Ineptness of Authenticators/Graders

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Dead-Ball-Hitter

I think the opposite is happening with cards - grades are slipping down and graders are becoming more strict. A few of us refer to this as GRADE CREEP - the sliding of the scale toward a more strict interpretation and, thus, a lower grade.

i personally believe they focus more on technicalities than ever, and less on eye-appeal. Eye appeal was always an aspect in the first 20 years of card grading, and older cards produced with more archaic technology were graded ever so slightly less strict. Not anymore... they (SGC, PSA, and even CSG) are grading everything like its a 2022 pack pulled, sharp edged card.

And yet, we all want consistent standards. The corners and edges that are Vg on a tobacco card are really bad on a modern card.

The real problem is that change, once we've had a couple decades of grading older stuff traditionally, making the standards fit every set is a problem.