What's your Pre-Grading process?

General
1

My dangerous combination of old age and overconfidence in my abilities has resulted in the realisation that I’m not as good at Pre-Grading cards as I thought I was…

What’s your process?

Microscope? Jewelers loupe? Centering tools?

When is whitening ACTUALLY whitening?

What to do with dull cuts? Fluffy edges?

Help guys… :sweat_smile:

1 Like
2

I

  1. eyeball centering
  2. check corners for whitening
  3. check edges for silvering
  4. check the surface for the scratches and dents

Meanwhile PSA graders:

  1. Use software to automate a centering score and filter bootlegs
  2. Wipe down the card
  3. Check the automated centering score and decide if it’s accurate
  4. Use a 10x loupe to check for corner whitening, dents, scratches and edge damage
  5. Create a composite score for the cards and assigns a grade
3 Likes
3
  1. Take out my “To Grade” pile.
  2. Look at current grading prices.
  3. Put said pile of cards away for another day.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 every few weeks with increasing apathy.
15 Likes
4

I feel that, like I’m not going to pay $150 for TAG grading prices just to get my $1 bulk AR in a 10

5

Look at card and buy it
Go to e4 who says its an 8
Stay in denial until it arrives
Post buy clairity leads to better pregrade

2 Likes
6
  1. Contemplate spending $10K on getting 5 wotc holos pubed and 7’d or buy a new guitar
  2. Go through all the permutations of the things that can go wrong at literally every step of the process
  3. Consider drug muling to PSA with or without the proper documents
  4. Remember that step 3 isn’t an option since the walkthrough service isn’t walkthrough anymore
  5. Contemplate taxes
  6. Remember that selling the damn cards will repeat step 2-3 on steroids
  7. Buy a new guitar
15 Likes