Descriptions in the UK tend to be
more discriminating than in, say, the United States, and the Society has a
clear guide to enable collectors to trade and swap with minimum fear of
disagreement.
MINT The
cards must give the appearance of never having been handled, i.e. be in the
condition in which they would have come from the printers. Imperfections in the
printing process would not affect this (e.g. cards cut slightly off-centre,
differences in intensity of ink, marks caused by defective printing plates).
EXCELLENT Cards
have been handled but only to a minimum extent and with extreme care, allowing
no blemishes.
VERY GOOD Cards
completely clean back and front, with no damage. In particular corners would be
untouched, but edges might show slight signs of wear.
GOOD Minor
blemishes might be visible, due to handling or age, and there could be slight
damage to corners. No creases or stains visible.
FAIR
Showing signs of considerable handling and consequential corner or edge damage,
or a card from one of the above categories with one defect, such as a crack,
foxing, dirty mark.
POOR A
card that is soiled, damaged or badly worn, or with a serious defect,
such as back missing or badly cut down in size.
You might like to compare this
grading scheme with the one suggested in the December 1941 issue of Cigarette
Card News:
THE Cartophilic Society of Great
Britain announce that they are going to attempt to standardize cartophilic
terms and with this end in view have called an ordinary meeting for 13th
December, 1941. To assist in the preparation of a satisfactory nomenclature,
and one acceptable to all, members have been invited to exhibit specimens which
they consider as falling into the following groups:—
" A.''—Brilliant. Superb
in every sense of the word.
" B."—Fine. Mostly
applicable to older issues. Corners or edges undamaged. Fronts and backs
unsoiled, not faded and edges clean.
" C."—Undamaged. Cleaned
cards of older issues. Not marked or noticeably defaced. Edges reasonably
clean, and not sandpapered.
" D."—Selected. Cleaned
cards, freed from obvious blemishes and other defects. Edges cleaned by
sandpaper or other cleansing material.
" E."—Mixed. A series
containing some superb and some fine, undamaged or selected cards.
" F."—Seconds. Face of
cards slightly marked, rubbed or scratched through mounting. Card having any
obvious minor defect.
It is stated that the above terms
are only a suggestion and circulated as a basis. It will be most interesting to
watch the outcome of what, at the present time, is a most controversial
subject.