CGC Grading Standards

General
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I got a number of questions with CGC grading standards. I don’t suppose too many people would know given how new they are but maybe the few that have could share some insight and their experience. These are a few of my questions.

1.) How strict is CGC with centering. Is a 55/45 or a 60/40 going to knock you off a 10? Also whether or not there’s an emphasis on front centering more so than back centering like PSA.

2.) With subgrading, what is requirements to getting a pristine 10? Initially I would assuming it would be the average of the grades, but I’ve seen a cards with like a 8, 8.5, 9, & 10 subgrades and the card gets a 8.5. So it seems like maybe it’s the average of the grades rounded down?

3.) I’ve also heard that the only way to get a Perfect 10, (ie. Quad 10s) is if you add subgrade service. I am hoping that the person was mistaken because that should be the case. If a card is a Perfect 10, it should get a Perfect 10 grade regardless of whether or not you paid CGC an extra $5 bucks or not.

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  1. Unfortunately this info is not presently public. I have emailed CGC to request it. I am currently in the process of blowing up scans, measuring centering via pixel, and determining standards myself based on large
    sample size, but it is terribly boring. I can tell that like BGS, they are strict with centering, and a 55/45-60/40 will NOT net you a 10 centering grade or even a 9.5 if it’s closer to 60/40. [Edit - just checked my spreadsheet and you are actually looking at 8.5 - 9.5 here, with most 8.5 and 9.

  2. You need 3x 10 and 1x 9.5 to receive a pristine 10.

  3. Yes, you need to pay for subgrades to receive a perfect 10, which I would like to see changed.

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Some of that (especially your second question) has been discussed in the cgc grading thread.

www.elitefourum.com/t/cgc-grading/27173/1

If I remember correctly the overall grade can’t be higher than 0.5 above the lowest subgrade.

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Thanks guys for confirming pretty much what I had suspected. I don’t have any CGC cards on hand but seen enough pictures to come to the same conclusion.

It also seems like everyone here agrees that the subgrade addon requirement to get the perfect 10 is dumb.

I’d also add that I think CGC is a bit more strict than BGS. Just my initial impression so far.

I’d also like them be very specific about centering like 55/45 or better is a 10 and so on. Because what they got now like “10 requires perfect centering” is too vague. Unless it literaly means perfect like even a 51/49 wouldn’t score a 10 which obviously isn’t the case.

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Starting to think CGC just pays people to go on sites and mention them.

But yes…the $5 charge just to be eligible for the perfect ten seems a bit dishonest

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Just got my first cgc order back along with a psa order and they were graded very very similarly

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Don’t really see the issue with needing subgrades to get the perfect 10. Can you get a black label bgs without purchasing subgrades?

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BGS provides subgrades for free if the card grades either a Pristine 10 or a Black Label 10.

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Good to know thank you!

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Have a few questions on Reholdering:

  1. Can a CGC 10 pristine w/o subgrades be sent for reholdering to get slabbed with subs?
  2. Also, do you guys think it is possible to get a perfect after graded with subs, on a card w/o subs which is a Pristine 10? Considering CGC doesn’t give perfects if sent in w/o subs in first place… and their website said, grades won’t change, can my card still be eligible for a bump up?

WOuld love to see what you guys think or have any past experience with such a scenario…

PS: The card really looks Perfect imo… I had bought it graded (else I would’ve added subs if I graded myself)

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I wouldnt worry about getting a cgc 10

there is not 1 vintage holo English 10 in existance

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@wise_wailmer It’s actually a Japanese Mew and Mewtwo tag all stars gold card

lmao, I know that fact haha ty!

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Posts in threads with a last post of over two months ago are against the rules.

All basic grading questions must be posted here: www.elitefourum.com/t/the-giant-professional-grading-thread/30930/1

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