A Robert Stack, Unsolved Mystery....

[fkw]

In most if not all cases....
An "A" Authentic grade is for cards that fall below a SGC-10, and also for cards that have been altered.

The Cobb "bat on" was altered.
IMO top/bottom is short and both were trimmed slightly to sharpen corners.

whoever did it ruined a very nice card IMO

Greed

[joeadcock]

Isaac

Agree with Mr. Ward. SGC is grading Authentic altered as well as unaltered cards. The unaltered would be generally in poor shape such as a card missing the back advertisement, or large amts of damage. I have had cards rejected by SGC due to "too much of card missing". Interestingly enough, had one card from a tough prewar set rejected because of "color added". Resubmitted the card over a year later and given an SGC 10 designation. It actually wasn't color added but some odd color fading on the card.

PSA has rejected apparently trimmed cards before for me but I have also seen cards listed as trimmed for other collectors in an authentic holder.

Beckett has an authentic service also for tough shape cards.

In general, poor shape cards probably should not be graded unless you want to protect them or you simply like their appearance in a holder, or they are valuable(i.e. Hall of Famer). Reason not to grade otherwise would be that it would not make the card much more valuable than raw.

Good luck

Frank