That is the essence of what I have said (hopefully not in vain) this entire thread....
I'll disagree with John. He's saying that 9.0-9.8 is pretty cut and dry and then all of a sudden 9.8-9.9 isn't. I'd argue and say that 9.8-9.9 is the easiest to grade (besides 10.0-9.9) because you are dealing with the least amount of variables possible.
I said 8.5 to 9.8 is cut and dry.
I could give you ten books that got 9.9's and I bet you would call most of them 9.8's after I cracked them out for you to re-grade.
Especially if Vodka was involved.
...but you know me I would give most books that CGC gives a 9.8 a 9.6 grade.
I'd be willing to test that theory at a panel at SD next year.
Same book, three different grades...9.8. 9.9. 10.
Then, with a couple of independent, trustworthy witnesses, de-slab all the books, and have everyone pick which ones they thought graded what at CGC....
Then, after that's done, reveal what was what.
Then, after that's done....send the books back, under different accounts (so you can keep track of which book was which), and see if they all come back the same original grades.
It would probably work best with onsite slabbing, over a weekend.
Deslabbing a 10 is dicey. Any handling damage might affect the grade. But I think with 9.6 and 9.8, that'd be interesting. I think if you chose 9.4, 9.6, 9.8 -- you'd find that the books would likely come back in those grades.
I have deslabbed a ton of Bronze and Copper books for SS. I have dropped a grade doing onsite grading with a cracked vintage 9.4 or 9.6 when I have been with the witness three times. All three times, when I got the slab in hand, the grade looked soft and I knew it wouldn't hold. It was not handling damage, it was damage that took place in the slab or was soft from the get go. I've never had a modern or Copper 9.8 drop, because you can tell the ones that are soft and I would never crack a soft 9.8 mod.