How exactly does one become a card grader

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Found this video on youtube, it might be outdated but its an inside look on the operations that take place at PSA: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

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by 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)

That's a shame, and partially explains some of their problems.

Has nothing to do with '4fig + ts and ojs', and has everything to do with having the appropriate expertise on each card. You grade a $20 VG T206 the same way you grade a $1,000 VG T206, and the expertise is the same. The expertise for grading a $20 VG T206 is NOT the same as what't required to grade a $20 NM modern card.

Forget the dollar value - skill is the issue here.

[kmac32]

Rick, I need your snail mail address to send you $100.00 in Monopoly money

[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).