Anywhere graded are discussed?

[DeuceGamer | 35]

Is there discussions anywhere online showing what games look like pre-grade and what grade they end up receiving? I’d like to get a better sense of the type of ranges to expect, specifically for CIB games but really both would be helpful.

For example, I’d like to own a nice CIB copy of Chrono Trigger and wondering what to expect from a box like the attached one. A place to view boxes (as well as manuals and carts) to see what type of grades one in similar condition normally gets would be helpful to know if I should consider upgrading the box before sending it in.

[LifeGame | 760]

For me thats a 9.2 but so many small flaws on each box that comparing is almost impossible IMO

[GPX | 1,369]

Some quick points:

- in order to gauge overall condition, all surfaces of the box/cart/manual must be shown. 

- before and after pictures may be misleading, as you can get damage to the box/contents during the posting of the game to the grading service or its return flight back to home.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

1 hour ago, LifeGame said:

For me thats a 9.2 but so many small flaws on each box that comparing is almost impossible IMO

That would be fine with me. I was wanting over 8.5 if possible. The Cart should easily be up to snuff as it still has the factory shine to it with no scuffs. 
 

How much do maps affect the grade?

51 minutes ago, GPX said:

Some quick points:

- in order to gauge overall condition, all surfaces of the box/cart/manual must be shown. 

- before and after pictures may be misleading, as you can get damage to the box/contents during the posting of the game to the grading service or its return flight back to home.

I’m confident the cart will be a high grade and I know I will need to replace the manual so in this example my concern was some of the really small wear on the box.

It doesn’t have to be exact, but I think it would be nice to have a better understanding what to expect. Obviously damage can happen and there’s no way to have after pictures of the cart and manual, but it would be good as a baseline, though I get adding a disclaimer with this type of info.

[hyrulevyse | 151]

I'd be shocked if that box got a 9.2, looks more like the 8.0 neighborhood (aka 'old mint' lol) to me.  Maps and other gsi's receive grades but they do not factor into the overall score.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

13 hours ago, hyrulevyse said:

I'd be shocked if that box got a 9.2, looks more like the 8.0 neighborhood (aka 'old mint' lol) to me.  Maps and other gsi's receive grades but they do not factor into the overall score.

Thanks for chiming in!

I was hoping for an 8.5, so that seems about what I was hoping for. There is just a few spots on the edges and corners, but they are definitely noticeable.

If I was able to get an 8.5 overall I would be extremely satisfied. An 8 would be fine, but I really want to avoid going below an 8 overall as I would probably want to upgrade it in that case.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,104]

13 hours ago, hyrulevyse said:

I'd be shocked if that box got a 9.2, looks more like the 8.0 neighborhood (aka 'old mint' lol) to me.  Maps and other gsi's receive grades but they do not factor into the overall score.

I would have guessed a 7.5 since the wear along the edge of the left flap looks pretty heavy.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

1 minute ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

I would have guessed a 7.5 since the wear along the edge of the left flap looks pretty heavy.

Thanks! This is the type of discussion I was hoping for.

Still in my range as long as the Cart and Manual are 8.5, or higher, but I may want to consider upgrading. I guess if I get a very nice manual it should still get the minimum 8 I’m wanting and if not I can sell it and use that towards an upgrade.

BTW, Go Bearcats! Wished we were able to play yesterday! 

 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,104]

Just now, DeuceGamer said:

Thanks! This is the type of discussion I was hoping for.

Still in my range as long as the Cart and Manual are 8.5, or higher, but I may want to consider upgrading. I guess if I get a very nice manual it should still get the minimum 8 I’m wanting and if not I can sell it and use that towards an upgrade.

BTW, Go Bearcats! Wished we were able to play yesterday! 

 

Hopefully they can make the best of the time off. Tough game next week! 

[DeuceGamer | 35]

1 hour ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

Hopefully they can make the best of the time off. Tough game next week! 

Is there a common thought about when it’s better to sell it raw versus graded? For example if it’s a 7.0 or higher generally it will bring more graded to make up for the cost of getting it graded compared to selling it raw?

Sorry for getting off topic...It will be a tough game but I believe we have more talent. It all comes down to how Ridder plays though. Could be a special season if we get just above average QB play.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,104]

2 minutes ago, DeuceGamer said:

Is there a common thought about when it’s better to sell it raw versus graded? For example if it’s a 7.0 or higher generally it will bring more graded to make up for the cost of getting it graded compared to selling it raw?

Sorry for getting off topic...It will be a tough game but I believe we have more talent. It all comes down to how Ridder plays though. Could be a special season if we get just above average QB play.

It seems like graded does better since you know what it is and eliminates the guesswork. It might be early, but I kinda want them to go ahead and put Prater in there.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

Just now, Bearcat-Doug said:

It seems like graded does better since you know what it is and eliminates the guesswork. It might be early, but I kinda want them to go ahead and put Prater in there.

Got it. Looks like I will look for a manual to upgrade and send it in. Since it may end up higher than I expect it seems like the best route to go.

I was hoping they would at least give Ben Bryant some snaps. See how he does and he can’t possibly do worse than what Ridder has at times this year. Prater is definitely the future. The direction Fick has the program is super exciting!

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,104]

4 minutes ago, DeuceGamer said:

Got it. Looks like I will look for a manual to upgrade and send it in. Since it may end up higher than I expect it seems like the best route to go.

I was hoping they would at least give Ben Bryant some snaps. See how he does and he can’t possibly do worse than what Ridder has at times this year. Prater is definitely the future. The direction Fick has the program is super exciting!

Bryant and Ridder seem interchangeable. Prater is an elite QB prospect, so I'd rather seem him get in there since he's got top 10 talent around him. 

[jonebone | 1,307]

Likely an 8 box based on a quick look from my phone. Way too much edge and corner wear for 9. And if its got a crease on the inner opening flap 7.5 at best.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

1 hour ago, jonebone said:

Likely an 8 box based on a quick look from my phone. Way too much edge and corner wear for 9. And if its got a crease on the inner opening flap 7.5 at best.

Interesting and exactly the type of stuff I’m hoping to learn. Chrono doesn’t have a crease on the inside flap.

Let me just clarify your comment though. Are you saying that a crease on the inner flap automatically knocks it down to a 7.5, or that it would be an 8 and the additional wear would make it a 7.5?

Hopefully that makes sense, but in case it doesn’t in the example below the Rocket Robot on Wheels box is extremely good condition (I would guess/hope a ~9.x range). Would the small crease in the lid mean the highest it could receive is a 7.5, or it would mean the highest it could get is a 9.x?

Edited October 18, 2020 by DeuceGamer

[hyrulevyse | 151]

5 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

I would have guessed a 7.5 since the wear along the edge of the left flap looks pretty heavy.

Yeah it definitely could be, I almost said 7.5 but thought I'd skew higher and plus I'm not the best at grading through photo's anyways.

[hyrulevyse | 151]

1 hour ago, DeuceGamer said:

Interesting and exactly the type of stuff I’m hoping to learn. Chrono doesn’t have a crease on the inside flap.

Let me just clarify your comment though. Are you saying that a crease on the inner flap automatically knocks it down to a 7.5, or that it would be an 8 and the additional wear would make it a 7.5?

Hopefully that makes sense, but in case it doesn’t in the example below the Rocket Robot on Wheels box is extremely good condition (I would guess/hope a ~9.x range). Would the small crease in the lid mean the highest it could receive is a 7.5, or it would mean the highest it could get is a 9.x?

He was saying that would be additional wear not shown in the first set of pics that would bring it down to a 7.5 (if it was in fact an 8 to begin with).  Something else to keep in mind is that the box is 50% of the cib grade.  So if in fact this is an 8.0 box you'd need a 9 cart and manual to bring the overall to 8.5

[DeuceGamer | 35]

47 minutes ago, hyrulevyse said:

He was saying that would be additional wear not shown in the first set of pics that would bring it down to a 7.5 (if it was in fact an 8 to begin with).  Something else to keep in mind is that the box is 50% of the cib grade.  So if in fact this is an 8.0 box you'd need a 9 cart and manual to bring the overall to 8.5

Ok, I thought that’s what he meant but I wanted to be clear.

On carts, is there an example of what type of wear is ok for a 9.0? Honestly the pictures on the Wata website aren’t very helpful on minor changes. 

Is the Box, Cart, and Manual all equally weighted to the Overall score? Do they round up or down? Would an 8.0 Box, 8.5 Manual, and 8.5 Cart be an 8.5 Overall or 8.0 Overall? Sorry, I know I’ve seen this but searching their site I couldn’t locate it.

Thanks for all the information. It’s tough to get an idea for people wanting to get some items graded for the first few times and this is extremely helpful.

Edited October 19, 2020 by DeuceGamer

[LifeGame | 760]

Ok well guess i was wrong but I still cant believe this would score under 8

[hyrulevyse | 151]

2 hours ago, DeuceGamer said:

Ok, I thought that’s what he meant but I wanted to be clear.

On carts, is there an example of what type of wear is ok for a 9.0? Honestly the pictures on the Wata website aren’t very helpful on minor changes. 

Is the Box, Cart, and Manual all equally weighted to the Overall score? Do they round up or down? Would an 8.0 Box, 8.5 Manual, and 8.5 Cart be an 8.5 Overall or 8.0 Overall? Sorry, I know I’ve seen this but searching their site I couldn’t locate it.

Thanks for all the information. It’s tough to get an idea for people wanting to get some items graded for the first few times and this is extremely helpful.

They are not equally weighted, which is what I was trying to get at.  Box is 50%, cart is 30% and manual is 20% of the score.  Now in your example of 8 box and 8.5 cart and manual I believe would result in a 8.5 overall cib but just barely since the grade would be 8.25 and then they'd round up.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

3 hours ago, hyrulevyse said:

They are not equally weighted, which is what I was trying to get at.  Box is 50%, cart is 30% and manual is 20% of the score.  Now in your example of 8 box and 8.5 cart and manual I believe would result in a 8.5 overall cib but just barely since the grade would be 8.25 and then they'd round up.

Perfect! Thank you! Not sure why that’s not easily found on Wata’s site, or maybe I just overlooked it. 
 

Any details on what type of wear is acceptable in a 9.0 cart? I would post a pic of mine but the few minor imperfections are not visible on camera from what I can see.

Edited October 19, 2020 by DeuceGamer

[jonebone | 1,307]

59 minutes ago, DeuceGamer said:

Perfect! Thank you! Not sure why that’s not easily found on Wata’s site, or maybe I just overlooked it. 
 

Any details on what type of wear is acceptable in a 9.0 cart? I would post a pic of mine but the few minor imperfections are not visible on camera from what I can see.

Cart grading is by far the hardest part to me.  I have a good eye for box and manual but man oh man any single microscopic flaw dings a cart.

A cart with a "perfect label", no stains / discoloration, no marker, no rental stickers, etc. was generally "mint" to me.  That however is no guarantee of a Wata 9 or higher.  You have to look for any type of subtle identations in the label or any types of scratching / scuffing at all.  Take the cart and hold it at various angles under the light, you'll likely see at least some superficial scratching... and that knocks it down.

If you have something from a CIB that was in a bag and looks barely handled at all, probably think of it as a 9.4ish, plus or minus if you're lucky.  However, if you thought this box was nice, then you may be in for a surprise based on how "nice" you thought the cart was.

The only real advice here is to start grading yourself and take a bunch of pics of your stuff before you send it in.  Then when you get the grade compare to your photos and improve your eye.

[DeuceGamer | 35]

2 hours ago, jonebone said:

Cart grading is by far the hardest part to me.  I have a good eye for box and manual but man oh man any single microscopic flaw dings a cart.

A cart with a "perfect label", no stains / discoloration, no marker, no rental stickers, etc. was generally "mint" to me.  That however is no guarantee of a Wata 9 or higher.  You have to look for any type of subtle identations in the label or any types of scratching / scuffing at all.  Take the cart and hold it at various angles under the light, you'll likely see at least some superficial scratching... and that knocks it down.

If you have something from a CIB that was in a bag and looks barely handled at all, probably think of it as a 9.4ish, plus or minus if you're lucky.  However, if you thought this box was nice, then you may be in for a surprise based on how "nice" you thought the cart was.

The only real advice here is to start grading yourself and take a bunch of pics of your stuff before you send it in.  Then when you get the grade compare to your photos and improve your eye.

Thanks for the details. I really do appreciate it and this is exactly the type of discussion I was looking for.

I was actually pretty close on the box. I mentioned I was hoping for an 8.5 and would be fine with an 8.0 on the box but was thinking it may fall short and why I mentioned I may need to upgrade it.

Overall I would really like to get an 8.5 but l would settle for an 8.0 and be ok. Definitely want to avoid a 7.5 though as I know wouldn’t be satisfied with it and would end up getting it upgraded.

I was more confident in the cart to get above an 8.5, but now I’m not sure. There are only a few small scuffs and I do not see any scratches or indentations and they won’t show up in a picture regardless of the camera angle as far as I can tell.  It seems like it is so difficult to get an idea of what to expect on the cart though. 

IF I can upgrade the manual I will have it graded, but it may take a while to find the right one.

I may go ahead and post another example I been considering along with what I expect it would grade to discuss and see how close I am.

Edited October 19, 2020 by DeuceGamer

[RH | 4,903]

6 hours ago, jonebone said:

Cart grading is by far the hardest part to me.  I have a good eye for box and manual but man oh man any single microscopic flaw dings a cart.

A cart with a "perfect label", no stains / discoloration, no marker, no rental stickers, etc. was generally "mint" to me.  That however is no guarantee of a Wata 9 or higher.  You have to look for any type of subtle identations in the label or any types of scratching / scuffing at all.  Take the cart and hold it at various angles under the light, you'll likely see at least some superficial scratching... and that knocks it down.

If you have something from a CIB that was in a bag and looks barely handled at all, probably think of it as a 9.4ish, plus or minus if you're lucky.  However, if you thought this box was nice, then you may be in for a surprise based on how "nice" you thought the cart was.

The only real advice here is to start grading yourself and take a bunch of pics of your stuff before you send it in.  Then when you get the grade compare to your photos and improve your eye.

If I had to guess, grading labels is probably closer to the process of grading collector cards.  When those are graded, you could have a card with 100% perfect edges and it still might grade lower because the cut isn't centered or it's skewed a little.  Label lifting will also come into affect for carts.

I imagine scrapes on the internal pin leads to that connect to the unit probably matter too.  Some scraping on the pins should always be acceptable because these carts were inserted into some test bench and that always leaves a little fine-scraping, even after the first insert.  You can find this out for yourself by opening any cheap, sealed title take it out of the shell and then look at the pins under a magnifying glass.  You will see very-fine scrapes that are consistent with the game being inserted into a unit.  I mention this because if a game was used a lot, even if the player took care to only touch the sides of the cart, you will see more scrapes on the leads than a true "perfect" game.

It'd be impossible to find, probably, but I'd love to find any  game by Nintendo with zero-scraping as if it weren't even QA tested or ever played.

This is a bit of a diversion from this game, but for GB games, there's also very-fine scraping on the two gloss bars on the back of the games.  It seems that the GB QA test units must have had something on them that caused these very-fine scrapes.  I've not seen a GB game without them and by spot-checking sealed GB games, they are always there.  I'm not a grader but IMHO, if there is consistent factory ware on all units, it shouldn't count against the scoring.  I don't know if it does, but that basically means you could take a case of 40 off the assembly line and they would never do better than probably 9.8.  That just doesn't seem fair to the collector.

Edited October 19, 2020 by RH

[DeuceGamer | 35]

Here is another one of my favorites that I was wanting to get graded. I was hoping this box did score a 9, but it may be an 8.5 (note: inner flap does have a crease from opening). Overall I was hoping for a 9 but would be happy with an 8.5. Does that seem like I’m close?