Grading 201: Why Pack-Fresh Cards Still Miss a 10 | Mike Baker
6/2/202624 min
Welcome to Grading 201 — the next-level conversation collectors need after they already know the basics. Ryan Alford and Mike Baker break down what actually changes a grade once you move beyond surface-level opinions and start looking at cards the way a grader does. From edge chipping and centering to die-cuts, autos, and the factory issues that collectors often overlook, Mike explains why some cards that look perfect still fall short of a 10. The conversation also touches the bigger grading landscape, including PSA’s volume, scaling challenges, digital review, and how tech can improve efficiency without replacing experienced eyes. This is the episode for collectors who want to submit smarter, buy sharper, and develop a more disciplined eye for grading. Topics Covered What actually makes a card a 10 Why “pack fresh” can still grade lower How graders look at corners and edges Why some defects are obvious and others are subtle The role of centering and surface in modern cards Why different card types need different eyes How Mike Baker thinks about grading at scale What collectors should take from grading 201 Links Collector Nation https://www.collectibles.show/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/collector-nation/id1832831782 https://thecollectornation.com Ryan Alford https://www.ryanalford.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-alford Mike Baker / MBA https://grading.mba/ https://www.instagram.com/grading.mba/
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMike Baker· Guest0:00
Really what it's come down to too is there's so many parallels and varieties of the same number, the same guy, the same look of card All it would take is one little serial code.
Ryan Alford· Host0:08
Every other industry uses and does for identification of their products, that cards don't.
Mike Baker· Guest0:12
The kind of myth that we've talked about before, you, you pull a card from a pack and it's automatic 10.
Ryan Alford· Host0:17
Mm-hmm.
Mike Baker· Guest0:17
And it's just not.
Ryan Alford· Host0:18
Not every 10 is created equal service, sort of.
Mike Baker· Guest0:22
That's... And honestly, we get more non-10s than we do 10s.
Speaker 30:25
Welcome to The Collector Nation Podcast, here on the Collector Nation Network. Whether you're chasing grails or calling bluffs, we take you inside the hobby. Here's your host, Ryan Alfery.
Ryan Alford· Host0:42
What's up, guys? Welcome to Collector Nation, here on the Collector Nation Network. Hey, one of my favorite segments we've been doing about every month the last few months, we'll call it that. It's not often enough. He is NBA. He is Mike Baker. What's up, Mike?
Mike Baker· Guest1:01
[laughs] What's up, Ryan? Great to be back.
Ryan Alford· Host1:04
Hey, you never know what intro you're gonna get. [laughs] [laughs] Buckle up.
Mike Baker· Guest1:09
[laughs] That's funny.
Ryan Alford· Host1:10
Uh, nicknames. Uh- The world- You know, world's greatest grader. We've already- [laughs] ... uh, established that. [laughs] Uh, not self-proclaimed. Third party.
Mike Baker· Guest1:19
That's right.
Ryan Alford· Host1:20
Third party, uh, official from Collector Nation. Um- You remember exactly. Always good to be with you, my friend.
Mike Baker· Guest1:27
Awesome. Awesome. It is. Can't nickname yourself. You, you covered