If you were a CGC grade right now, what would it be?

I'd say from age six to ten we are all CGC 9.9.s - youthful and carefree, not rare at all by nature's standards. Surprisingly, before that we were mostly 5.0's. Wrinkled babies who made a mess. A rare 10.0 gem during this age category is a possibility, but they get a 9.9 because nobody wants to be the one who took responsibility for it.

Around ages 11 to 14 some of us drop to a respectable 9.8. Some of us took the 9.6 hit with a random paper airplane that got stuck in our eye, or a random fall from your bike that gave you a knee scar.

High school is a little stressful, and we start to see the 9.4's and 9.2's spring up here and there. College takes a toll too. Parties and drinking? Late sleepless nights studying for finals? Here we see a range of 9.2 to 9.0's and some unlucky 8.5's appear.

Early twenties we are probably playing in the 8.5 to 8.0 category. The people who took care of themselves are still fresh 9.0's and 9.2's. Careful though. Marriage will drop us a full grade.

Late twenties we start to see some 7.5's but many of us stay in the 8.0's. Like the bronze age, there are many 9.2's still around, but doesn't diminish the fact they are still a great find.

Early thirties we see 7.0's and a few 6.5's. There are many lucky 8.5's still here (mostly woman though) We still surprisingly see some 9.2's here and there, and you get a little jealous for seeing such a high grade when they clearly didn't deserve it.

Late thirties? I'd say 5.5 to 7.0. Solid Fines. From far away you look great, but on closer inspection we start to see all the imperfections that come with your grade.

In our early 40's we start to take a lot of turns- with weight, aging, and health. I'd say the unlucky are in the 5.0's now. The majority of us are still 6.0's and a few woman are probably still in the VF/F 7.0 range. Some of us might have a crisis and be considering restoration at this age, but others have accepted this grade as pretty normal. There only one or two 9.2's around and you wonder where they are, and how to get them.

Late forties means half of us are now solid 5.0's and half are now 4.0's Woman have joined men around this age, because when it goes, well it goes. There's a freakish 9.0 here and there, and you wonder if there has been some restoration that wasn't detected, or if it was one of those "gimme" grades.

The fifties are a time for the 4.0's to flourish. Lost hair (missing pieces), weight gain (staining), muscle loss (chipping), sagging skin (ripples), deep wrinkles (creasing), and age spots (foxing). If we ever needed a press to help us, it's at this age.

In our sixties, the lucky stay in the 4.5 range, while the others drop down to 3.0's. Here restoration probably won't save us. Maybe a qualified grade can help us though. Like a Qualified 4.0 with a bad knee and a herniated disc.

Seventies are a time to drop in the 2.5-1.5 range. This grade we realize we are happy to still be around and decent enough for our age. There is probably an oddball 6.0 around somewhere, and when you see it, you realize how great a 6.0 rating is on older stuff.

Eighties? A few 2.0's floating around. Here we are looking at 1.8-1.5 as our majority. Truly rare, and a great find in any condition.

Nineties? .5. Congratulations on making it this far and getting any grade at all.

Later? You get the NG. Sorry. You are a mess by now and nobody wants to look at you.

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