Rmccamey
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,666
- Location
- Central Texas
Now that's a minefield in the collectors world, Randy.
There is a supposed "standard" definition of gradings in the world of collecting coins, stamps, and musical instruments for example. While the "standards" might be adhered to by collectors in the know who buy and sell, though not always, the same cannot be expected of the casual seller wanting to move an item on.
Caveat emptor is the best watch word.
I’ve seen many hats described as “mint” with minimal moth damage, staining, and dry rot in the sweatband. I’m not sure that they understood what “mint” means or if they were doing deceitful…but why then show and describe the flaws?
I suppose someone could start a business where you can send a hat to be graded prior to offering it for sale, but that doesn’t make sense on a $100-300 hat.
I suppose that is my point. I, like most users, don't care about the standards used to manufacture my Ring doorbell as long as it works. But for those in the industry, those standards make a difference in the materials and sub components they use to manufacture the doorbells. A standard to grade or rank the physical condition of hats would help those of us in the "hat collector industry" be more consistent in our description of hats and it would be easier to provide those descriptors to the general public to help educate them on how to judge the condition of hats. Such a standard would be far from perfect but it would be a start in helping us define and refine a common vocabulary and a common understanding to hopefully reduce those hats with torn sweatbands being described as "mint condition".