An ASTG Pristine 11 vintage card is a seemingly perfect card with superior eye appeal  which must meet the following attributes:

• No less than 99.9% on our point scale
• Card front image centering must be no less than 52/48% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 53/47% left to right and top to bottom
• There can be no creasing
• No surface damage
• Stain free, no variance in original color or out of focus imagery
• Edges must have no flaws
• Four sharp corners
• No breaks in original gloss
• No print or refractor lines

An ASTG Gem Mint 10 vintage card at first glance and without being under magnification appears to be a pristine card which must meet the following attributes:

• No less than 97% on our point scale
• Card front image centering must be no less than 55/45% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 58/42% left to right and top to bottom
• There can be no creasing
• No surface damage on the front side of the card can be observed, however a 0.50mm or less defect on the back may be present with some possible examples being: speck under gloss, print dot, edge chipping or rough cut
• Stain free, no variance in original color or out of focus imagery
• Four sharp corners
• No breaks in gloss
• No print or refractor lines

An ASTG Mint 9 vintage card is a visually appealing card that in some cases may borderline a 10 Gem Mint but there will be defects noted by the naked eye which must meet the following attributes:

• No less than 93% on our point scale
• Card front image centering must be no less than 60/40% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 65/35% left to right and top to bottom
• There can be no creasing and any scratches will be barely noticeable to the naked eye
• Surface conditions may exhibit minor flaws like specks under gloss, print dots, edge chipping, rough cut or raised edges, corner dings, rounded corners with the card stock color visible and minimal breaks in the gloss
• Stain free, no variance in original color or out of focus imagery
• No print or refractor lines

An ASTG Near Mint-Mint 8 will exhibit some high end characteristics and two prime examples may be a well centered with other conditional defects or an off centered card with no other flaws there is no substantiative true definition however, it must meet the following attributes:

• No less than 87% on our point scale
• Card front image centering must be no less than 65/35% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 70/30% left to right and top to bottom
•  At this grade level minor creasing and scratches may be noted
• Surface conditions may also now present marks or minor stains
• Print or refractor lines that do not fully traverse the horizontal or vertical plane may be noted at this grade level

An ASTG Near Mint 7 card appears to be a near mint-mint card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. A Near Mint 7 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 95% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 70/30% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 75/25% left to right and top to bottom
• Card must have at least two perfectly sharp and square corners. Two corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying as long as they measure 1/32” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have two printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) cannot be present
• Surface creases cannot be present
• Color fading cannot be present
• Surface divots or raised surface cannot be present
• Rips or tears cannot be present
• Traces of glue and or tape residue cannot be present
• Traces of water damage including staining and or mold cannot be present
• Pinholes cannot be present

An ASTG Excellent-Mint 6 card appears to be a near mint card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. An Excellent-Mint 6 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 85% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 75/25% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 85/15% left to right and top to bottom
• Card must have at least two perfectly sharp and square corners. Two corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying on corners as long as they measure 1/32” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have three printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed ¼” total in length
• One surface crease is allowed as long as it is no more than 1/32” in length
• Color fading cannot be present
• One surface divot or raised surface is allowed as long as it doesn’t exceed 1/64” in length
• Rips or tears cannot be present
• Traces of glue and or tape residue cannot be present
• Traces of water damage including staining and or mold cannot be present
• Pinholes cannot be present

An ASTG Excellent 5 card appears to be an Excellent-Mint card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. An Excellent 5 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 80% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 80/20% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card must have at least two perfectly sharp and square corners. Two corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying on corners as long as they measure 1/32” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have three printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed 5/16” total in length
• One surface crease is allowed as long as it is no more than 1/16” in length
• Color fading is allowed as long as it does not exceed 10% of color variance
• One surface divot or raised surface is allowed as long as it doesn’t exceed 1/8” in length
• Rips or tears cannot be present
• Traces of glue and or tape residue cannot be present
• Traces of water damage including staining and or mold cannot be present
• Pinholes cannot be present

An ASTG Very Good-Excellent 4 card appears to be an Excellent card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. A Very Good-Excellent 4 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 70% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 85/15% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card must have at least one perfectly sharp and square corner. Three corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying on corners as long as they measure 1/32” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have three printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed 3/8” total in length
• Two surface creases are allowed as long as they are no more than 1/16” in length
• Color fading is allowed as long as it does not exceed 15% of color variance
• Two surface divots or raised surfaces are allowed as long as they don’t exceed 1/16” in length
• One rip and or tear is allowed but cannot exceed 1/16” in length
• Traces of glue and or tape residue cannot be present
• Traces of water damage including staining and or mold cannot be present
• Pinholes cannot be present

An ASTG Very Good 3 card appears to be a Very Good-Excellent card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. A Very Good 3 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 55% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card must have at least one perfectly sharp and square corner. Three corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying on corners as long as they measure 1/16” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have three printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed 1/2” total in length
• Two surface creases are allowed as long as they are no more than 1/8” in length
• Color fading is allowed as long as it does not exceed 20% of color variance
• Two surface divots or raised surfaces are allowed as long as they doesn’t exceed 1/8” in length
• Two rips or tears are allowed but cannot exceed 1/16” in length or One that doesn’t exceed 1/8” in length
• Traces of glue or tape residue are allowed as long as it does not exceed 1 square inch
• Traces of water damage including signs of staining or mold not to exceed ½ square inch
• Pinholes cannot be present

An ASTG Good 2 card appears to be a Very Good card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. A Good 2 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 40% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• All card corners are allowed to have minor chipping or fraying as long as they measure 1/16” or smaller
• Card image can be slightly out of register bordering on a sharp focus
• Card can have four printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed 5/8” total in length
• Three surface creases are allowed as long as they are no more than 1/8” in length
• Color fading is allowed as long as it does not exceed 25% of color variance
• Three surface divots or raised surfaces are allowed as long as they doesn’t exceed 1/16” in length
• Three rips or tears are allowed but cannot exceed 1/16” in length or Two that doesn’t exceed 1/16” in length
• Traces of glue or tape residue are allowed as long as it does not exceed 1.5 square inch
• Traces of water damage including signs of staining or mold not to exceed 3/4 square inch
• Two pinholes are allowed as long as they do not exceed 1/64” in diameter

An ASTG Poor 1 card appears to be a Good or Poor card with the plain eye but under magnification more noticeable flaws will be present. A Poor 1 card must meet the following attributes:

• Card surface front and back must contain 25% original matte finish
• Card front image centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• Card back centering must be no less than 90/10% left to right and top to bottom
• All card corners are allowed to have chipping or fraying as long as they measure 1/8” or smaller
• Card image can be out of focus but has to be distinguishable
• Card can have three or more printing imperfections measuring no more than 1/32”
• Edges (a rough factory cut, hand cuts) can’t exceed 1-1/4” total in length
• Any number of surface creases are allowed as long as they are no more than 1/16” in length
• Color fading is allowed as long as it does not exceed 30% of color variance
• Four or more surface divots or raised surfaces are allowed as long as they don’t exceed 1/16” in length
• Three rips or tears are allowed but cannot exceed 1/8” in length or Two that doesn’t exceed 3/16” in length
• Traces of glue or tape residue are allowed as long as it does not exceed 2 square inches
• Traces of water damage including signs of staining or mold not to exceed 1 square inch
• Four pinholes are allowed as long as they do not exceed 1/64” in diameter

Any vintage card which would grade less than an 1 Poor will be given an “A” Authentic Grade. Possible reasons for an “A” grade include but not limited to the following:

• Evidence of trimming
• Evidence of re-coloring
• Excessive paper loss or use of fillers
• Evidence of polishing/cleaning
• Pinholes
• Traces of glue or tape residue
• Surface creases
• Rips/tears in the card stock
• Poorly cut edges
• Card does not meet minimum size requirement
• Evidence of pressing and re-sizing
• Card stock has divots or raised spots on surface
• Traces of water damage/staining
• Color fading
• Traces of mold
• Any criteria exceeding the standard for the 1 Poor grade will fall into this category