I remember that. There was a time FH beaver and otter grading was spot on. What the catalog said is what you were looking at on the table. Bought otter once for a customer and never looked at a skin. He knew what he wanted by the words in the catalog.

That has always been the case, and in a falling or low market condition the grade really tightens up.

Yup, when buyers are hungry and figure on making a big profit quickly, they are not as concerned about a few borderline skins slipping into the better lots, and graders know this. Even the buyers will do this when grading themselves, because they are looking for numbers.