Posted By:
David RCorey
"I'd love to see the grading companies put on the slab along with the final grade numbers that indicate the grading company's assessment of the various characteristics that (should) comprise the final grade - corners, centering, contrast, registration, back damage, etc. That would be the ultimate in third party objectivity and would give each prospective purchaser all the relevant info to make a valuation decision. And by keeping intact the "final' grade, it wouldn't interfere with the set registry or materially impact how price guides are prepared."
I agree completely. I would go further, however, which leads me to question the whole grading scale. If the grading company were to assess all those things that you mention and conclude that, for example, the corners are a "7", the centering is an "8", the registration is a "7", but there is a bit of paper loss on the back (even in a place with no writing) so the back is a "1", I question how the whole card then becomes a "1". It seems like there is something wrong with a grading scale like that. But maybe the problem is that the vast majority of collectors buy into it. Either way I scratch my head. I also don't like looking at a beautiful card with a big label on top that says "poor" -- as I said in a post a long time ago, it's like dating a beautiful woman who has "ugly" stamped on her forehead, it kind of detracts from her beauty, even if I know it's not true. 
David R.