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Guru Grading
by Larry
"Guru" Tipton
In an effort
to standardize OBC grading procedures, I have been asked to post my
Condition Guide. Dealers are hereby warned that reading any further is
likely to cause stomach pains.
Mint (MT):
The front of a Mint baseball card will include most of the original
paper. Normal "in the shirt pocket" creases are allowed, as are thumb
tack and staple holes. You should also be able to read most on the
back of the card. The only writing allowed on a Mint baseball card is
scratching off the old team name and inking in the new team. I have
received numerous e-mails asking about "gloss" and "centering". Since
I do not know what these are I cannot comment on it. Any Mickey Mantle
card grades Mint. Early 1900 tobacco cards can never grade lower than
Mint.
Near Mint (NM):
A Near Mint baseball card will at first appear to be perfect, but upon
closer inspection some minor flaws may be discovered. For example,
your favorite Milwaukee Braves pitcher is Joe Jay, but you can never
pull a Joe Jay from a pack. You have seven cards of Braves pitcher Don
McMahon, so you carefully cross out Don McMahons name and replace it
with Joe Jay. It goes without saying in this example you would also
have to thicken up Don McMahons eyebrows a little too. When examined
closely, staple holes may actually be nail holes which would downgrade
a Mint card to NM.
Excellent (EX):
An excellent condition baseball card should have at least three
corners. Hole punched cards and cards with BB holes will normally not
grade above EX. Any kind of writing is allowed on cards in excellent
condition. Added nasal hair, arrows through the players head, black
eyes, and blacked out teeth are certainly allowed. I have a 1958 Topps
#5 Willie Mays with a penciled in goatee, blacked out teeth, and a
large chip out of Willies left nostril. When the dealer told me he
would take five dollars for the card I replied "Excellent Dealer
Dude!" Bicycle spoke creases are allowed on EX cards, and any stain
from any source are allowed on EX condition cards. To read my award
winning dissertation entitled "Baseball Cards and Stains Accomplished
By Ten Year Olds" click (http://www.tenyearold.stain/ballcards.htm).
ANY BROOKLYN DODGER CARD CAN NEVER GRADE BELOW EXCELLENT!
Very Good (VG):
If less than 10% of the card has been burned up, this would classify
as a VG card. Cards that have been cut in two and taped back together
normally grade VG. EXCEPTION: 1941 Double Play Cards that have been
cut in two. If both sides have been taped, stapled, or glued back
together, these normally grade NM. If only half of the card remains,
it grades VG. Remember your least favorite card when you were a kid?
Somebody like Frank Zupo? You take your Frank Zupo card and lay it
down face first in the street and then get on your bike and get going
real fast. Just before your rear tire runs over your Frank Zupo, hit
the brakes! You could drag that Frank Zupo card ten feet if you timed
it right! Mouse damaged cards normally grade VG, however, cat damaged
cards (if you know what I mean) normally grade a lot lower than VG.
Good (G):
Good condition cards can be bent, cut, hole punched, taped, stapled,
wrote on, eraser damaged, torn, ripped, scuffed, stained, creased,
chipped, chewed, and glued. VG cards could have been used for target
practice, dunked in the toilet, set on fire and dropped from your
upstairs bedroom, used to mix model airplane paint, and definitely
thrown at your sister. No matter WHAT a card looks like, if you need
it for your collection, it looks GOOD to you!
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