From Brick = Gem ??

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I have often seen many posts that seem to suggest that if a note is from a brick then it is of GEM quality.

Now I understand that bricks by far keep the notes in the most pristine shape as they come out of production. But at the same time looking at a picture of the polymer bricks posted in another forum the notes in the bricks can easily have their corners or edges affected.

Secondly with the polymer notes there are certain types of marks on the hologram and elsewhere that appear to be a result of the production process. I have seen examples of indents in polymer notes that have been printed over but the indent is still visible. I find these minor but visible artifacts on the notes to detract from its look.

Finally there is the issue of centering of the notes. Now granted that the journey and polymer notes do not have a white border but there is in fact a border and there are big differences between the positioning of the vignettes and the intaglio portrait within "non-white" borders that are in these notes. IMHO the appearance of these notes is affected by relative registration of these elements. So even if the note has perfect corners and edges it may still offer a relatively poor eye appeal

Going from UNC to Choice UNC or Gem UNC is a steep jump in not only the price but also the perfection expected in the note. Therefore I am wondering how many sellers on this forum seem to be suggesting that since the notes are from a brick they are somehow GEM or Choice.

I am a novice to grading but I have been studying registration issues with the journey and polymer notes and I think these issues make significant difference to the eye appeal.

Any thougths?

I would agree with you and I think most would... with respect to there being a difference between UNC and GEM UNC... and that some notes from a brick or bundle may actually incur damage prior to distribution, and/or there may be some slight in printing that makes it less appealing to the eye.

I think the same goes for coins.. you get bag marks and weak strikes so a coin even if it has come right from the mint may only grade a 62 or 63 instead of a 66 or 68.

I think it it stuff like this that makes the very highest of grades more desirable and harder to find.  I always think how would the bank handle these bricks when they are packing them and getting them ready for shipping.  They don't treat them delicately, I'm sure.  So it would be very easy to get bundles from your bank, but not all notes in the bundle would be highest Gem UNC grades.

I do want to get a bundle of these new polymers though!

All notes came from a brick at one point in time.  Therefore, should all notes be UNC or better?  I think not!  A brick can easily (and is often) mishandled in such a way as to cause bent corners, tight banding, etc. to notes.  Should those be UNC or better despite their flaws?  I think not!

Grade a note on its actual condition, not on where it came from.

  I have often seen many posts that seem to suggest that if a note is from a brick then it is of GEM quality. 

Anyone who gets bricks will tell you that this is not true. Just because you get a brick that is sealed does not mean that the notes inside are GEM...in fact many will appear to be AU under various conditions....When some bricks had bands that where tightly wrapped around the brick you could have a number of notes on top or bottom of the brick that have a band tear or nick or if the brick was dropped or mishandled it is easy for notes to have damaged corners etc..
I have seen many notes with very hard waves across them and not due to the paper but likely due to other storing/handling issues...
When you look at some of the tougher replacement notes if they were replaced within the first few notes in the first bundle of the brick there grade is far from GEM...
I think it is naïve to think that all notes in a brick are GEM

Grade a note on its actual condition, not on where it came from. 

So true....I know I once got a sealed brick that I would have bet a tow motor had driven over it and I know trying to find an unc note in that brick would have been a miracle...the only thing that surprised me was that they actually delivered the brick to me in that condition..but I guess money is money...no matter how dirty it is

Anyone who gets bricks will tell you that this is not true....
I think it is naïve to think that all notes in a brick are GEM

http://www.cdnpapermoney.com/forum/index.php?topic=13861.0

Each note is being pulled from new brick so graded would be ***GEM***

I guess you got me there