This is the problem with grading...

[barrysloate]

Peter- overgraded cards never ever get resubmitted. And undergraded cards always do, sometimes more than once. That's the grading game.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Peter- overgraded cards never ever get resubmitted. And undergraded cards always do, sometimes more than once. That's the grading game.

I don't think that's true at all. Many people care about the card. I certainly have sent in cards I thought were overgraded, with some success.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I don't think that's true at all. Many people care about the card. I certainly have sent in cards I thought were overgraded, with some success.

You sent them in to get a lower grade?

[barrysloate]

I would say the number of people looking to get a high grade card lowered is very small indeed.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Leon

You sent them in to get a lower grade?

No to get them to buy it back/compensate me.

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

No to get them to buy it back/compensate me.

Sounds interesting. Can you please expand on how that works? Like, if you buy a card graded a 6, think its overgraded cuz you see a hairline crease and send it to PSA, they agree it should be a 4, they give you the card back in a 4 holder along with $x reimbursement as compensation?

[glynparson]

they will not give refunds simply because you may have different standards. PSA will allow a 6 with hairline winkles or creases. i agree on cards that otherwise look mint i dont on cards with any wear or other problems

[Exhibitman]

It is impossible to determine how 'accurate' TPGs are because grading is inherently subjective, especially when counting the angels on the pinhead that differentiates between grades or between half-grades. It is all subjective.

I once tried to measure my cards for technical compliance with PSA standards to cherry pick the best possible grade. All I could think to do was to measure the cards as closely as possible. I put a metric ruler on 1980 Topps cards looking for evenness of borders and lack of tilt on the card fronts. I found one card that was almost perfectly centered [less than a millimeter variation in size of white borders side to side and top to bottom] and not tilted [less than a millimeter variation from one end of the colored band on the card to the other. Razor sharp, perfect printing, clean everywhere, no discernable flaws. It got a 9 from PSA. Why a 9 and not a 10? I have no idea. And just to spread the love around, I sent in this card to SGC and got a 98, again I have no idea why 98 and not 96 or why a 98 but not a 100:



There's no logic to it and no reasonable rational explanation. On that day, at that time, the card was a 10 but not a "10+" in the view of the grader(s) who looked at it.

As for people who wish to collect based on the subjective opinions of third parties, doesn't bother me as long as they respect the rights of others to not collect that way. When they start running down collectors who prefer their cards in slightly 'loved' condition for whatever reason, then we can talk about how they are being manipulated.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Sounds interesting. Can you please expand on how that works? Like, if you buy a card graded a 6, think its overgraded cuz you see a hairline crease and send it to PSA, they agree it should be a 4, they give you the card back in a 4 holder along with $x reimbursement as compensation?

When they have agreed with me they just kept the card and refunded my purchase price.