PSA 10 Gem Mint I don't understand

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Posted By: Marc S.

Brian:

To answer your specific question, I believe that SCD graded one card an SCD 11 -- it was a Jason Giambi rookie card. Not sure what issue that is -- something like 1992 Topps Traded, perhaps?

At any rate, you take a ridiculous grade and mix it in with an "interesting" auctioneer -- and you have the one and only SCD 11 being auctioned off some months back (a year, perhaps?) by none other than Alan Rosen "Mr. Mint"

I think that there is a general misperception at GEM MINT equating to PERFECT. I have never seen a perfect baseball card -- vintage or modern. If you read the grading standards, I believe, for PSA, SGC and BGS, there are always some allowances allowed making "GEM MINT" something less than perfect.

Nonetheless -- I will also say that the greater you magnify a card (Whether through loupe or microscope), the larger you make it, the easier it is to point out its (numerous) flaws.