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Grading your playing card treasures

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52plusjoker:

Here are the descriptions commonly used, extracted from the Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards http://www.dawson-on-playingcards.info/hochman/, in describing the condition of vintage and antique playing cards.

CONDITION
Like any collectible, playing card condition plays an important role in desirability and thus in value. We would all like our decks to be sparkling mint and still in their original wrappers and/or boxes. Unfortunately, most vintage decks that collectors find have seen at least moderate use and have probably lost some element of their desirability.

While terminology relative to assessing the condition of playing cards has not been standardized, most collectors would agree that “as issued” means the deck was found in about the same condition as when it left the factory. Perhaps it had been opened but never really taken from its packaging, and certainly never played with. If even the slightest element, e.g. a cellophane wrapper, is missing from an otherwise pristine deck, it could not be classified as ‘as issued’ – rather it would be ‘mint’. If the missing element was of more consequence it would likely be further downgraded.

Years ago, Gene Hochman devised a system to describe decks of playing cards:
•   As issued – a complete deck, in mint condition, with all cards, jokers and extra cards contained in the original packaging when first distributed for sale. It might be unopened or carefully opened               for examination, but not played with. If applicable, the tax stamp, not necessarily unbroken, would be attached.
•   Mint – a complete deck showing no signs of use. Normally all cards would be present as would the original box in mint or near mint condition. The inside wrapper would not need to be there.
•   Excellent – a complete deck that has been occasionally used, but still in first class condition. Gold edges would still be intact and you would be proud to use this deck in your game.
•   Good – A complete deck showing signs of repeated use, but still usable. There would be no serious creases or bent/broken corners. The deck would not be swollen or misshapen and would fit comfortably into the original box.
•   Poor – A deck not good enough to fit into one of the above categories. It likely would have at least one of these serious faults - bent or broken corners, bad creases, heavy soiling, etc
•   With Faults – A deck in one of the good to as issued categories, but with a serious fault like a missing or damaged card or a damaged, incomplete or missing box.

Many collectors have introduced variations into their cataloguing, e.g. ‘mint plus’, ‘mint’ and ‘mint minus’. In addition, it has become popular to describe the condition of a deck’s box as OB1 (basically mint), OB2 (some damage but complete) or OB3 (quite heavily damaged and/or some portion missing). Nonetheless, use of the above descriptions and a careful notation of anything that is missing will provide an appropriate listing for cataloguing .

In all attempts to grade a deck, it is important to describe everything that is there and anything that is missing. For example, a brief description of an early advertising deck might read as follows:

“Advertising deck from 1910 for Discourse  Old Time Ale. Mint condition, in original box (slight damage to flap) with dated 2¢ U.S. revenue stamp. 53 cards with advertising Ace of Spades and special advertising Joker. The extra advertising card is missing and the Club Jack has a small smudge”.

A note on missing cards. The extra cards over and above the regular 52 and joker(s) are clearly of less importance and a deck lacking one is hardly devalued, although the extra cards in wide advertising decks (which usually depict a factory, a separate ad, a price list, etc.) are more important. Again the pips in an important deck, especially one with unusual or non-standard courts, are of lesser importance than the courts. The Ace of Spades or Joker, if missing, creates the most serious deficiency.

Despite most people’s desire to collect only as issued, or perhaps mint, decks, collectors will still rejoice at finding a deck in only, say, good condition if it is high on their want list or quite scarce. Often it will be purchased with the expectation that the same deck in better condition will one day replace it.

What is not covered above are the criteria for collectors of new decks. Most of these are still in their original packaging but even there, there can be differences in desirability. What difference does it make if a deck has been carefully opened?; or if there is a tear in the cellophane wrapper?; or if it show signs of being exposed to light?, etc. We want to expand this post to talk about these 'flaws' and determine their impact. Please post your thoughts.

Don Boyer:
By and large, a new deck that's been opened, even if never used, has a lower value than one that's in as-issued condition.  The major exception would be if the cellophane was removed so the artist or a prominent magician could autograph it.  Even then, the deck's seal (if it ever had one) should be unbroken and the cards should be in an unused condition, at most examined and replaced in the precise order and orientation as when printed and boxed at the factory.

Even tears in an otherwise intact cellophane wrapper are too much for many collectors.  And perish the thought if you're a retailer and the deck has even the slightest of dents in it.  The most hardcore collectors will ship it back for a refund if it doesn't come in "museum grade" condition!

Bizarrely enough, misprinted or faultily-made decks can fetch a premium in the eyes of some collectors.  Misplaced seals, double seals, cellophane on backwards, a misfolded box - all kinds of goofy stuff.  I would have thought when I first learned of such things that these defects would decrease the value, but no - they enhance it.

I get the feeling that a lot of these criteria originate from other modern collecting markets, such as comic books, sports memorabilia, sci-fi/Star Wars/Star Trek/etc.  Businesses make a big fuss about grading such items and sealing them away into hard plastic cases filled with pH-neutral gases to replace the air so their grade remains intact for as long as the box remains sealed.  It's a bizarre twist when the "toy" market is suddenly overcrowded with adults buying them and never actually using or playing with them for fear that their value would decrease.  This kind of mentality is being carried over into the modern deck market, though I think it will ease somewhat as the desire to collect vintage decks increases - it's quite rare to find a vintage deck in as-issued condition, utterly without a blemish, just as these folks expect their modern decks to arrive.

Lee Asher:
I propose we set-up a few grades within the As Issued category, to specifically account for the cello (or however the deck is packaged).

Here's an example of the nomenclature off the top of my head. I'm sure we can iron this out a bit more and give it smarter names with time & deep thought:

As Issued - Class 1 (perfect cello, no cracks or wrinkles, tuck in mint)
As Issued - Class 2 (excellent cello, little cracking or wrinkling, tuck in mint)
As Issued - Class 3 (broken cello, tuck in mint)
As Issued - Class 4 (no cello, tuck in mint)
As Issued - Class 5 (tuck is dented)

*Grading is based on the original cello, not a re-seal. (Unless maybe noted in Class 4)?

bhong:
That's a really good suggestion. I like the sub-grading system added to the "As issued".

I think if the deck has been re-wrapped in new cellophane it would be good to be a sub-category for Grade 4. Is it possible to open cello in such a way that it could be rewrapped again?

Grade 4 (a) - no cellophane, tuck mint
Grade 4 (b) - re-wrapped cellphone (not original cello), tuck mint

For Grade 5, does it matter if the cello is still in tact? And does it matter whether the damage is factory/machine made or man made? For example, the original Deco tucks (that were returned to USPCC) were all pretty much damaged due the machines folding up the box over someone just dropping a deck and denting it.

52plusjoker:
Good ideas. We definitely need sub-classification for as issued newer decks. They'll also work with many vintage. For antique, as issued decks are so scarce that collectors would likely value a Bicycle deck from 1890 the same, whether or not the seal or tax stamp was broken, the box was a bit banged up, etc. it likely doesn't matter.

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