After being submitted by a collector, each vintage baseball card will undergo a rigorous grading process by trained card graders at the authentication and grading company. The grader will first examine the card under bright lighting using magnification to inspect for any flaws or defects. They will look at things like centering, corners, edges and surfaces. Centering refers to how evenly the image is centered within the card borders – off-center cards grade lower. Corners will be checked for bumps, chips or rounding. Edges are inspected for bends, creases or damage. And the surface is analyzed for anything like scratches, stains, dirt or gloss problems.
Graders use a numerical scale, typically from 1 to 10, to assess the condition of each area examined. A perfect gem mint 10 card would be in pristine condition with no handling, wear or flaws evident under scrutiny. As damage, creases, staining or other imperfections are found, the grade will decrease accordingly. Additional notations may also be added to describe certain flaws in more detail. For example, a grade of 8 could indicate light whitening on the corners but no other issues found.
Once all areas of the card have been thoroughly examined and individual grades determined, the card is then assigned an overall composite grade. This takes into account the individual area grades as well as other considerations like the severity of flaws present. Typically the lowest individual area grade becomes the strongest factor in deciding the overall grade. So a card with otherwise strong marks but a corner with a deep crease would grade lower than a similar card with only light edge wear.
In addition to the numeric grade, cards may receive special designations. These include but are not limited to:
Gem Mint (GM) – Reserved for cards grading above a 9 with no notable flaws
Near Mint (NM) – Grades from 8 to 8.9, generally crisp and bright
Excellent (EX) – From 7 to 7.9, may have some minor defects
Very Good (VG) – Grades of 6 to 6.9, definite signs of usage
Good (G) – 5 to 5.9, becoming quite worn but still intact
Fair (FR) – Grades 4 to 4.9, heavily played with flaws
Poor (PR) – 3 to 3.9, very low grade usually with damage
Once grading is finalized, the designation and grade are clearly encapsulated with the card inside a tamper-proof slab label by the authentication company for certification and resale. These certified holders provide collectors assurance of the card’s condition, authenticity and originality. They also protect the card surfaces from further wear during subsequent exchange between collectors.
Vintage baseball card grading is a meticulous process conducted by trained professionals to determine a card’s condition, assign it a relative grade on a numerical scale, and clearly authenticate this evaluation for future collectors in a certified holder. This certification adds considerable value by providing a reliable, consistent and transparent assessment of quality sought after by serious vintage baseball card investors and enthusiasts.
