I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade

[Tay1038]

Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade

Sorry guys. And not bashing MEARS, but who ever is authenticating Minnesota Twins game-worn jerseys, needs to study up on them. I just saw two jerseys up on eBay (Johan Santana and Torii Hunter) both graded by MEARS. None in which showed the correct tagging, yet they graded them anyways and I believe gave an A5 grading. I own many Spring Training Jerseys and Season worn jerseys and let me tell you, They all include the Year and Set Indentifaction tag. I buy all my jerseys directly from the Minnesota Twins so I know their 100% authentic! The ones i'm referring to are authentic store model jerseys, and thats about it! Not game-used!! Wouldn't you think the Twins, if anything, would put the correct tagging on their two most popular players? I would think so.

Just a little info for anyone who disagree's with this persons first post.

[trsent]

Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade

Apologies for bumping a thread from March, but I'm considering sending a couple of post-1987 jerseys off to MEARS and I'm curious to know more about this A5 grade. trsent, I know it's been a long time but did you ever hear back from MEARS on whether or not they make a subcategory distinction on their COA's?

At this time they do not.

I can tell you that a post-1987 jersey receives an A5 grade with no paperwork from the team, no autograph ("Game Used") by the player or anything of that nature because it is not easy to detect a modern jersey. Vintage jerseys were worn in more games, not made with such quality martial found on modern jersey. This makes older jersey easier to identify, while modern jerseys often are worn one or two games (by some players who have friends who they like to see make a buck) and are made with such quality products that often one washing and the jersey looks new again. The A5 letter states that the jersey has the characteristics of a game used jersey, but it also is classified that the item can be team issued to identical player characteristics. This often means that the seller of the item has to make the distinction if the item is game used or game issued.

There are talks about updating this concept, but in the end the liability will always be with the seller of the item.

[sportscentury]

Re: I would NOT buy a GW jersey with a MEARS A5 grade

I understand some of the concerns raised, but I think it is just as shortsighted to refuse to buy a jersey because it has an A5 grade as it is to buy a jersey because it has an A10 grade. Each jersey should be evaluated on an individual basis and the documentation it comes with should be only one of many factors that go into one's overall evaluation. I have seen some top jerseys that have been graded A5; in fact, I have been able to pick up a couple of simply outstanding gamers that were graded A5 for relatively little money and I was grateful that they were not graded higher! If you are buying jerseys based solely on their letters of authenticity, then you may have larger problems than the concern that an A5 grade doesn't carry enough weight for your liking.

Reid