First and foremost, thanks to those who weighed in - I truly appreciate it...
I just ended a very pleasant conversation with Mitch at SGC. The guy couldn't have been nicer and was able to provide me with a very descriptive answer as to why it received an 'A' designation. Here goes, in paraphrase form:
In the upper left of the card is a crease - it's there, it's faint and noticeable and there's also some light scratching in the area (again, faint but noticeable) but the card still looks very attractive. In that area, right below the NY on the cap, someone added color - most likely to cover the worst point of the crease and improve eye appeal. The color match was 'excellent' but the presence of the coloring agent gives it away and therefore it was picked up under close examination 'pretty easily'. Outside of that, it would have probably fallen into the VG-VG+ (3-3.5) range, though true grading stops once an alteration is found.
As for my reaction, I'm cool with it. I love the card and since I now know what's up with it I'm just happy that it is not trimmed. I can live with a dot of color added. That's also why I stay in the lower end of the grading system.
Thanks again
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