Do we know if graders look at cards or the scans?
Feels like this would be true if graders graded based on scans
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Graders examine cards, not scans.
However, I do believe that QA would be improved if they looked at the scans before shipping. You can see certain types of damage more easily on the scans.
That’s a very interesting possibility that I hadn’t considered.
Honestly, this would totally explain why they often miss the front top edge peeling on exs, because it’s typically not visible in scans but it’s very obvious when looking at the card in person. Same with surface wear.
Although it couldn’t be true all of the time because I do have cards with grades (that appear to be) based on condition issues that don’t appear in scans.
We know that this is what companies claim, but do we actually know it for a fact? TBH, it wouldn’t shock me if grading was based on scans (at least some of the time), because it would also reduce the risk of liability for a grader mishandling a card and damaging it + it would dramatically reduce the time required per card. And it would also explain why CGC is particularly lenient on the attributes @BANKS mentioned.
For instance, this card has surface scratching AND top edge peeling, but they aren’t that apparent (except very subtly) in the scans:
Anyway, not saying I’m convinced, but it’s not totally implausible either.
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you gotta pay extra for them to look at the actual card vs just a scan
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Cgc and PSA look at cards or scans? I thought it was just a random number generator
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Historically, we do. There have been card grader AMAs and youtube videos in the past 5-10 years, and none of them have mentioned scans to my knowledge. Of course, technology advances quickly and grading companies are known to use employee NDAs, so it’s possible that scans or more advanced imaging technology have been integrated.
If it is used, I would expect it on higher-tier submissions for grade guarantee insurance purposes rather than the average bulk submission.
Publicly discussing advances in grading technology at PSA and CGC may be more of a liability (due to competition) than a marketing strength these days, but I hope it becomes a regular occurrence. CGC was really the first company to mention their use of XRF scanning, UV analysis, etc., and I was really happy to see that.
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Anyone else noticing BW full arts popping off recently? Checked in on lugia thinking it was flirting with a grand and its going crazy! It was going for $800-500 less a couple months ago
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A lot of these seem to follow a trend of front running the new sets too
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That makes sense. I wasn’t ecpecting non BW mon cards to really be effected by Black Bolt/White Flare but the whole era having some moment makes sense. Hoping they go a bit down at some point!
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even last year it was still around 500/600 i think. It did seem underrated though. Prices were already at like 150,- for the packs for ages. Glad i bought mine for 55,- in mid 2020
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Oh yeah, hard agree they were underrated. Just figured I had a bit more time before they went too crazy 
Oh well I’ll get that lugia one way or another. Congrats on your cheap pickup!
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Good luck on your hunt 
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Thanks! I’ll @ you when its achieved 
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Anyone else notice prices starting to drop?
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Depends on the card. As I was discussing earlier BW is definitely going up, but lots of SV has been dropping
If Gold Stars are included in that praise be lol
Nope, at least not high-mid end Modern. 151 for example is starting to slowly rise again after a bit of a price drop over the last few months.
For example, 151 Blastoise PSA 10 was up to $325ish at its peak, and dropped to $240-$250 a few months ago. Its slowly climbing back up and is at $270ish now.
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Alright i guess its just me
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the latios and latias gs’s are pretty dope u can see where the market is if they end near the “private” sales, the “sales” that went unpaid multiples times last year or somewhere in between 
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