BGS 'raw card review' gets rejected
 

I don't normally use BGS grading but had a nice Beckett RCR 9 (raw card review) that I wanted to get in a better slab. This was my first (and last) RCR card. I had heard that the grades on RCR cards are necessarily guaranteed but I wasn't expecting the card to be returned to me - removed from the RCR 9 holder - as 'ALTERED'. In an email exchange with Beckett, I was told that cards like this are 'graded' at shows with poor lighting etc and that the grades aren't guaranteed.

OK, I get that. This '9' could be an '8' etc. But how can they put an 'altered' card in a RCR 9 holder? The card in question is a 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken Whiteout. No question - the card appears altered but how was I (the buyer) able to examine the card properly inside that sealed RCR holder? Poor lighting or not. I assumed Beckett did that and assigned a loose grade. I trusted the Beckett opinion when doing the purchase.

Does this mean every 1986 Fleer Jordan in a RCR holder could be altered (or fake) as well? Does the RCR review guarantee anything? If not - why offer it?

Is the seller responsible for selling unknown altered cards in RCR holders? I was offered some store credit - but for not near what I paid. I don't want to blame them - they trusted the RCR label as well.

When BGS (or others) do crossovers that appear altered, they wouldn't crack them out of the other companies slab. They'd simply return it - as is. Makes it hard for the buyer to return the card. It's out of the sealed holder now and basically worthless.

/rant

Update - BGS did refund me the grading fees but I'm still out shipping and of course the original price paid for the RCR 9.....

Jon, very sorry to hear this. Still not as bad as them letting that saw cut get graded.

For exactly the reasons you mention, I would never buy any significant card in one of those pre-holders. I am sorry this happened to you.

If grading is dumb, pre grading is even dumber. Sucks, but thats the fish bowl youre swimming in

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

And you were expecting a better outcome, uh, something different? :confused:

I'm surprised they actually yanked it. I mean, in a messed up way, and it sucks for you, but in a messed up way I'm glad they had the cajones to admit their mistake and pull it instead of burying their head in the sand and letting a bad card into a slab just to avoid admitting they screwed up on the RCR.

So while I (continue to) have zero faith in the RCR, I have to admit I feel a little better toward BGS today.

But yeah, I'm sorry this had to happen to you.

Arthur

I agree that's a tough break. If the lighting is so bad at shows that they can't tell real cards from fake ones, they shouldn't be offering their services at these shows. Or perhaps they should bring their own lights.

Agreed ! In fact they take it into a little tent. I had a friend grade a rough Walter Payton rc and got a 7.5.. it should have been a 4.5 lol. I think they do that with cards that they know are worth a lot more in a higher grade in hopes of you spending more with them to get it incapsuled. Les say it together MONEY GRAB! Doesn’t that feel better.

Exactly. Why should any collector have to go through all that work (lining up, filling out Beckett form, waiting for cards all day, mailing them out, etc.) when something like this can happen? So freaking stupid.