[thecatspajamas]

I don't want you guys to get me wrong, I am in no way advocating a numeric grading system for photos. I just hope to goodness that the various grading companies at least get the same reaction of disgust expressed here if/when they feel that out as an option.

I could be off in this too, but I get the feeling that there are more newcomers to the photo collecting corner of the hobby these days than ever before. Whether it makes sense or not, oft times collectors will bring "baggage" with them when migrating from one area of collecting to another, which may be as simple as mis-applying terminology, or in my thinking here, a proclivity for encapsulating everything in their collection with a number grade on the flip. Maybe I'm being overly-cautious in my thinking and cooler minds will prevail, but as much as I dislike the idea, it wouldn't surprise me to see it at least tried.

Edited to add: Scott, thanks for the added info/experience. Much more well-written than my own concurrent musings.