Card Grading vs. Autograph Grading

[glchen]

Originally Posted by Runscott

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But autograph grading? I don't understand why anyone cares about anything other than authenticity. Don't most autograph collectors have eyes?

I think consistency is all that really matters. For example, for a card, if someone says, I have a great looking T206 Red Cobb, but it grades a 1 due to a pinhole, people know what to expect. Similarly, if someone tells a dealer, I'm looking for a Lou Gehrig auto that grades around 4-6, that dealer knows which autos to look for you. Then when he brings out all of his autos around that grade, the buyer knows approx. what's coming also.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by glchen

I think consistency is all that really matters. For example, for a card, if someone says, I have a great looking T206 Red Cobb, but it grades a 1 due to a pinhole, people know what to expect. Similarly, if someone tells a dealer, I'm looking for a Lou Gehrig auto that grades around 4-6, that dealer knows which autos to look for you. Then when he brings out all of his autos around that grade, the buyer knows approx. what's coming also.

Do you actually order autographs from dealers that way?

No one I know would make such a request - they would instead say that they were looking for a 'nice' Gehrig, or 'something around $3,000'. If there were any consistency in what 'around 4-6' actually meant, then maybe autograph collectors would begin using such terminology.

[glchen]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Do you actually order autographs from dealers that way?

No one I know would make such a request - they would instead say that they were looking for a 'nice' Gehrig, or 'something around $3,000'. If there were any consistency in what 'around 4-6' actually meant, then maybe autograph collectors would begin using such terminology.

Personally, I don't collect autos. However, I've seen enough of them to pretty know much that anything under a 5 for an auto is pretty bad looking. I agree that the price range and "nice" would also work, but the auto grade would give more detail to exactly how "nice" the buyer is looking for. Obviously, it wouldn't be required.