New trend on E-Bay? Selling cards rejected by grading services as such.
 

Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>A question and a comment... <br /><br />First the question, if you will kindly check out this link to a "popped" 1953 Topps wax pack: <br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5117495333&ssPage Name=STRK:MEWA:IT" target=_new>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5117495333&ssPage Name=STRK:MEWA:IT</a><br /><br />Now, does "popped" mean "opened, sorted through and attempted to re-seal" or that the pack is just no longer completely sealed and that's GAI criteria for encapsulation? <br /><br />On to the comment: I have been noticing (and this might be old news and I'm just getting a clue) that many dealers are now openly selling cards (and now packs I guess) on E-Bay that are authentic, but have been trimmed or otherwise altered, with the rejection slip from PSA or SGC, etc. as a positive rather than a negative (proof of authenticity). <br /><br />I saw this again with recent examples of Goudey Ruth and Gehrig cards and a '53 Topps Mantle. These cards still seem to be getting a premium vs. a suspicious (or even not so suspicious) raw card since at least the card has been certified as authentic by a reputable grading service. Even to the degree that they are outperforming cards that have been graded and encapsulated by the likes of PRO. <br /><br />I actually like this strategy on all sides. <br /><br />If prices of rejected, but authenticated, cards outperform graded cards from the shady grading services, dealers will keep their business with the likes of PSA and SGC rather than PRO (or the more likely scenario: simply not bothering to send a card to PRO after it's been rejected by PSA) and that means less business and inventory for the "shyster" services. So this is good for reputable grading services because it squeezes out their less ethical business competitors. <br /><br />Dealers will obviously benefit and be less inclined to deceptively sell a PRO card (or worse--sell the card raw, but not disclose the alteration), because they know they can get a higher price by simply openly selling a PSA authenticated, but trimmed or altered, card for more money. The more dealers realize this, again, the more business will decline at the likes of PRO. <br /><br />And buyers will benefit from having more information when making decisions on whether to knowingly buy a trimmed but authentic card (perhaps that's all they can afford and/or they don't mind the alteration--they feel they end up with a better looking card) or a graded card from a shyster service like PRO where trimming and alterations are hidden by the grading service and the dealer.<br /><br />Anyway, I like that this example is even being followed by packs. Sandandy is a reputable dealer, but another less ethical dealer could easily have taken the rejection from GAI and kept it quiet, while trying to sell the pack as a "raw" unopened pack. Obviously, in this case, they're not going to get the $4,000 - $5,000 an encapsulated '53 Topps pack would bring, but they're still going to get a premium (I would imagine in the range of $1,000 - $1,200 when the auction ends) and the buyer knows exactly what they're getting (or in my case, sorta).

New trend on E-Bay? Selling cards rejected by grading services as such.
 

Posted By: <b>Lee Behrens</b><p>I also think it is great to do this and I have done the same, if I send a caard to SGC and it comes back ungradable I will resell it with the tag. (My last submission had 4 altered cards in it, 2 I can not figure out why). The big problem with this is the companies do not encapsulate the card, so it is possible to swap the card with say a reprint.<br /><br />I still think it is an upstanding way to sell the item with the tag, the alternative would be to sell it with out the tag and no mention of the alteration.<br /><br />Be Good<br /><br />Lee

New trend on E-Bay? Selling cards rejected by grading services as such.
 

Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>I think that's a great point. I know I've seen a few highly-valuable cards (like the T206 Wagner and '33 Goudey Lajoie) encapsulated, but not assigned a grade--they'd just labeled "Authentic." My assumption is that these cards have been trimmed or otherwise technically altered (and thus ungradable), but they are still an authentic card. <br /><br />I would love to SGC and PSA make this a more common practice. I can easily see an "Authentic" slabbed PSA or SGC card outperforming a PRO 9 or 10. <br /><br />Hopefully, the reputable grading services and dealers catch on to this.