While I'm ambivalent about grading I do think the major companies are generally consistent. The cards I've personally submitted are evenly balanced between undergraded, probably correct and overgraded.
And wild variations in grade are nothing new. TPG was intended as both a money making thing, and a way to hopefully eliminate the totally insane grades of many of the late 80's -early 90's dealers who had no experience other than an ability to read Beckett.
How many remember seeing T206s with corners rounded all the way into the image and 2-3 big creases being called "excellent" because it's "excellent given the age of it"? Or "Near mint" (now that the rubber band gouges have been mostly trimmed off)?
TPG has eliminated some of the blatantly wrong grades. Sure, there are mistakes, and there will always be cards that don't have clear grades like some of the wonderful looking ones that have back damage from scrapbook removal.
That's one of the great things about collecting. If someone else finds some aspect of the item unacceptable for some reason that's where the bargains are.
Steve B
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