PRE GRADE

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Before sending your cards into Collector's Grade or any third-party grading service, it is important to understand the criteria that various grading companies use. 

This will help you decide which cards to send in and get the highest possible grade.

In order to check and evaluate cards for grading, it is best to have the following items:

jeweler's loup or 10x magnifier

centering too (if available)

microfiber towel to wipe fingerprints 

When examining your cards, it is important to use a critical and discerning eye. 

You must leave any emotional, sentimental or financial involvement out of any assessment.

Self-grading allows collectors to get an idea of the general condition a card is actually in. 

They can then get a better estimate of what grade it might receive upon submission. 

Corners and edges that, to the naked eye, appear sharp, may not be when viewed under magnification. This will be done by a card grader, so make sure you do it in advance. 

Surface wear, print dots, and minor creases all play into the final grade a card receives.

Below is a link to a list of grades and criteria from the four major grading companies that collectors can use to help in assessing their own cards.

In general, many condition characteristics carry a weighted average of importance in determining a card's final grade. While the exact weight is usually determined by the grading company and, sometimes, the grader themselves, typically the order of importance is as follows:

• Surface Condition: paper loss, creases, print dots, and other blemishes.
• Corner Wear: soft, rounding, fuzzy.
• Edge Wear: visible wear resulting in paper or color loss.

By thoroughly understanding the criteria used at each grade level, with practice, collectors can usually determine the grade a card should receive upon submission.

It is a good idea to self-grade all cards you are submitting and record their self-grade. That way, when you get the cards back from grading, any discrepancies can be thoroughly examined. It also allows collectors to ask specific questions, based on their understanding of the card's condition, as to why a card was returned in a certain grade.

When examining vintage cards, it is important to measure the cards using a standard 6" ruler. Starting in 1957, almost all standard sized trading cards were, and continue to be, printed with a dimension of 2 1/2" wide by 3 1/2" high. Between 1952 and 1956, cards were printed with a format of 2 3/4" wide by 3 5/8" high. 1951 Topps Baseball cards were printed smaller with a size of 2" wide by 2 5/8" high. Knowing the exact dimensions of the card for the year they were printed is important as unethical dealers and collectors have been known to trim cards to eliminate soft corners and edge wear. Trimmed cards are returned ungraded.

Discoloring is identifiable with a jewelers loupe.  Some people will attempt to mask edge wear on colored bordered cards by using a similar color Sharpie marker to cover the damaged part of the card that's visibly white part. To the naked eye, this trick may work. However, under bright light and magnification, such modifications are easy to spot.

Magnification can also detect doctoring done to remove creases. Sometimes people will apply pressure to a card, often with a spoon, to alter a card and try to remove an undesirable crease. Under light and magnification, the surface will still display a slight wrinkle with a smoother, almost shinier area around the crease. While doing this may increase the card's eye appeal, it is evidence of doctoring and, again, may result in a card being returned ungraded.

Collectors who invest the time and money to pre-grade their cards before sending them in will save time, money, and potential disappointment. 

Collectors will also be able to better judge whether a card should be graded and have a realistic idea of what a card should grade ahead of time.

article courtesy of cardboard connection