There have already been some really helpful responses (and some perhaps not helpful, but very entertaining responses, even though the humor was at your expense.) I am more of a lurker than a poster on the forums, but I have submitted quite a few times to CGC. What I learned quickly early on in submitting was that I was pretty accurate at eyeballing mid-grades (5.0-7.0) and lower grades (like a 2.0 vs. a 3.0). But when it comes to the higher grades, determining 8.5 vs. 9.0 or the finer points of the decimals above 9.0 can take a lot of time, skill, and careful attention - much more than just eye appeal or the care you took while storing it. Spend some time on the boards digging around. There's a wealth of wisdom shared in other forums about grading, especially the "spare a grade" forum that others have mentioned. And lighten up a bit This is a pretty welcoming place to hang.