How exactly does one become a card grader

[Fred]

This is actually a pretty interesting topic, it makes me wonder a few things:

• How much do they pay graders?
• Is hobby experience a requirement or is it something that only enhances the resume?
• How do they assess (evaluate) a grader?
• Is there a "career path" (seriously, for retention)?
• What is the actual process for grading a card? I've heard that a card is passed to a few different graders for evaluation.
• Are they supposed to grade a certain number of cards in a predetermined amount of time?

The last question is something I'm really curious about. I'm sure that time is money to the grading companies so it benefits the grading companies to have as many cards graded as possible in an effor to maintain profitibility. This has a direct relationship to the value provided to the customer/consumer.

I've heard (must be an urban legend amongst hobby consumers) that a card is passed around to a few graders to determine the grade of a card. I find that hard to believe because if that's being done then I don't understand how paperloss and other defects get by the graders. I believe that it would be a good idea to pass a card to a few different graders without letting the other graders know the "grade/evaluation" assigned by the other graders. This would allow the grading company to determine if there was a large variance in the grade but that probably wouldn't be econimcally feasible.

[steve B]

I would think they'd be better off with someone with no hobby experience for most tasks. Sometimes it's better to start with a blank slate then someone who has already developed biases based on experience or bad information. That way they could be trained purely on the technical merits of a printed object and its state of preservation.

For stuff like determining if a card is real or reprint experience would help, and determining trimmed or not would take more knowledge of the sets and how they were produced, a bit more technical than the grading.

So maybe the three graders are one group that looks at authenticity, a second that looks for alterations, and the third are actually assigning the numerical grade?

I'm thinking that's how I'd set it up if there was enough volume.

[Exhibitman]

Smoke two joints in the morning
Smoke two joints at night
Smoke two joints in the grading room
It makes me feel all right

[xanderthegreat35]

Found this video on youtube, it might be outdated but its an inside look on the operations that take place at PSA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXid6VPJz6k

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Smoke two joints in the morning
Smoke two joints at night
Smoke two joints in the grading room
It makes me feel all right

You may be on to something.

[Zach Wheat]

Alex,

Thanks for the link to PSA Grading posted on Youtube. Answers a lot of things I had not realized about PSA. It is a more involved process than I first imagined.

Z Wheat

[Runscott]

I would be surprised if they didn't have graders assigned to specific card-types - I can't imagine that the same guy who does 1988 Donruss also does Old Judge. If I got a job as a grader, I would expect them to use my pre-war expertise to put me primarily on tobacco and caramel cards. These are more valuable cards - it only makes sense that they would use someone with the correct background to grade them.

[chaddurbin]

just because you're a prewar collector doesn't mean you get to jump right into grading 4fig+ ts and ojs...there's probably a process and progression. from what kevin saucier had posted psa was interested in hiring him, but they wanted to train him first at a lower grading position whereas he felt with his experience he should've been at least senior position...which PSA declined.

erik--would've been cool if you had applied. i saw that psa was hiring also and thought would've been cool 10 years ago if i was still in school...would've applied for a summer or something (the dark room don't look very enticing tho)

[buymycards]

Ken,
Please PayPal me $100. I will have your authentic "graders certification kit" in the mail right away. The kit includes a diploma, a blindfold, darts, and a dartboard.

Good luck with your new career!

Rick

(Just want to say that I don't have any problems with any grading company. I just enjoy being a smart ass).