Posted By:
warshawlawnice stuff. I lust in my heart after the boxing card lots. If I settle a good case before the deadline, look out. . .
And now for the criticism, sniping and whining:
I REALLY don't like the "but for" form of grading used in this catalogue (you know, "vg/ex but for the pinholes, writing, urine stains and dried blood"). I think a card should be assigned its technical grade and then have its salutary features explained, not assigned an "if only" grade then qualified with all the flaws. Here are some examples of what I mean:
Lot #27: "but for some chipping . . . would grade a solid vg+/ex"? Ok, but since it has the chipping, it doesn't grade vg+/ex, does it. So what does it grade? Heck, following the writer's formula, you could say that the card grades near mint but for rounded corners, chipping and surface wear.
How does a Roger Connor OJ with a strong crease across the card and back paste residue grade a "solid vg+/ex" (lot #39)? Isn't the card actually good to very good?
What is a "slightly thinned back" (lot #43); is that sales-speak for a peeled card? Are these alfalfa fields we are dealing with? My hairline?
Since when is a vg+/ex card one with a surface-cracking corner crease (lot #41)? Looks about g-vg to me, not accounting for the paper loss and glue residue on the back. I also don't like this "note" to back damage stuff; listing this one as vg+/ex with "note" to back is like listing a card with a big old crease as near mint with note to crease. I would list this card as technically grading fair to good.
Does it bother you a little (I know it bugs me) that some lots are described as having stains, fades, or damage that could be "easily" restored, repaired or fixed (e.g., lot 3, lot 121, lot 132)? Nevermind the prejudice one may have against restoring items, how do the auctioneers know it could easily be fixed? Seems a bit presumptuous to me to say so. What if I buy the item and find out that it can't be fixed, then what--will they buy it back?
Maybe I am hypercritical today (got an e-card in the mail yesterday that was a lot worse than described so I'm a little sensitive to overgrading right now), but I don't think so. Maybe what this shows is that there is a reason for grading cards with SGC, PSA, GAI, etc., if only to get around auctioneer hype. After all, if the card is an SGC 40, there ain't much that the auctioneer can do to avoid saying so.