Should strip cards be......

[jimivintage]

I tend to agree with you, Leon, that there should be a "hand cut" designation on the flip. When it comes down to it though, aren't we judging how well the person cut the card? I mean, in some cases, would it be better to "recut" the card to make it a better trim job?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by jimivintage

I tend to agree with you, Leon, that there should be a "hand cut" designation on the flip. When it comes down to it though, aren't we judging how well the person cut the card? I mean, in some cases, would it be better to "recut" the card to make it a better trim job?

That "re-cutting" can be done but if you mess up you come up with an AUT. I have mixed feelings on this whole issue.....but what I stated previously is mainly the way I feel (until I change my mind )

[brianp-beme]

I think the numerical grade (or 'authentic' if dimensions too small) with 'hand cut' designation makes the most sense, as it informs a potential buyer not only the overall condition of the card, but would also indicate to those not familiar with the particular issue that the cards were not machine cut. Of course the TPG's better not apply it to all 'W' designated issues, otherwise they would run the risk of misidentifying non-hand cut issues such as W503.

Brian

[t206blogcom]

I put together the W512 baseball subject set a year or so ago and I had SGC slab my collection. I originally purchased most of these raw or graded by PSA. One was already slabbed by SGC. I love SGC, but find it odd that out of this entire set, the one I bought that was already slabbed by SGC has a numerical grade. When I look at my set and see how some of the crisp cornered, great looking cards like my two Hornsbys have 'A', yet one of my Frisch cards has rounded corners and a miscut side get a numerical grade, it baffles me. I suppose I'll eventually send the Frisch back to receive an 'A' to be consistent.

When putting together the W512 set, I laughed to myself when I saw a few of them go for 3x to 4x more on eBay because PSA had a number on the slab versus 'A'. Most of the time, at least when I was putting together my set, the numerical ones didn't look nearly as good as the 'Authentics'. That experience clearly illustrated to me that far too many people are buying cards for grades rather than eye appeal.

For individual cards, I voted to have TPG slab as 'Authentic'. Now, I'll make one caveat to that. If there's a FULL, UNCUT sheet of strip cards and TPGs have a slab big enough for the large sheet (not partial strip!), I'd be fine with numerical grades. But since I don't believe TPGs have slabs that large and I see very few full, uncut sheets, I don't see that happening.

My W512 collection:

[kilo]

I'm gonna have to agree with all the "auth-only" voters on this one (the few of us that there are). I don't think any hand-cut item should have a numerical grade, with such a grade being so obviously given to a second-market's ability to cut a card. But i do think an authentication (be it slabbed or not) is a great idea! Imagine coming across a bunch of nice smaller 31-32 exhibit cuts, wouldn't you want an "auth" designation on them? i think numbers should only apply to items as they were originally distributed, be it in packs, panels, postcards, or what-have-you.

--mike.

[barrysloate]

One logical response is a strip card merits a numerical grade if it has full borders, and only an AUTH grade if it is cut too close to the margins. But the grading has been so inconsistent- I've seen wide bordered strip cards graded both ways. So maybe just grading them all AUTH would create more consistency and less confusion.

Some confusion arises because they once (SGC, PSA) only graded them Authentic and then began to grade them numerically so you can find some "A"'s that now would receive a numerical grade. Personally, I love strip cards, I like the look, the art, the fugliness! Quite frankly many deserve numerical grades mostly because of the vivid color, and clarity rather than borders or centering. For this reason I prefer the black backgrounds of SGC graded cards.

I believe the grading companies can be wrong, I once wrote "PSA could not pour piss out of a boot with directions on the heel." However, I have had two sets (w513 & w512), and one near set (w514) with a great amount of variation, purchased from multiple sources, and graded by different companies and their methods seem to be consistent, strict and fair.