SGC Sports Card Grading Scale

10 PRI

Virtually flawless.

Centering: 50/50  on the front and the back.

Corners: Four sharp corners.

Surface: Crisp focus. No breaks in surface gloss, print or refractor lines. Free of stains and no visible wear under magnification.

10 GM

Gem.

Centering: 55/45 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Four sharp corners.

Surface: Crisp focus. No breaks in surface gloss, print or refractor lines. Free of stains and no visible wear under magnification. Allowable: A slight print spot under close scrutiny. As long as it does not distract from the aesthetics of the card.

9.5

Mint +

Centering: 55/45 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Four sharp corners.

Surface: A card, that at first glance appears to be a Gem Mint 10 but upon closer inspection may have tiny flaws that keep it from being graded a 10 GM.

9

Mint

Centering: 60/40 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Four sharp corners.*

Surface: Sharp focus. But with a minor flaw. Allowable Minor Flaws: slight nick in one corner. Small gloss break or surface scratch. Minor Print Line or Refractor Line. Small Print Spot, Minor focus issue, or coloration imperfection. Other minor flaws may be acceptable. Depends on how many there are and what they are.

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8.5

Near Mint/Mint+

Centering:  65/35 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Four sharp corners.*

Surface: Sharp focus. But with a few minor flaws. Allowable Minor Flaws: slight nick in one corner. Small gloss break or surface scratch. Minor Print Line or Refractor Line. Small Print Spot, Minor focus issue, or coloration imperfection. Other minor flaws may be acceptable. Depends on how many there are and what they are.

8

Near Mint/Mint

Centering:  65/35 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Corners sharp to the naked eye but may exhibit slight wear under closer examination.

Surface: Sharp focus. But with a few minor flaws. Allowable Minor Flaws: slight nick in one corner. Small gloss break or surface scratch. Minor Print Line or Refractor Line. Small Print Spot, Minor focus issue, or coloration imperfection. Other minor flaws may be acceptable. Depends on how many there are and what they are.

7.5

Near Mint+

Centering: 70/30 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Corners sharp to the naked eye but may exhibit slight wear under closer examination.

Surface: Few Minor Flaws. Allowable Minor Flaws: very minor wear in one corner. Gloss break or surface scratch. Print Line or Refractor Line. Print Spot, Minor focus issue, or coloration imperfection. Other minor flaws may be acceptable. Depends on how many there are and what they are.

7

Near Mint

Centering: 70/30 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Slight wear in some corners.

Surface: Minor flaws: Small scratches, print spots, or speckling. Print lines or refractor lines are acceptable. Card may have a skewed diamond cut.

6.5

Excellent/Near Mint+

Centering: 75/25 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Slight fuzzing in the corners.

Surface: Card may have a skewed diamond cut which is more noticeable. Slight notching of edges may exist. Focus or register may be off. Will have a higher end quality and appeal than a 6, but not as great as a 7.

6

Excellent/Near Mint

Centering: 75/25 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Slight fuzzing in the corners.

Surface: Card may have a skewed diamond cut which is more noticeable. Slight notching of edges may exist. Focus or register may be off.

5.5

Excellent+

Centering: 80/20 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Minor rounding or fuzziness.

Edges: Chipping or roughness along the edge. No layering.

Surface: One ever so slight surface or “spider” crease may exist on ONE side of the card. Gloss loss with some scratching acceptable as long as it does not distract from the aesthetics of the card. Will have a higher end quality and appeal than a 5, but not as great as a 6.

5

Excellent

Centering: 80/20 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Minor rounding or fuzziness.

Edges: Chipping or roughness along the edge. No layering.

Surface: One ever so slight surface or “spider” crease may exist on ONE side of the card. Gloss loss with some scratching acceptable as long as it does not distract from the aesthetics of the card.

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4.5

Very Good/Excellent+

Centering: 85/15 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Slightly rounded
Surface: Surface: Modest surface wear. Light hairline crease acceptable. May show on one or both sides. Slight tear or surface break may exist. Will have a higher end quality and appeal than a 4, but not as great as a 5.

4

Very Good/Excellent

Centering: 85/15 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Slightly rounded

Surface: Modest surface wear. Light hairline crease acceptable. May show on one or both sides. Slight tear or surface break may exist.

3.5

Very Good+

Centering: 90/10 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: More rounded but not excessive.

Surface: Stronger creasing. Poorer focus, registration, and discoloration exists. Staining is more noticeable. Will have a higher end quality and appeal than a 3, but not as great as a 4.

3

Very Good

Centering: 90/10 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: More rounded but not excessive.

Surface: Stronger creasing. Poorer focus, registration, and discoloration exists. Staining is more noticeable.

2.5

Good+

Centering: 90/10 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Rounded or frayed.

Surface: Card will usually exhibit one or more of the following: Heavy creasing and/or print spots. Focus and Discoloration imperfections. Surface scruffing or tears. Ink/Pencil markings or pinholes. Have very little or no original gloss. Will have a higher end quality and appeal than a 2, but not as great as a 3.

2

Good

Centering: 90/10 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Rounded or frayed.

Surface: Card will usually exhibit one or more of the following: Heavy creasing and/or print spots. Focus and Discoloration imperfections. Surface scruffing or tears. Ink/Pencil markings or pinholes. Have very little or no original gloss.

1.5

Fair

Centering: 90/10 or better on the front and the back.

Corners: Rounded or frayed.

Surface: Card will usually exhibit several of the following: Heavy creasing and/or print spots. Focus and Discoloration imperfections. Surface scruffing or tears. Ink/Pencil markings or pinholes. Have very little or no original gloss. A small portion of the card may be missing.

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1

Poor

Centering: Not accounted for if it does not meet a 1.5 criteria.

Corners: Rounded or frayed.

Surface: Card will usually exhibit several of the following: Heavy creasing and/or print spots. Focus and Discoloration imperfections. Surface scruffing or tears. Ink/Pencil markings or pinholes. Have very little or no original gloss. Small portions of the card may be missing.

S

Superior

The Superior jersey is completely all original and will show ideal use/wear given the period, player, games played, and position. If there are any alterations, they must be consistent with documented player preference characteristics such as shorted/cut sleeves or tails. Minor fabric repairs are acceptable when they are assessed as being period to the uniform or part of a professional conservation effort for a much older jersey. No amount of restoration can bring any jersey into the superior category regardless of the quality of the effort or the materials or techniques used for reclamation.

E

Excellent

The Excellent jersey is mostly all original and highlights consistent, even, and discernible use/wear given the period, player, games played, and position. If there are any alterations, they must be consistent with documented player preference characteristics such as shorted sleeves or tails. On the off chance that there are any modifications, they should be predictable with reported player inclination qualities, for example, shorted sleeves or tails. Minor texture fixes are adequate when they are evaluated as being period to the uniform or first rate authentic preservation endeavors.

Soiling and staining may be present, but not to a point where it significantly impacts the jersey from an aesthetic standpoint and/or is inconsistent with the overall use and wear of the body of the jersey. Which includes condition issues associated with poor storage; foxing, fading due to exposure to light, glue residue from framing, etc. The same can be said for minor structural issues associated with normal use and wear/care such as broken stitching, fabric separations, and similar effects on applications  regarding numbering, lettering, or trim. Minimal conservation and restoration efforts, especially when done and documented as being executed with period correct components (patches, buttons, zippers) are acceptable for an excellent jersey.

Single Player

There can be no doubt about the attribution of the use and wear to the single player in question. This last point precludes uniforms that have been reissued to another player from being considered an Excellent example in all but the most extreme cases. These would include when it can be documented that a player was initially provided a previously issued jersey for their own use and wear as well as when secondary use and wear appears insignificant with respect to the current appearance. Another thing that keeps a jersey from being considered a strictly Excellent example is if it is incomplete in a meaningful and significant manner. For example it is missing: tagging, patches, numbers, lettering, etc.

VG

Very Good

The Very Good jersey must be largely original and assessed as featuring less than ideal use or wear given the period, player, games played, and position. Possibly too little or too much, given the totality of the circumstances. The jersey may show alterations to accommodate extended organizational use such as name, number change, patch removal or application, but certainly not multiples of these. The attribution to the player in question is not in doubt. Jersey may feature restorations using non-period fabrics for lettering, numbering, and other applications (piping, soutach) and the work is well executed. The VG jersey also likely features some lack of completeness that is noticeable such as multiple replaced buttons. Button replacements are expected to be uniform and matching.

Fabric repairs are acceptable. Soiling and staining are likely noticeably present in natural lighting from a typical viewing distance. There may be an element of incompleteness to the VG jersey. It may be missing a patch, a number, buttons, tagging, or small portion of an application. However, it certainly will not be multiples of all of these. The VG jersey cannot feature condition issues that could be assessed as damage or dis-figuration. When a jersey is assessed as being “damaged” or “disfigured”, this must be clearly explained in the body of the supporting work. With professional and documented conservation and restoration efforts using period materials and skill, it is possible for a Very Good example to become an Excellent example because it is now complete, as long as it otherwise meets the criteria and conditions of an Excellent example for use and wear.

G

Good

The Good example only differs from the VG example mainly based on multiples or the magnitude of the issues mentioned for the VG example. The Good example also typically features some element of damage or disfigurement not associated with a VG example. One such example is finding a uniform with portions of fabric cut away in order to provide material to patch other garments. Others include noticeable moth damage, burns, atypical staining or other forms of damage.

F

Fair

With the Fair model, we unmistakably start to see issues of utilization and wear that can be categorized on our continuum as being atypically light for a period, player, position, or evaluated as damaged/ruined. This damage is evidently clear and has either been left unaddressed or tended to in a non-professional manner. With documented and professional restorations, even using non-period materials, it is possible to for a Fair example to become a Good example. It is also possible that the Fair example has value as a donor jersey for future conservation efforts.

P

Poor

With the Poor example we virtually see issues with use and wear that can be categorized on our continuum as not likely or present for an era, player, position, or evaluated as being obviously damaged. In either case, this is discernible through non-technical means. There are probably significant issues with the uniforms completeness. The attempts at restoration/repair/conservation have been poorly executed and are discernible through non-technical means. A Poor example may also feature significant issues with completeness. The Poor example may be suitable and have value as a “display piece” or “donor” uniform. In some cases based on the rarity of style and/or player. However, the Poor example may still be a likely candidate for conservation and restoration efforts that could take it into the Fair or Good categories.