Grading head scratchers

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by PowderedH2O

I have never understood the whole numeric system at all. A card can be gem mint in appearance but have an invisible microcrease on the back only visible by 10x loupe and it's a 5. In the old days that card would sell at top condition all day long. Yet, I have seen (the variety of 52 Topps Mantles is a good example) all 1's lumped into the same giant cesspool. There are 1's that actually present decently and others that went through a washing machine. There are many 4's that present beautifully. Why is their grade only 3 away from the washing machine card?

Agree completely. There is far too much variance granted at the lower levels, and only microscopic differences separating grades of 7-8-9-10. How and why did this become the standard? The whole system needs to be re-examined... not only for detecting altered cards, but for a more equitable grading scale.