Lebron jersey - A5

[sportscentury]

I don't think the A5 score carries as much weight as it did a year or so ago. Even good points and concerns have been raised here regarding higher ratings. The A5 sounds like it means, "Yeah it could be, looks like it, not sure, but it could possibly be." They do however seem to do a lot more research than most companies who just put out a generic letter. But after a $200 or so fee, a non experienced buyer probably would want something much more concrete. An example would be myself, who knows nothing about basketball jerseys. If I was to purchase a Lebron jersey based on this score (in essence letting them do the homework) and then I later read the issues posted above, I would have serious concerns about my purchase.

I was always surprised by the weight the A5 grade carried. From a simple common sense perspective (regardless of MEARS' definition of A5), if an item is graded a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, you would think that folks would understand that this is not a particularly high grade. Even if I were really into authentications, I wouldn't be too quick to go after a grade 7 or 8, never mind a 5.

[kingjammy24]

.. if an item is graded a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, you would think that folks would understand that this is not a particularly high 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."

rudy.

[sportscentury]

"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."

rudy.

Based on my complete post, I hope it was clear that I was speaking from the perspective of someone who doesn't know the MEARS specifics. My guess is that many collectors who buy these A5 jerseys are not well-versed on the MEARS rules and definitions.

Even knowing the specifics, though, I'm not sure that I find "the highest grade" (of A5) on a scale that is this qualified all that compelling.

With all of this said, it seems to mean a lot to a good number of collectors. I just never understood it.

.

[trsent]

Rudy, did you ask Troy about this jersey as I suggested? Maybe he could answer your questions as it appears you feel you know every size worn by LeBron that year and maybe Troy could shed some light with an answer instead of your one sided crusade to smear the MEARS name time and time again.

[kingjammy24]

Rudy, did you ask Troy about this jersey as I suggested?

i have an email in to troy about it. i eagerly await his response. i shall post it as soon as i receive it.

rudy.

[kingjammy24]

as always, troy was good enough to reply:

"Here is the complete definition of the A5 grade as found on our website.

"A5 Manufactures characteristics of the jersey have been compared to known authentic examples and are consistent with respects to what would be expected to be seen in a game issued jersey. Each piece is also evaluated on the degree of evident use and wear, which must be consistent with that of the player, sport, position, field of play, and duration of use. The degree of wear will be measured from minimal to heavy and the jersey cannot exhibit negative, missing, or incorrect manufacturers traits or use characteristics. When team or player provenance is lacking, wear can be measured, but not attributed directly to examined player. Without reasonable and verifiable provenance for post-1987 Hall of Fame or period star player jersey's, the A5 designation may still be assigned if the jersey possesses 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 (while still containing the physical characteristics consistent with game issued jerseys). It should be noted that variances with respect to number/lettering placement, font, stitching, size, patch placement and other manufacturers characteristics may be present on MEARS A5 jerseys when compared to documented game used jerseys. A MEARS A5 jersey may still be assigned the grade without an accompanying photomatch or may exhibit variations when compared to an examined available image."

fair enough. however, with such leeway in sizes (and without any evidence supporting one size over another), the idea of a "correct" size is pretty much thrown out the window. what becomes an "incorrect" size? a 52 is fine, a 50 is fine, a 48 is good. somehow they're all "correct"; at least on paper, if not reality. apparently, if a MEARS LOO states that a size is "correct" it doesn't actually mean the size is correct. it may simply mean that the authenticator was afforded a large size variance. so if you buy a jersey and the letter, for example, states that a size 50 is "correct" for a certain player, it's not that MEARS has verified that the size is correct; it's simply that the size is somewhere in the ballpark of the size that the player really wore. if they really wore a 48 then a 50 would be considered "correct". bizarro-world but there you have it.

rudy.

[trsent]

as always, troy was good enough to reply:

"Here is the complete definition of the A5 grade as found on our website.

"A5 Manufactures characteristics of the jersey have been compared to known authentic examples and are consistent with respects to what would be expected to be seen in a game issued jersey. Each piece is also evaluated on the degree of evident use and wear, which must be consistent with that of the player, sport, position, field of play, and duration of use. The degree of wear will be measured from minimal to heavy and the jersey cannot exhibit negative, missing, or incorrect manufacturers traits or use characteristics. When team or player provenance is lacking, wear can be measured, but not attributed directly to examined player. Without reasonable and verifiable provenance for post-1987 Hall of Fame or period star player jersey's, the A5 designation may still be assigned if the jersey possesses 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 (while still containing the physical characteristics consistent with game issued jerseys). It should be noted that variances with respect to number/lettering placement, font, stitching, size, patch placement and other manufacturers characteristics may be present on MEARS A5 jerseys when compared to documented game used jerseys. A MEARS A5 jersey may still be assigned the grade without an accompanying photomatch or may exhibit variations when compared to an examined available image."

fair enough. however, with such leeway in sizes (and without any evidence supporting one size over another), the idea of a "correct" size is pretty much thrown out the window. what becomes an "incorrect" size? a 52 is fine, a 50 is fine, a 48 is good. somehow they're all "correct"; at least on paper, if not reality. apparently, if a MEARS LOO states that a size is "correct" it doesn't actually mean the size is correct. it may simply mean that the authenticator was afforded a large size variance. so if you buy a jersey and the letter, for example, states that a size 50 is "correct" for a certain player, it's not that MEARS has verified that the size is correct; it's simply that the size is somewhere in the ballpark of the size that the player really wore. if they really wore a 48 then a 50 would be considered "correct". bizarro-world but there you have it.

rudy.

Rudy, so now you have MEARS response and it appears you will still not be buying this jersey so at least you found out what you were looking for.

It all is very interesting to see MEARS response to questions.

[aeneas01]

"A5 Manufactures characteristics of the jersey have been compared to known authentic examples and are consistent with respects to what would be expected to be seen in a game issued jersey. Each piece is also evaluated on the degree of evident use and wear, which must be consistent with that of the player, sport, position, field of play, and duration of use. The degree of wear will be measured from minimal to heavy and the jersey cannot exhibit negative, missing, or incorrect manufacturers traits or use characteristics. When team or player provenance is lacking, wear can be measured, but not attributed directly to examined player. Without reasonable and verifiable provenance for post-1987 Hall of Fame or period star player jersey's, the A5 designation may still be assigned if the jersey possesses 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 (while still containing the physical characteristics consistent with game issued jerseys). It should be noted that variances with respect to number/lettering placement, font, stitching, size, patch placement and other manufacturers characteristics may be present on MEARS A5 jerseys when compared to documented game used jerseys. A MEARS A5 jersey may still be assigned the grade without an accompanying photomatch or may exhibit variations when compared to an examined available image."

am i reading this correctly? mears will grade and issue a letter on a retail jersey if it strikes them as something close to what a player wore? what's "authentic" about a retail jersey? i mean what other purpose does a letter serve if not one of authenticity?

Rudy, did you ask Troy about this jersey as I suggested? Maybe he could answer your questions as it appears you feel you know every size worn by LeBron that year and maybe Troy could shed some light with an answer instead of your one sided crusade to smear the MEARS name time and time again.

help me out here joel - what exactly do you feel constitutes a "smear" in this thread, be precise please. also, if you would, please point to other examples, other posts, of rudy "smearing" mears. seems to me that rudy spreads his love around; mears, lampson, ebay sellers, auction houses, etc... and, fyi, that's a good thing. for all of us.


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[airmaximus]

As its been over 3 years since James has worn a Cavs jersey, does anyone have a definitive guide to his game issued sizes during that era? Reading through the thread 50+4 was his most common size. An Upper Deck member stated they had some 48+4 sizes although I have never seen one.

The size most in question was 52+4 as that factory pro cut size could be purchased back then. After doing some research it seems UDA sold a handful of 2006-07 and 2008-09 size 52+4 "game issued" jerseys with his signature. I have included some pics of these below. You can also lookup the following serial numbers: BAK13090, BAK13093, BAK13094, BAK13095 at http://sports.upperdeck.com/memorabi...am_lookup.aspx

I also know that UDA sold 50 2008-09 size 50+4 factory pro-cuts with the tags still attached and an "MVP" inscription.

[mbrieve]

I read this article on Upper Deck recently, and it gave me a whole new view on the company:

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/...t-rail-article