SGC-Incredible Turnaround Time!!!

[Peter_Spaeth]

Hmmmm. I must need an exam too, I sure don't see any wrinkle. So it goes I guess.

[Lorewalker]

Easy to beat up the grading companies and often they deserve it. A 4 that looks like a 9 is always more than the grading service being tough.

Might want to get a new guy with less than 30 years in the hobby for opinions and advice.

[steve B]

So just what is the "sweet spot " for experience?

Some complain that the graders are all new now, and don't know cards.
Then it's "get someone with less than 30 years of experience"

The same for potential conflicts
"cards should be graded by people who don't collect"
"Cards need to be graded by people who actually know something about cards."

[BobC]

Originally Posted by steve B

So just what is the "sweet spot " for experience?

Some complain that the graders are all new now, and don't know cards.
Then it's "get someone with less than 30 years of experience"

The same for potential conflicts
"cards should be graded by people who don't collect"
"Cards need to be graded by people who actually know something about cards."

Actually, it should be that cards aren't graded by anyone that has a vested interest, or any other real or perceived conflict of interest, in the cards they are grading. Whether they actually collect cards themselves doesn't really matter as long as the person doing the grading has a sufficient and appropriate level of training and/or experience.

And a grader doesn't necessarily need 30 years of experience if they've received the proper training and supervision. However, there seems to be a lack of transparency (or at least a lack of knowledge and understanding) for many people in regard to TPGs and as to exactly what training, instruction, and supervision their graders do receive. The common perception is often that someone with 30 years of experience has had enough "on-the-job" training, so to speak, to where they don't/didn't need any formal training and supervision. An appropriate blend of the two, training and experience, is what you'd ideally look for and want in any profession, including a card grader.

But even then, what exact training, instruction, and supervision did that grader receive, or what exactly did their 30 years of experience entail? With no common and agreed upon across-the-hobby standards, no independent review and certification of training programs being given, and absolutely no idea of exactly what a person's experience with cards may have been, there is no guarantee that someone that went through supposedly rigorous training, AND had years of experience collecting cards, would end up being a good card grader.

[Snowman]

My observation is that attention to detail is far more important than experience when it comes to someone's ability to accurately grade cards. Some people are just much more detail-oriented than others. I've encountered no shortage of dealers with 30+ years in the hobby who think their VG cards are "Near Mint". I respect them and their experiences for some things, but grading often isn't one of them. That said, I'll take a detail-oriented dealer with 30 years of experience over a detail-oriented one with 5 every time.

[Peter_Spaeth]

The card has come back with a note pointing to an alleged "bend" that my apparently vision-impaired friend says he does not see. A bend is not the same thing as a light wrinkle, IMO, so perhaps Brent and team need eye exams too. In any event, so it goes.

[Lorewalker]

This issue is made of thin newsprint. A bend on this issue is a wrinkle/crease...it is semantics. If PWCC saw something and someone else (PSA presumably) placed a note on it then your friend might want to quit his day job. Dunno about you but I like the advice I seek served accurate.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

Easy to beat up the grading companies and often they deserve it. A 4 that looks like a 9 is always more than the grading service being tough.

Might want to get a new guy with less than 30 years in the hobby for opinions and advice.

Common sense tells me to always take the guy with 30 yrs experience over someone new, all other things being equal. As the original auction mentioned, there is a very light wrinkle somewhere.
.