Old Card Grading a boondoggle???

[Bridwell]

I looks like SGC is matching PSA's policy of low grades for cards soaked out of a scrapbook. If they detect a little glue residue or sticky substance they are extremely harsh on the grading.

It's interesting that SGC is super harsh on any paper loss on the back of a card. PSA is super harsh on an ink mark or pencil indentation on the back, or a card with tiny wrinkles. I would say that many collectors love a card that is beautiful on the front and well centered, like that Pastorious T206 which is awesome! Too bad SGC and PSA aren't more focused on the condition of the front. They should take into account the overall condition instead of marking off for minor flaws.

[bcornell]

When PSA held a "World Series of Grading" contest (grade 30 cards in 15 minutes) at the National several years ago, the winner was Derek Grady, who had been the head grader at SGC. That, my collecting friends, was likely not a coincidence.

There are so many reasons to not like grading: their standards, the fees, some obvious mistakes they've made, the people in charge, Gary Moser, Gerry Schwartz, etc. However, they do a hell of a lot better job at describing a card than, say, Steve Verkman and Lew Lipset used to do. If you're newer to the hobby, consider yourself lucky to have missed that.

[aro13]

When PSA held a "World Series of Grading" contest (grade 30 cards in 15 minutes) at the National several years ago, the winner was Derek Grady, who had been the head grader at SGC. That, my collecting friends, was likely not a coincidence.

Bill - Thanks for posting that link. Andy Broome who either was/is a grader with Beckett came second. I liked the idea behind the contest and the fact that so many dealers scored poorly trying to show grading was not that easy.

My issue with the contest was that they had 30 seconds per card. In some cases that makes sense but in trying to determine alterations for vintage cards that is not nearly enough time. If the grading companies really take only 30 seconds to review all cards, it is no wonder there are grading mistakes that happen.

[mark evans]

Grading is inherently subjective. Thus, there will always be differences, not only from one grader to the next, but even as to cards reviewed by the same grader from one time to the next. I can accept this result, given the vast improvement over pre-TPG transactions. But, what continues to baffle me is the enormous disparity in values at the upper end that one would think would be more appropriate for circumstances involving clearly objective judgments.

[quitcrab]

Just wanted to say I live Tom Waites..." every since I Put your picture in a frame "
The grading drives me crazy too...again ...buy the card not the grade
Scott