Whether buying graded cards or choosing raw cards to grade, it’s vitally important to understand the basics of card grading. And if you need a primer on the topic, Cardhound has you covered.
This includes understanding not only “condition” in general, but also the nuances of grading. A full understanding of all aspects of grading can save you time, frustration, and of course money. Read on for explanation and examples of 5 misunderstood aspects of grading with PSA and SGC.
Misunderstanding #1: How Grading Works
Myth: There is a common misunderstanding that each card starts the grading process as a “gem 10.” Then, the graders “deduct points” for various flaws.
Truth: A better way to think about the process is that cards grade “down” to their weakness. Then they can grade “up” from there if other condition aspects allow for it.
Explanation: PSA and SGC do not explicitly give “subgrades” for centering, surface, edges, and corners. But it is still true that each grade has a stated minimum condition requirement for each of the 4 main criteria. A clean card with horrible centering will grade “down” to the allowed grade. It can climb back “up” usually by no more than .5-1 point.
Misunderstanding #2: Fatal Flaws
Myth: Another common misunderstood aspect of grading is that “clean cards” with just one major defect can still grade well.
Truth: There are some fatal flaws in card grading–grade killers, regardless of how sharp or clean the card is otherwise. The best example is the dreaded pinhole.
Explanation: A pinhole is also a good example of a card grading down to its weakness. This is considered a fatal flaw. It usually results in a 1 grade (poor) for surface, which usually caps the total card grade at 1.5, due to the system explained above. These can be great buys (raw or graded) because the cards can look fantastic at first glance. But despite the eye appeal, the technical grade will be low. Other examples of fatal flaws are paper loss and tears (even a small tear is a grade killer).
Pinhole cards are not considered Altered but grade low
Misunderstanding # 3: “Authentic” vs. “Altered”
Cardhound has already written on this topic extensively, so we won’t recreate the wheel. But here’s a quick rundown:
Myths: “This card graded A due to a pinhole.” Or, “This A grade was likely submitted only for Authentication.”
Truth: Any card that is original, complete, and intact is eligible for a grade of Poor / 1–even the pinhole example. And not many cards are submitted merely for authentication.
Explanation: “Authentic” is almost always synonymous with “Altered.” You should generally assume that any card in an Authentic-label slab has been trimmed, recolored, cleaned, pressed, otherwise altered.
Attempting to erase a mark results in an “Altered” grade
Misunderstanding #4: PSA “Miscut” (MC) vs. SGC “Miscut”
Myth: “Miscut” just means “way off center.”
Truth: PSA and SGC use this term in very different ways. A PSA “miscut” can receive a qualified grade (see Number 5). But an SGC “miscut” is considered Authentic only and cannot receive a number.
Explanation: Miscut (MC) is a required qualifier at PSA. It is reserved for cards that are way off center–usually to the point that part of the next card is showing, or a border is 100% missing. SGC uses the term “miscut” to mean “bad factory cut,” referring to a card that is diamond cut or not square, for example. Miscut cards via this definition receive A / authentic altered only.
This card is not “miscut” via PSA’s use of the term
Misunderstanding #5: PSA Qualifiers (MC), (OC), (MK), etc.
Myth: “This card received a 7 (MC). Think of how much higher it would grade if it wasn’t miscut!”
Truth: Qualifiers don’t mean “this card would grade higher if not for the qualifier.” Instead, they mean “this card is otherwise a 7, but the miscut makes it ineligible for a 7.”
Explanation: People tend to hate qualifiers. which are explained here. While PSA hands them out much less frequently now, opting instead for the lower true grade, they do serve a purpose. FYI, miscut (MC) and (MK), marked, are required if present. All other qualifiers are now grader discretion. If the centering is a true outlier, they will still give (OC), off center. But more often, the “7 (OC)” will now just be graded a 5, or whatever is warranted by the centering.
Conclusion
There are surely more misunderstood aspects of card grading, but fine-tuning your understanding of these 5 will help you buy, sell, and grade with more success and less frustration.
Hi Matt, Hoping for some further clarification the SGC A. I have a Goudey that is labeled A Auth and was graded in 2007. Is the A grade from 2007 different in that it does not necessarily mean it was altered?
It COULD be that someone just wanted it authenticated–but far more likely, the card is altered in some way and was therefore not eligible for a number grade. I’m glad to look if you want to send pics!
How would a card that is cut larger than it should be, be graded ?
I have a few beautiful 1991 marvel cards but they’re all cut larger than the standard
I don’t know that I agree completely with the “most likely altered” comment. If you are a part of many of the grading discussion boards, people are fairly fed up with some of the grading companies like PSA. Some discussion involve people saying they do not grade because they think it is so random. A grader could have a bad day or a prejudice for certain cards. They have said they send the cards for their PC in to just get authentic and encapsulated. Lots that want to just make money seem to be best to turn them rapidly and sell raw. Too much to be lost missing a 10 and raw still has appeal. Now “Authentic Altered” is a whole other story. Hard to slip those in under the radar. I do agree that you should look closely at pictures before buying any graded or raw card.
But still, old label A grades are most likely altered. Hardly anyone sent cards in for Authentic when that label was indistinguishable from Altered. It would make more sense to do that now, since it will be labeled “Authentic” which is now distinct from Auth / Altered. I’ll guess folks “fed up” with grading would not bother to send cards in at all? But in any case, if there’s a groundswell of frustration with grading, that’s a very small number–graders are breaking records month over month, and PSA grades more cards in a month now than they used to grade in a year not long ago! It’s an interesting topic / debate for sure.
How would a card that is cut larger than it should be, be graded ?
I have a few beautiful 1991 marvel cards but they’re all cut larger than the standard
They would most likely grade as A / miscut. Some sets are famous for this, like 1955 Bowman.