Posted By:
Gilbert MainesHere is what I think about grading – the system currently available to the collector should remain in force unchanged. A new product should be offered to the collector. An upscale, higher end, higher cost, higher reliable, higher etc. product.
This product should have the features described below. The subjectivity of grading should be minimized by quantification of the total card area of damage. If rounding damage is viewed differently from staining, paperloss, writing, etc. Correction factors are assigned to each measured area. But I do not see a difference. Each graded card is photographically archived to provide permanent evidence of the accuracy of the measurements made. Measurements beyond affected area assessments, such as surface gloss reflectivity, could be evaluated if deemed worthwhile.
In addition to card assessment improvements, the new product should include improved card protection. Holders should be manufactured which do not open, and are air tight. Additionally holder materials such as polycarbonate (as used by PRO) should be evaluated to provide UV protection.
Such a product will involve increased grader costs to actually document the two dimensional affected area measurements, and will require specialized (but not high tech) equipment. Additionally, the crack outs/resubmission market will be eliminated and new holders are an additional cost center. So, this grading product will not be applicable to low end cards. But that is what the current product is for.