IF I SENT THAT IN TO BE GRADED, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A 9.2 9.4. HOWEVER SOME BOOKS DO SLIP THROUGH AT A 9.6 9.8, I OWN SOME. I HAVE SOME 9,8S THAT SHOW NO VISIBLE FLAWS WITH A FLASHLIGHT SHINED ACROSS THE FRONT AND BACK IN THE DARK. I ALSO HAVE SOME 98S WITH MULTIPLE NON COLOR BREAKING TICKS IN THE SPINE. IT IS WHAT IT IS I GUESS. THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS DOING THE GRADING, THAT IS WHY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THE AVERAGE OF 3 GRADES. SOMETIMES THINGS SLIP BY DUE TO HUMAN ERROR. HOWEVER, I THINK CGC HAS THE MOST CONSISTENT GRADING. AT THE END OF THE DAY, A SEALED CGC 9.8 IS A SEALED 9.8. I'D TAKE IT.