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What is Card Grading?

While the trading card industry is a big business today with sophistications like card grading, online pricing, auction houses and even digital trading cards, it hasn’t always been this way.
In fact, it took many years for technology to catch up with the hobby of trading cards turning into the big money business it is today.
The early days of card collecting was mostly comprised of like-minded collectors that collected cigarette and gum cards. These early pioneers of card collecting would trade with each other though the mail. Mail auctions began, giving collectors from across the United States the opportunity to acquire cards for their collection. The supply and demand of scarce cards gave birth to card values. While common player 1909 T206 cigarette baseball cards were commanding a price of 10-cents each, the famed Honus Wagner card, the most expensive baseball card today, was commanding the hefty sum of $50!
As trading card values exploded in the 1980s, greed and lack of knowledge began causing real problems for collectors and anyone wanting to buy into the extremely popular hobby. As the values continued to rise, terms like “investment” started to enter into the hobby.
Unscrupulous individuals were altering the condition of cards in an attempt to make them appear to be in better condition then they were and raising their value. Trimming off portions of a card, rebuilding worn down corners and removing creases are just a few of the types of doctoring being preformed on cards in order to deceive buyers.
Another very big problem in the hobby during this time was counterfeiting. Just like currency and fine art, trading card values had reached the point where it became profitable to counterfeit valuable trading cards.
And yet another problem that arose during this time of growth in the industry was sight-unseen commerce. As previously stated, mail auctions had been going on in the hobby since the 1930s, but as we entered into the 1990s, sight unseen buying and selling was moving from mail order and mail auctions to internet trading.
A dealer selling cards in his/her mail order business may have a particular card listed as being in “Mint” condition. The problem arises when your definition of “Mint” may differ from that of the seller, or vice-versa. Even with a trusted independent standard defining the scale of condition for trading cards, it was the application and interpretation of these condition definitions that caused the discrepancy.
That difference can be costly. In today’s hobby, with cards from the 1950s realizing auction prices into six-figures, being off by just a single condition grade could potentially cost you thousands of dollars when buying and could potentially keep you from realizing thousands of dollars when you go to sell your cards.
What was needed was a trusted, unbiased third party grading service. A company made up of hobby industry experts that had no stake in the market or in the cards being graded.
It was for this very reason that Dr. James Beckett, founder of Beckett Publications in 1984, created Beckett Grading Services in 1999. Integrity and honesty in the hobby he loves were the building blocks of BGS. Learn more..................

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How to Pay for a College Education

By: Jeremy Smith

There are many different ways to pay for a college education. Each person’s situation is different. Some students may be able to use just one source of funding, while others rely on a combination of resources. These options might include scholarships, loans, trust funds, savings accounts and the generosity of others. The more degrees a student earns, the more educational funding they will need. The more money for college they need, the more creative they will need to become if their resources dwindle.

Scholarships
Students that excel in academics and athletics are frequently given scholarships by a college. A scholarship means that the student’s education – or at least part of it – is paid for by special funding from the school or some other source. The student earns the award based on merit and does not have to repay the money. Scholarships may be offered for academic excellence, athletic or musical talent, ethnic background or social factors. Many organizations and associations offer scholarship money for students that meet certain requirements. For example, they could be essay contest winners, good citizens or science fair participants. Scholarships may cover all expenses or just a portion.

Private Student Loans
When scholarships, grants and government loans do not cover expenses, many students turn to private lenders to supplement their educational funding. The interest rates are usually low and the terms for private student loans are reasonable. Some types allow the borrower to start paying back the school loan before completing school. Another option is to wait until the person stops going to school, either by graduating or simply ceasing their higher education.

Federal Government
The US federal government offers loans to students wishing to get an education beyond high school. The money is borrowed and repaid through the US Department of Education (DOE). There are different types of government loan packages available. Some students qualify for interest-free terms, while others have low-interest terms. The amount of funding the student receives is determined by the school they choose. Factors include the student’s age, family income, military status and credit history.

Grants
Grants are similar to scholarships, but they are usually given based on financial need, rather than merit. Grants are given through many different sources, including the federal or state government, private corporations, organizations and associations.

Trust Funds
Trust funds are usually set up by a student’s parents or grandparents to pay for college. The money is put into a special account that accrues interest as the child is growing up. When they are old enough, students are allowed to access the money for college. Some trust funds have special requirements that must be followed in order for the money to be released.

Personal Funding
Some students pay for school by working during the summer and/or school year and saving up money; others rely on their parents to pay for it. For some, the number of classes they can take each semester is dictated by how much money is available for tuition.

In conclusion, there are a number of different ways to pay for college. Different methods can be used or just one or two. Each person’s financial and educational situation affects the amount of money needed and whether or not it must be paid back.