DIE CAST GRADING SYSTEM

Collectors hear a lot about the condition or grade of cars.  This one is a 9.5, this one is mint, and this one is average.  There is no definitive way to grade cars.  Unlike coins, there is really no way to photo compare against some universally accepted standard.  We will try to clarify some basics, or perhaps just add to the confusion.

First of all, there are, by definition, very few cars that are MINT.  Mint means without flaw.  How can you determine if a car is "mint in the blister" if you can only see one side.  To determine if a car is mint, it has to be removed from the blister.  Therefore there is no "mint in the blister".  We should call the car "New in Blister".  This simply means that the car is in a good package (what does that mean?) and is new.  Basically this is how you find it on the rack.

It additionally cannot have any grossly noticeable flaws.  Not can the package be damaged.  It is basically a new car in the condition that one could expect to result from mass production.  Any gross imperfection, for example, would render the car uncollectible.  Missing tampo, smeared tampo, tampo color bleeding, missing chrome wheel, or noticeable casting flaws would be examples of a gross imperfection.

A missing part that is not physically attached to the car like the boards to the Deora, does not affect the basic grade of the car.  Missing parts must be noted in ads, for example, “green Deora, condition 7, missing boards”.  Missing parts affect the price, not the grade of the car.

THE DEIFINITIONS OF GRADES PRESENTED HEREA APPLY  TO ALL CARS REGARDLESS OF HOW RARE THE CAR MAY BE.  PRICE ADUSTMENTS BY GRADE APPLY ONLY TO COMMON CARS.  Any car with Spectraflame paint is subject to inherent mottling.  There is no adjustment for mottling of Spectraflame paint.  A car with Spectraflame paint and not mottling would be subject to a 10% increase in value.  So, definition Number 1:
 

1. NEW IN BLISTER:  A car, in the original package that has no visible flaws with the package being undamaged.  No flaws will be found upon close, critical examination.
2. 1. NEW:  Similar to #1 except the car is not in the original package.

The generally accepted practice is to grade the cars by a numerical scale in theory beginning with 1 at the low end (junk) and 10 (new) at the upper end.  It is further generally accepted to sub divide the scale by increments of ½.  This means that, for example, and 8 ½ would be a 9 except for some barely distinguishable degradation in the condition that prevents it from being a 9.  This is altogether too subjective.  For example, what is a slight scratch?  To me nothing, but to you it may not be worth collecting.  So definition Number 3:
 

3. .CONDITION 10: New in Blister or New.
4. CONDITION 9:  Otherwise new except for a slight but noticeable imperfection.  Slight is defined as an imperfection that is noticeable only upon close critical examination.  For example, the tampo might be slightly misaligned or the division between two-tone paint might be slightly less than sharp.
5. CONDITION 8: As new except for some visible scuffing to the surface of the wheels.  As would result from being rolled or played with.
6. CONDITION 7:  Some scuffing to the painted or chromed surfaces, as would result from handling but not serious enough to be called scratching or that has resulted in discoloration.  Additional scuffing to the surface of wheels.  None of the axles or other parts can be bent or deformed.
7. CONDITION 6:  Scuffing becomes scratches but the scratches are not deep enough to penetrate to the primer or bare metal.  The scratches are confined to less than 10% of the body surface and are more or less parallel.  Tampo scratches penetrate to, but not into or through, the finish coat.  Scratches in the paint or tampos will degrade the condition to 6.  Either will satisfy condition 6 in that the paint or tampo can be scratched but not both.  What might be called an average collectible condition.
8. CONDITION 5:  Both paint and tampo are scratched.  Some discoloration or dulling of the painted, chromed or bare metal surfaces.
9. CONDITION 4:  Scratches go through to primer or base metal.  Leading body edges display chipping.  The lower limit as to what most collectors would consider as a filler for a display.
10. CONDITION 3:  Severe scratching and chipping.  Severe wheel wear and some bending of the axles.
11. CONDITION 2:  Extreme scratching and chipping.  Portions of paint abraded to bare metal.  Broke, bent or missing physically attached parts.  For example, broken exhaust pipes on an Indy Eagle render the car a 2 regardless of its condition otherwise.
12. CONDITION 2:  Used for parts only or as a start for a complete custom.
13. CONDITION 1:  As new except for gross imperfection.  The imperfection must be listed.  For example, “97 TH 56 Flashsider.  1/16 inch diameter hole in casting on right front headlight”, or “Chevy 1500, missing tampo on right side”.

This is going to take some getting used to.  Most collectors tend to over-estimate the grade of a car.  These guidelines render what may now be called a 9, to really a 7.  A 7 is now thought barely collectible.  A 7 by these definitions is really a current 9.

Now, how does the grade affect the value?  A 10 is a 10 whether in or out of the package.  The differential for a packaged car should be 15% for a car prior to 1977, 10% from 1977 to 1988 and 5% for 1989 to present.  This applies regardless of how rare the car may be.  For example let’s look at a common car valued at $20.00, produced in 1985.  Prices adjusted to the nearest whole dollar.
 
 

CONDITION
%
$ VALUE
Package allowance plus
5%
= $1.00, value $21.00
Condition 10
100%
$20.00
Condition 9
90%
$18.00
Condition 8
80%
$16.00
Condition 7
70%
$14.00
Condition 6
50%
$10.00
Condition 5
30%
$ 6.00
Condition 4
10%
$ 2.00
Condition 3 or 2
0%
$00.00
Condition 1 Retail
$ 1.00
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