Grading Vintage View-Master Reels and
Packets:
As with all vintage collectibles, the quality of its condition
determines both its value and desirability. Grading systems attempt to
standardize this quality for more universal understanding.
View-Master reels and packets can be
categorized broadly into three groups:
Collector Grade
Economy Grade
Bargain Grade
Rummage Grade
COLLECTOR GRADE:


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COLLECTOR GRADE single
reels and 3 reel packets, and their jackets, sleeves, and booklets share
the qualities listed below: |
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- sharp
edges and corners on jackets, booklets, sleeves
-
no tears or rips
-
no soiling
-
no bubbling of reels
-
no violeting, nor fungus of images
- crisp and clean - no age discoloration
- no wear in top flap fold
Generally, to be Collector Grade there can
be no defects, or no more than one very minor defect.
This will always be represented by the smallest number of items qualifying
for this highest grade.
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ECONOMY GRADE:


ECONOMY GRADE
single
reels and 3 reel packets, and their jackets, sleeves, and booklets share
the qualities listed below:
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- light wrinkling at edges
- light bumped
corners
- light age discoloration
- minor general wear
- light bubbling of reels
- no violeting of nor fungus of images
- light wear in top flap fold
Generally, to be Economy Grade there are
one or two minor defects that barely keep the item from being considered
Collector Grade.
This will always be a larger group than the highest quality, but still a
minority.
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BARGAIN GRADE:

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BARGAIN GRADE
single
reels and 3 reel packets, and their jackets, sleeves, and booklets share
the qualities listed below:
- bumped corners
- light tears or rips
- light soiling
- light bubbling of reels
- light violeting and/or fungus on
images
- wear in top flap fold
Bargain Grade is the broadest range
in quality varying from one significant defect to many minor defects
to many significant defects
This will always be by far the largest group, understandably because
vintage items were used and/or stored where harm and/or wear
happened.
RUMMAGE GRADE
Similar to Bargain Grade but with many more defects and with substantially lower prices.

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Learn more about magentized View-Master images
click here
Learn more about bubbled reels
click here
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