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Graded
Baseball Cards
What does it mean to have a graded
baseball card?
First, grading is primarily about
defining a cards condition in a standardized way usually by a third
party professional company that offers a grading service. Professional
grading services have been offered to collectors and dealers for the last
decade by several companies including Beckett Grading Services (BGS), and
Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). The purpose is to have an
unbiased evaluation of a card's condition so a collector or dealer can
quickly determine value. Before third party grading was available
determining a cards condition could be an arbitrary experience. Grading is
important because the better the condition, the higher the value.
Defining a sports card's condition
In general grading companies use a scale
of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest or best example. There are some
companies that include half points in their scale to further define a
cards condition but, the concept is the same. For instance a grade of a 9
is better than a grade of 8.5. The following is a general guideline to
each step in a grading scale. (Note: please refer to the specific
company's grading scale descriptions for details about their grading
standards).
GEM-MT 9.5 or 10: Gem Mint
A Gem Mint 10 or 9.5 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes
include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original
gloss. A Gem Mint card must be free of staining of any kind, but an
allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't
impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered on the
card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40
percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse.
MINT 9: Mint
A Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the
following minor flaws: a very slight wax stain on reverse, a minor
printing imperfection or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be
approximately 60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better
on the reverse.
NM-MT 8: Near Mint-Mint
A NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance,
but upon closer inspection, the card can exhibit the following: a very
slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a
minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders.
Centering must be approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front
and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
NM 7: Near Mint
A NM 7 is a card with just a slight surface wear visible upon close
inspection. There may be slight fraying on some corners. Picture focus
may be slightly out-of-register. A minor printing blemish is acceptable.
Slight wax staining is acceptable on the back of the card only. Most of
the original gloss is retained. Centering must be approximately 70/30 to
75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
EX-MT 6: Excellent-Mint
A EX-MT 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which
does not detract from its overall appeal. A very light scratch may be
detected only upon close inspection. Corners may have slightly graduated
fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may show
some loss of original gloss, may have minor wax stain on reverse, may
exhibit very slight notching on edges and may also show some
off-whiteness on borders. Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front
and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
EX 5: Excellent
A EX-5 card has very minor rounding of the corners is becoming evident.
Surface wear or printing defects are more visible. There may be minor
chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent. Focus
of picture may be slightly out-of-register. Several light scratches may
be visible upon close inspection, but do not detract from the appeal of
the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Centering must be
85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
VG-EX 4: Very Good-Excellent
A VG-EX 4 card's corners may be slightly rounded. Surface wear is
noticeable but modest. The card may have light scuffing or light
scratches. Some original gloss will be retained. Borders may be slightly
off-white. A light crease may be visible. Centering must be 85/15 or
better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
VG 3: Very Good
A VG 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme.
Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing
or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may
exhibit noticeable wear. Much, but not all, of the card's original gloss
will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored. A
crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may
show on obverse and wax staining on reverse may be more prominent.
Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.
GOOD 2: Good
A Good 2 card's corners show accelerated rounding and surface wear is
starting to become obvious. A good card may have scratching, scuffing,
light staining, or chipping of enamel on obverse. There may be several
creases. Original gloss may be completely absent. Card may show
considerable discoloration. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the
front and back.
PR-FR 1: Poor to Fair
A PR-FR 1 card's corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting
framing of picture. Surface of card will show advanced stages of wear,
including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. Picture
will possibly be quite out-of-register and borders may have become brown
and dirty. May have one or more heavy creases. A Poor card may be
missing one or more small pieces, have major creasing and extreme
discoloration or dirtiness throughout. Card may show noticeable warping.
Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.
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Baseball Cards
Mint Baseball Cards
Derek Jeter
Rookie graded by PSA. For more Jeter cards
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