Grading Question
 

Trying to train myself to visually grade cards. I think this would grade as a 4. There are no paper creases, minor rear stain, and corner issues.

Would appreciate any comments. As always, thanks for any help.

I'd say a 4 on it's best day. Wouldn't be surprised if it came down to a 3 - or even a 2 - depending on that stain and whatever is happening above the first D in David. Can't really tell from the pics.

OC top to bottom. I collect T206s in lower grades typically. The best T206s I have a PSA 4 and I think they are comparable to your example. The corners might be a bit too round to pull off a 4 though. 3 or 3.5 maybe?

Grading PSA
 

10-15 years ago a 4 all day

Now it's a 3

Maybe 2.5 if there is paper loss or a little crease

I'm thinking 2.5. PSA isn't going to like that surface wrinkle on the back.

Don't Grade Card is Great the Way it is! We all know its a Vg+ Card

Not a wrinkle on the back, a defect in the cardboard. And no paper loss that I can see.

2.5 or 3

Looks like a 3 to me.

3 at best but.....
 

It really makes NO difference unless you are buying or selling - so as to help set a price......... On any given day one can expect to see at least a half grade (or more) difference FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT on the same card. Unfortunately - NOT a science. Buy what you like and do it the way you want. In general I don't think it prudent to grade a card that isn't rare or in exceptional condition for the issue. Defect or wrinkle = likely the same result. That said - I DO have a few 19th century sets graded - and not all the cards are mint or rare. In fact, few are :-)

no guarantees whether written or implied.

I would expect a 4 on that card from PSA.

I don't understand some estimates of X.5 grades. We note that it is oc top to bottom.
My understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, is that .5 grades are given to well centered cards.

Half grades are given to well presented cards. Centering isn't the only factor. I knocked it down due to the surface wrinkle on the back (look at the top of the card), then bumped it up because that is all that is putting it at that low of a grade to begin with.

Agreed; a 0.5 grade can be given for any feature of the card that is much higher than the technical grade. So if you have a properly registered/sharp image card on something known to normally be printed fuzzy (like 1957 Dodgers Sluggers), it can get a half grade bump for something other than centering. That being said, a very small portion of cards actually do get half points. I know I submitted like 500 hundred T51 colleges, and maybe 50 got a half point bump.

Thanks for clearing that up!

No Wrinkle & No Stain = Probably 3

The wrinkled 2 actually presents better than the 3 and maybe even the 4 (IMO)

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/150864751@N07/49901030396/in/album-72157664627452038/" title="4_3_2_1"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49901030396_64fd65a490.jpg" width="625" height="337" alt="4_3_2_1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

They make up a set of rules, and everyone hypnotically follows along... it's as if Joe Orlando is The Pied Piper.

If slabs were never invented, there's very little chance that 4 would sell for multiple thousands above the other two. The eye appeal is no better than the others. I guess for some reason, they choose not to deduct for color abraisions?