1. This looks like a solid high Telecom board: lots of ICs and two sets of gold pins.

2. This is similar but a number of chips are missing. Does that matter because that's just less chip weight to add to the value?

3. This has a lot of chips and gold, as well as plenty of tantalums and other goodies on the back. Is it HT or gold edge.., or what?
4. This one has a bunch of tantalums, gold pins, and the wiring on the board appears to be gold so, same question? (I would take the bracket off)

5. Back I think to a standard high tele. It has gold fingers and some pins on the near side. Would it still qualify if it didn't have the two sets of gold pins on the far end?

First thing I noticed is that #2 looks like the main board from a Pac Man Machine. I wonder if it has some collector value?

Next, I think all these boards classify as high grade telcom. I don't think #3 will grade higher because it doesn't have the gold edges or ICs. #5 would still be HGT with the gold pins because of the IC population.

Just my opinion.

Thanks for the opinions. You didn't mention #4 so I'm still wondering about that one. The back of it shows gold wiring throughout the board. As for #2, if that counts as high tele, could I in theory take several ICs off #1 and #5 and they would still qualify?

Sorry I didn't mention #4 specifically. Check out these posts below. If it doesn't have a gold cap IC or gold edges I don't think it can be upgraded to that class.
Gold Cap & Gold Edge & CNC boards
This has been verified as a CNC board
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21779&p=43926&hilit=CNC+boards#p43926

Boards of this type have been verified as Gold Edge Boards.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=22773&p=47303#p47303

As for comparing empty sockets on #2 to IC's that could be pulled off #3 and #5. I think you could take off the socketed ICs, because there don't seem to be many. Keep in mind if you pulled off all that I can tell are socketed and they weighed a whole pound you would upgrade that 1 pound from $6.85 to $9. Doesn't seem like a lot of extra money for the extra work. On the other hand if all the ICs were socketed and you removed them all I'm pretty sure the board would drop into a lower class.