Who actually grades the cards?

[allonblack]

Just curious. I know there are different things a card is graded on but I literally have no clue about the people who actually do it. Are they certified in something? I can't imagine there's a hockey card grading school to attend. Are they like professional art graders or something? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Inferno]

I think it's done by that same chimp that used to spin that wheel on TSN to predict playoff winners :)

Seriously though, I don't really know. I assume they have strict guidelines to follow, measurements to take, stuff like that but a lot of it probably comes down to that particular persons opinion. What is a 9.0 to one guy could be a 9.5 to the next. I wonder if anyone has ever tried sending the same card in over and over to see if the grades are consistent? Could be an interesting experiment.

[Habitforming]

Just like any other job, the graders are trained on what, and how, to look for flaws. This is likely the reason grades can vary so widely. I would also like to think they have to get approval from a supervisor or something for a card to be graded a perfect 10 pristine, but I really don't know.

[MattDMC]

I wonder if anyone has ever tried sending the same card in over and over to see if the grades are consistent? Could be an interesting experiment.

Not over and over but I have sent the same card in twice on a couple of occasions because I didn't like the grade I got. Broke the card out of the slab and resubmitted it.

Done this 3 times.
First time the card was an 8.5 sent it in again came back a 9.5
second time was an 8 sent it in again came back a 9
last time was a 9 sent it in came back a 9.5

Just depends on the grader I suppose.

[Inferno]

Not over and over but I have sent the same card in twice on a couple of occasions because I didn't like the grade I got. Broke the card out of the slab and resubmitted it.

Done this 3 times.
First time the card was an 8.5 sent it in again came back a 9.5
second time was an 8 sent it in again came back a 9
last time was a 9 sent it in came back a 9.5

Just depends on the grader I suppose.

And that's why I think grading is a farce. You're obviously not getting the true "grade" of the card since it can fluctuate depending on the grader. The difference in value between an 8 and a 9 can be huge especially with older cards, I would never trust something like that to some random guy slapping grades on slabs.

[Habitforming]

And that's why I think grading is a farce. You're obviously not getting the true "grade" of the card since it can fluctuate depending on the grader. The difference in value between an 8 and a 9 can be huge especially with older cards, I would never trust something like that to some random guy slapping grades on slabs.

True, but you are also assuming that the card wasn't that good to start with.
I have a card graded an 8.5 without any noticable flaws (and I use a jewlers loupe to do my own cards before I send them in). I'm sure if I resubmit it, the grade would be a minimum 9.5.

Sometimes the grades aren't justified being that high, but it goes the other way more often

[hockey01]

And that's why I think grading is a farce. You're obviously not getting the true "grade" of the card since it can fluctuate depending on the grader. The difference in value between an 8 and a 9 can be huge especially with older cards, I would never trust something like that to some random guy slapping grades on slabs.

+1. I'd never do grading, or buy, seems like a way for people to make a little more money. The graders make money, people who've had them graded mostly sell them for more money.

you first got a 8 which would have sold for less money, you sent it in to get a better score so you could sell it for more.
Oh the materialistic nature of our human ways

[allonblack]

Basically these are all things I've wondered about as well. Do the graders have lists of serial numbered cards that they've already graded? Like a database or something? Seems kind of crazy that you can just keep resending in cards for their arbitrary grades until you get one you like but there would be no way of telling with regular cards. Can't help but feel grading is just another scam like BV pricing to try and legitimize our hobby and drive up prices of cards that are mostly worthless.