[tahlering]

Originally Posted by SpartanWarrior

The real issue is that when third party grading originated in Baseball cards. It wasn't focused on telling folks that items were authentic. It was all about differentiating between cards.

In stamps the gold standard is an APS certificate. It doesn't tell the buyer how much better or worse the stamp or cancel or cover is than any other stamp/cancel/cover that exists. It tells the buyer that the item is real. Certificates are also issued saying the item is counterfeit/forged, etc.

The result is that TPG's have a lot of unsophisticated graders. They are like the folks making french fries at McD's. They are able to follow directions but have little to no actual expertise in cards.

If people understood some of the things that went on back when ASA and PSA started they would be far less likely to pay a premium for their graded cards. The promises being made to dealers to become "authorized" dealers were outright ridiculous - "if you ever NEED a grade" "your cards will be treated well" type of promises.

All collectible businesses attract a certain number of dishonest people looking to make "easy' money. Unfortunately, I've believed for about 30 years that BB cards is the one with the widest variety of dirty elements. Coins have had a lot of issues through the years. Stamps had in the 60's-70's a lot of guys re-gumming, re-perfing, and just plain counterfeiting. Cards has elements in every area of the hobby - unopened, trimming, recoloring, removing creases, TPG cronyism and ineptitude, counterfeiting, breaking, autographs, memorabilia, etc etc. I don't see any improvement happening and little to now incentives for things to change

Enjoy the cards as they are and try to leave all the grading nonsense out of your collecting decisions.

Good post. I agree and dovetails with my idea above that a collector relying on authentication services for seriously high valued items should insist that they bring in outside consultants with more day to day experience in an item for their opinion before signing off (like this Rattle guy for Pokémon etc.). Important also that those individuals don’t have any skin in that transaction. It looked like in this case there were a few poke people (ie that pokejew) who were compensated by the SELLER to say “looks good”. Clearly he’s conflicted bc he’s being paid/hired to come to a single conclusion.