T3 grading
 

I haven't concentrated on getting a T3, but am now window shopping for just the right one. Has anyone else noticed the leniency on their grading, by all 3 big grading companies? I understand they are larger and have more condition issues than regular cards but I am seeing characteristics of much lower graded cards, from other series, on those T3s which are of a higher grade. I think I might have even seen pinholes on a 3!!

When I was in the market for a Lajoie, before I picked mine up, I noticed a number of 3s and 4s that had heavy staining and other condition issues not typical of what I'd expect. I chalked it up to imagining what a small stain on a T206 would look like blown up 30 times its size.

I have been working on a graded set for just over 5 years and yes I have seen strange things inside holders. As far as Pin holes the highest I have seen is a with SGC in a 20 holder. Beckett slabbed a card with color added. PSA has slabbed T3's with paperloss as a 3 when they are just death on other cards as far a speck of paperloss grading a 1. Also, as far as paper goes, paper loss I havent seen on SGC but would think it would garner at most a 1.5. Paper 'stuck' however I have seen in PSA holders up to a 3.

Leon, my experience is....
 

As a collector of T3's in SGC only I can tell you that I agree 100% with the previous post. Pinholes will NEVER garner more than a 20 and any back damage (paper loss, glue, scrapes or writing) no more than a 30. I have 40's with light creases (nothing thru both sides, back or front only). Corners or borders can have chips or small missing pieces up to a 40 and rounded corners up to a 60. Stains can get you between 20 and 40. As far a PSA, as usual, horribly overgraded. Any PSA will usually get a 1-2 lower level grade from SGC. My experience is SGC grades VERY tough on T3's, but that's why I like them, they are more accurate than the othe TPGs.
Hope that helps.

my crossovers
 

"Any PSA will usually get a 1-2 lower level grade from SGC"

I sent 3 SGC graded T3's and they came back evidence of trimming from my from PSA. Not saying they were/are trimmed but that was their opinion. Others might have gone from SGC 1.5 to PSA 1 simply because of the pin holes. Another was SGC 3 and went to a PSA 2.5. I have never had a T3 go up 2 grades from PSA. I am sure there are cases for everything and you scour more SGC T3's than I do, but I wouldn't say "usually". In fact, probably the only statement that could be made is for the opposite: every SGC 1.5 with a pin hole will go down to a PSA 1. I do have three more in for crossover, that I can elaborate on in a few days

"Usually" probably is an overstatement after thinking about it, but I have had it happen. I really don't like PSA and sometimes get a bit overzealous in my bashing of them. My bad.

Leon
 

I bought a Downey batting with that gorgeous pic of the pack on the back---
and it had a couple of scuffs on the frame with a flawless pic of Downey.
It's my one T3 type and i love it, alongside the actual pack.
The T3 frame deserves a FR; the Downey himself deserves a 6 at least---
the card received the dreaded 20.


best,
barry