'm sure PSA, SGC, BGS, etc. have all come to the shared conclusion of in using 10power for grading.

Reply With Quote