Grading tutorial? Advice before you submit?

[hcv123]

1) On a good day the grading companies are inconsistent and on a bad day bordering on incompetent. I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of people cracking and resubmitting - getting the same card back within a 3 grade range!! If you are REALLY good I would say you should be able to consistently land within a 1 grade deviation. Depending what you collect, that could represent some significant price differences, I just don't think it is realistic to get any better than that.

2) Have seemingly changed their standards over the years. Today's "7" looks very different from a 7 graded 15 years ago (with plenty of exceptions)

Tools - DEFINITELY a 10x lighted loupe. A blacklight. sample cards from the years you are looking at to check for sizing.