I'm a diver and semi regular purchaser of specimen seashells. I think the 1-10 scale makes sense but imagine there is low chance of this being accepted. When purchasing shells good quality photo's are a must, I also like good accurate data. Things like man made faults eg. chip's or stains from cleaning I really hate and avoid like the plague, but some natural faults like a healed fish bite, certain growth lines I can accept. I only purchase from trusted dealers, mistakes are always made eg a small chip is missed etc. No one is perfect. Then with good dealers this can be discussed. When rating the shells I find, I tend to be more critical and often an exceptional shell with a fault will rate higher than a standard shell with a smaller fault. It also comes down to the species, many cool water shells from where I dive never come near to gem, there are always growth lines. In the end it's all down to personal choice. I think a 1-10 scale with photo's is the way to go with gradings in the digital age!! Regards, Simon Wilson Melbourne, Australia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs To leave this list, click on the following web link: http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1 Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and click leave the list. ----------------------------------------------------------------------