Chip Condition - Grade Scale

[gmphillips2]

I just finished re-working the section on chip condition in my collectors guide. Comments?

4.1.3 Condition

Chips in the best condition are invariably the hardest to find and command the highest prices.

Beware of the term NOS (New Old Stock). It says nothing about the condition of the chip other than it is old stock that has never been sold.

The following system of grading chips has been developed to allow collectors to communicate the state of preservation of a particular chip.

ChLN (Choice Like New): Like new condition with well-centered and boldly printed part number and logo. No scratches or scuff marks on cap, package, or pins. This is the condition of the second value given throughout this guide.

LN (Like New): A part that would have graded ChLN except for some minor detraction such as the part number and or logo might not be as boldly printed, part number and logo might not be exactly centered, or a few pins might have faint socketing scratches.

ALN (Almost Like New): Part is in nearly new condition except for a few faint scratches or scuffs that in no way detract from Part number or logo on the cap or package. Pins are shiny other than faint socketing scratches. Tin pins show little or no oxidization.

EF (Extremely fine): Chip may have a few minor scratches or scuffs but nothing that significantly detracts from Part number or logo. Pins are shiny other than minor socketing scratches. Tin pins show little or no oxidization.

F (Fine): Part that is clearly used but without any scratches or scuffs that that significantly detract from part number or logo. Minor socketing scratches on pins.

VG (Very Good). Used but still in very good condition. No scratches that seriously detract from the trademark, part number, or any other writing on the chip. Socketing scratches on the pins. Tin pins may be slightly oxidized. May have a few slightly bent pins. This is the condition of the first value given throughout this guide.

G (Good). Parts that have been used and show considerable wear and tear. May have several significant scratches with numerous minor scratches. May also have some slightly bent pins. Part numbers and trademark should still be clearly legible and recognizable.

FR (Fair). Parts that show heavy wear and tear. May have significant scratches thru part number or trademark but not to extent that part number or trademark is illegible. No broken or missing pins.

PR (Poor). Parts with broken or missing pins, cracked package, illegible part number, or other major defects. A filler only for the rarest of parts.

Thanks,

George

[gshv]

[gmphillips2]

Thanks for the input. In response I have split the section on condition into two sections, one for Visual Condition and one for Functional Condition but I left the visual grading scale as is for now.

The grading scale is loosely based on the grading scales used for some other collectibles I am familiar with. In coin collecting for example, a coin that is graded "good" is described as "Heavily worn. Design and legend visible but faint in spots".

In paper currency collecting, a note in "good" condition is described as
"a well worn and heavily used note. Normal damage from prolonged circulation will include strong multiple folds and creases, stains, pinholes and/or staple holes, dirt, discoloration, edge tears, center hole, rounded comers and an overall unattractive appearance. No large pieces of the note may be missing".

In general, the grading scales used for other collectibles tend to
be a little optimistic in the use of "good" and "fair" as applied
to condition. I think this is really just a way that dealers concocted to make collectors feel better about buying a rare collectible in "poor" condition. Just call "poor" fair, "fair" good, etc.

In other words, I'm just sticking with the grading schemes used with
other collectibles. If I don't, then 10-15 years from now once chip collecting is an established hobby on par with coin collecting (I'm really stretching it here!), the dealers will say "The Phillips Scale of Grading is really harsh in comparsion to the scales used for other collectibles, so we (the dealers) are implementing a new scale more in keeping with the grading scales used with other collectibles". Again, comments are welcome. I'm doing this collectors guide for the chip collecting community (you) and I want you to be able to live with whatever I come up with.

Thanks,

George

4.1.3 Visual Condition

Chips in the best visual condition are invariably the hardest to find and command the highest prices.

Beware of the term NOS (New Old Stock). It says nothing about the visual condition of the chip other than it is old stock that has never been used.

The following system of grading chips has been developed to allow collectors to communicate the visual state of preservation of a particular chip.

ChLN (Choice Like New): Like new condition with well-centered and boldly printed part number and logo. No scratches or scuff marks on cap, package, or pins. This is the condition of the first value listed for each chip in the guide.

LN (Like New): A part that would have graded ChLN except for some minor detraction such as the part number and or logo might not be as boldly printed, part number and logo might not be exactly centered, or a few pins might have faint socketing scratches.

ALN (Almost Like New): Part is in nearly new condition except for a few faint scratches or scuffs that in no way detract from Part number or logo on the cap or package. Pins are shiny other than faint socketing scratches. Tin pins show little or no oxidization.

EF (Extremely fine): Chip may have a few minor scratches or scuffs but nothing that significantly detracts from Part number or logo. Pins are shiny other than minor socketing scratches. Tin pins show little or no oxidization.

F (Fine): Part that is clearly used but without any scratches or scuffs that that significantly detract from part number or logo. Minor socketing scratches on pins.

VG (Very Good). Used but still in very good condition. No scratches that seriously detract from the trademark, part number, or any other writing on the chip. Socketing scratches on the pins. Tin pins may be slightly oxidized. May have a few slightly bent pins. This is the condition of the first value given throughout this guide.

G (Good). Parts that have been used and show considerable wear and tear. May have several significant scratches with numerous minor scratches. May also have some slightly bent pins. Part numbers and trademark should still be clearly legible and recognizable.

FR (Fair). Parts that show heavy wear and tear. May have significant scratches thru part number or trademark but not to extent that part number or trademark is illegible. No broken or missing pins.

PR (Poor). Parts with broken or missing pins, cracked package, illegible part number, or other major defects. A filler only for the rarest of parts.


4.1.4 Functional Condition

Values listed in this guide are for chips that are assumed to be functional.

If a chip is known to be non-functional then this should be indicated in the chips condition.
For example, “Non-functional Intel C8080A in ChLN visual condition”.

That said, the general rule in the chip collector community is that a chip is assumed
functional unless it is known to be non-functional.

The fact is, most chip collectors would be hesitant to try and test a rare vintage chip because that would require putting it into a vintage machine or vintage testing equipment with a vintage power supply and other vintage components that could damage the chip being tested if they were to malfunction during the test.

Likewise, finding someone with a vintage machine that is willing to test your chip would likely be difficult because the owner of the vintage machine does not want to risk damaging it by putting a potentially bad chip in it.

So what are the odds that the vintage chips in our collections are functional? Pretty good actually. The size of the circuits in vintage chips was huge in comparison to the size of circuits in modern chips. This means vintage chips are much more tolerant of ESD (electro static discharge) than modern chips.

Treat your vintage chips with the same ESD protection you would use when handling modern chips and they should be just fine.