PSA? I doubt it.

[Sean1125]

Originally Posted by glynparson

I have never seen a grader use a ruler to measure a card for trimming.

You use a ruler to measure the card for factory miscut and min size. You use your eyes to check for trimming.

Hold the card horizontal to your eyes and bring your eyes from the left of the border to the right of the border. Does it seem wavy at all? Is there any inconsistencies? After you check for that you are going to look at the paper fibers and see if it has a factory stock, if it's smooth (trimmed) or some other method.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Sean1125

You use a ruler to measure the card for factory miscut and min size. You use your eyes to check for trimming.

Hold the card horizontal to your eyes and bring your eyes from the left of the border to the right of the border. Does it seem wavy at all? Is there any inconsistencies? After you check for that you are going to look at the paper fibers and see if it has a factory stock, if it's smooth (trimmed) or some other method.

That's just it, Sean. Minimum Size Requirement should not even be an option. If a card is short, there are only 1 of 2 possible reasons - either it is trimmed, or it was cut short from the factory. If it was cut short from the factory, but displays characteristics of a factory cut then it should be slabbed. PSA uses that Minimum Size crap as a crutch because they don't have the knowledge to tell if a cut is factory or not.

[Fred]

David - agree with that.

The only thing is when a card is a bit too short or narrow you can tell because it just doesn't quite fit into a PSA holder.

Does PSA have a minimum size requirement for certain cards? If so, then it may be a bad idea to send a card to them if it doesn't meet the minimum requirement.

[glynparson]

they generally get kicked in the verification from what i have witnessed. plus looking at cards all day you can often tell when one is small even when having 4 factory cut sides. they were generally rejected For like said above swimming to much in the holder. This was also the case at sgc when i worked there though they did have a soft material ruler that was very rarely used. The minimum size is used more for perception than anything. they dont want all the complaints about small stuff because many just assume it is trimmed who don't understand sizes vary sometimes. heck i can remember in the 1980's having some serious size variation from my collection, particularly in 1987.

[Sean1125]

Originally Posted by glynparson

they generally get kicked in the verification from what i have witnessed. plus looking at cards all day you can often tell when one is small even when having 4 factory cut sides. they were generally rejected For like said above swimming to much in the holder. This was also the case at sgc when i worked there though they did have a soft material ruler that was very rarely used. The minimum size is used more for perception than anything. they dont want all the complaints about small stuff because many just assume it is trimmed who don't understand sizes vary sometimes. heck i can remember in the 1980's having some serious size variation from my collection, particularly in 1987.

Both grading companies are currently using some microscope/light setup, that if the light shines on any side it is automatically kicked back. They have kept up with technology (somewhat) and use rulers as a secondary rather than a primary means of measurement.

Once a card is put into a holder the edges become much harder, or impossible to verify if they are trimmed or not. It is easier for both companies to simply kick back any card that is below the "standard" factory cut. This way there is no question as to a possibly trimmed card being put into the holder. To David - It's not about knowledge. It is relatively simple to tell if it is factory cut or trimmed, it is safer (and neither company charges, might I add) to kick back. The standard has been set at 2 1/2 by 3 1/2, so no one will grade anything smaller.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Sean1125

To David - It's not about knowledge. It is relatively simple to tell if it is factory cut or trimmed, it is safer (and neither company charges, might I add) to kick back. The standard has been set at 2 1/2 by 3 1/2, so no one will grade anything smaller.

Thanks, for the reply, Sean, but what do you mean by safer to kick it back?

Safer how?

[botn]

Originally Posted by Sean1125

This way there is no question as to a possibly trimmed card being put into the holder. To David - It's not about knowledge. It is relatively simple to tell if it is factory cut or trimmed, it is safer (and neither company charges, might I add) to kick back. The standard has been set at 2 1/2 by 3 1/2, so no one will grade anything smaller.

First of all trimmed and altered cards get placed in holders all the time. Far more than any of us would care to think but with that said, both PSA and SGC will absolutely grade cards with factory cuts which measure smaller than the standard size. I know for a fact that both companies will allow for up to 1/16th of an inch to avoid having to reject the card for Min Size.

[vintagetoppsguy]

FWIW, I have never seen SGC reject a card due to minimum size. When PSA does it, they give you back a flip containing the card's information that says MIN SIZE on the flip. What does SGC do?

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

That's just it, Sean. Minimum Size Requirement should not even be an option. If a card is short, there are only 1 of 2 possible reasons - either it is trimmed, or it was cut short from the factory. If it was cut short from the factory, but displays characteristics of a factory cut then it should be slabbed. PSA uses that Minimum Size crap as a crutch because they don't have the knowledge to tell if a cut is factory or not.

+1 there.

Best regards,

Larry