I'm confused...what's the .5 for???

[JollyElm]

Saw this on ebay...

s-l1600-10.jpg

...shouldn't the 'a single hair away from being deemed miscut' centering nullify any sort of grade 'bonus'????

[rats60]

That is PSA that gives a .5 bump to cards. BGS grades 4 different characteristics: corners, edges, surface and centering. Then they use a formula to calculate the grade.

[swarmee]

And while PSA normally gives it for great centering for the issue, it can also be given for having a much better subgrade for corners or surface at PSA. It doesn't have to be just centering.

[stlcardsfan]

BVG used to list the 4 sub grades on the back but abandoned that way back. Looks like the new grading company owned by CGC will do it and list them on the front of the flip. I know Darren, that doesn’t address your question. I digress.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by rats60

That is PSA that gives a .5 bump to cards. BGS grades 4 different characteristics: corners, edges, surface and centering. Then they use a formula to calculate the grade.

Thus I have a BVG card graded a 5 that has a wrinkle/light crease on the card's back. Their "formula" allows for a card that has a wrinkle/light crease to be a 5. I believe that was the last mid-grade BVG card I have purchased.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Thus I have a BVG card graded a 5 that has a wrinkle/light crease on the card's back. Their "formula" allows for a card that has a wrinkle/light crease to be a 5. I believe that was the last mid-grade BVG card I have purchased.

PSA does too, at least in the past. I ran across t205s occasionally graded EX with creases when I was working on my set. You have to look at the card closely and not just the label.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by rats60

PSA does too, at least in the past. I ran across t205s occasionally graded EX with creases when I was working on my set. You have to look at the card closely and not just the label.

Per PSA's current guidelines, a 4 (4.5) is the highest grade that can have some sort of crease. Thus PER PSA GUIDELINES, a PSA 5 or better should be crease free.

The point is that PSA guidelines do not allow for an EX card to have a crease while BVG's "formula" allows for a card graded a 5 to have some sort of (light) crease/wrinkle.

Now, as we all know and will likely agree to is that the reality of grading is completely different than what stated grading "guidelines" are.....I have a PSA 5 with paper loss, a PSA 7 with light corner rounding, etc.....

Almost all of my PSA "fails", a card graded 3-4 grades higher than it should have been, have been part of larger lots I have purchased. Obviously, due to the reality of grading, when buying any card as a single or as part of a small lot, a card should be inspected closely.

[scmavl]

The .5 is for 50% more border than a regular card.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by scmavl

The .5 is for 50% more border than a regular card.

Now that's what I'm talking about!! Most people didn't seem to realize I was just being facetious with the whole .5 thingamabob.