Pricing of qualified grading

[mq711]

I like the concept of qualifiers but only for factory defects. The card is the exact condition it was made in, but according to aTPG it is determined to be outside a certain arbitrary standard , thus has this qualifier. I think it provides a lot of information on the condition of the actual card. I wish they would add a qualifier for a rough cut, nothing worst than a straight 8 that looks like a 69 Deckle edge. Also if a card has been marked or stained or doesn’t meet a size standard, it shouldn’t receive a numerical grade, only an A and the reason and let the buyer determine the value.

[icurnmedic]

Originally Posted by mq711

Also if a card has been stained it shouldn’t receive a numerical grade, only an A and the reason and let the buyer determine the value.

Would disagree with this particular point, simply because CJ,s and T cards would rarely receive a numerical if stains were an automatic “A”

OTW spot on.

[hcv123]

In agreement with some previous posts and a couple of points to add:

1) I think each card needs to be evaluated based on its visual merits as Darren so greatly illustrated.
2) I think the value of qualified cards as you go down the grading chain in general goes down as a percentage of the unqualified card. Take for example the 1951 Bowman Mantle 8oc that sold for almost 70K in Heritage last night - that was about an 85% discount to an unqualified 8 which had really nice eye appeal. 6's have been in the $37K-$40K range. When we are talking very low populations, like many 9oc's and some 8oc's, I don't think the "2-grade price drop" necessarily applies.
3) Not all qualifiers are equal. to me an M/C is the worst as it visually detracts the most from the card. Some "MK's" are worse than others. St's are sometimes near impossible to see (other times - glaring). there are varying degrees of o/c's.

While certainly the market has spoken and it makes a lot of sense that qualified cards should be valued less than unqualified cards, but similar to how "not all 8's are created equal", I think it should be thought of as a price range that varies with the eye appeal and supply of the card.