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anyone agree....i read what requirements a jersey must have to be graded A5 and i personally think it is a joke for the amount of money they charge.......any thoughts?
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Clinton2828,
Who do you mean by "they" in amount "they" charge?
Nate Leet -
Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Nate i believe thats what hes talking aboutComment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Mears authentication charge or the people selling the jerseys?Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
MEARS and if you read there website close they dont even stand behind the jerseys they grade A5Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Ok, so you won't buy a jersey with a MEARS A5 letter. To some people, it is nice to have MEARS evaluate a jersey that does not have a team letter or something of that nature, so having a 3rd party give their opinion of the item is better than nothing.
MEARS A5 basically is evidence that the item matches what a game used item should look like, be tagged like and shows normal characteristics of game use. You can bash the system, but to many who are not arm-chair authenticators, this service is terrific.
What would you do for MEARS to improve their authenticaton service of post 1987 jerseys?Comment
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A5 Rating
Clinton2828,
From reading the website I found nothing that says they do not stand behind the A5 rating. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe an A5 is a pro jersey from a star/hof player after 87 that is without provenance and no negative characteristics. Personally, I would buy an A5 Mears rated jersey and not think of it as a "bad" thing. I'd rather have a letter from the player/team or a dna match from the jersey to the player, but that does not happen too often.
Take care,
NateComment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
"The highest grade a post-1987 jersey can obtain without team or player documentation, or verifiable provenance, or a combination of known distinct player specific traits is an A5....A5 designation may still be assigned if the jersey possesses all the qualities and physical characteristics of a Major League jersey that was manufactured for player use or as an extra for a team or player, or one that may have been made available for retail sale or promotion."
In other words, if you have a post-1987 jersey and do not have team/player documentation, verifiable provenance, or a combination of "known distinct player specific traits", the highest you can get is an A5. An A5 basically states "this jersey can either be a game jersey, retail jersey, extra, or promo". In short, it's an utterly useless grade which says that the jersey could be anything, including fresh off the rack from Walmart. I believe that, under the MEARS definition, the mini Angels jersey I purchased from Petco for my terrier from would also receive an A5.
Apparently, their reasoning is that 1987 is around the time that "authentic" jerseys started to become available to the public and as such it's far too difficult to gain the skills, knowledge, and expertise necessary to discern retail from pro jersey. Strip tags, flag tags, different buttons, different stitching, different fabric...all of these apparently are useless when it comes to helping discern retail from pro?
Here is my offer to all forum members: Submit any jersey in your collection, from 1900-2006, and for absolutely no cost whatsoever I will gladly tell you that what you have is either a game jersey, extra, retail or promo. (How can I be wrong? I've included every possibility). It's not very helpful in determining what your jersey is but at least it's free.
Rudy.Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Rudy,
I didn't know your terrier played pro ball.
NateComment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
I have to diagree with the negative sentiments towards MEARS...they have set forth guidelines that are acceptable to me as a collector. Moreover, if the prospective item you're contemplating buying has a grade you don't like, then don't buy it! My dealings with Dave and Troy have been nothing but professional and they are making strides in this hobby that haven't been approached by any authenticators and for that, they should be commended...Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
I agree with beantown.Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Clinton2828,
Where on Mears website does it say they do not stand behind their A5 grades? From what I have read closely on the website they stand behind every grade they give. Please respond.
Thank you,
NateComment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Remember..my comments re: MEARS were solely pertaining to their A5 grade and how it doesn't say much. I made no comments whatsoever about Troy and Dave's professional conduct or the strides MEARS has made or anything else. Just the A5 issue. That's it. Let's keep with the A5 topic.
Beantown let me ask you this:
You're honestly saying that an authenticator examining a jersey and issuing a final statement of "this jersey could either be a game jersey, extra, retail jersey or a promo" is an acceptable level of analysis for you as a collector?
Rudy.Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
Rudy, the comments were made because the collector likes the assurance they receive from MEARS - As do most collectors. When a letter states that a jersey shows all the characteristics of a game used jersey, what more can they say?
This thread was started to hurt MEARS's A5 letters, but truth be told, a MEARS A5 is more powerful to most collectors than no letter at all. You also are reading the guidelines to help determine the grade of A5 and using the words out of context to make MEARS look bad.
They are stating generally that a post 1987 jersey that doesn't have any other paperwork appears to be a game used jersey based on the item itself and the history behind it. What would you like them to do to do this better? Your comments may help the system improve.Comment
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Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade
I'll take a MEARS LOA anyday. Why? they DO stand behind their LOA. I know. They did it for me.Comment
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