Quote:
Originally Posted by pokerplyr80
I'm curious how many will share your opinion with everything that was revealed in that Mastro post. If you can't trust the president of the grading site, how can you trust that the grades are accurate and fair?
Most of my cards are PSA graded, but I am worried about what will happen to the value of the couple in SGC holders. Although perhaps this will just blow over in the minds of those collectors who aren't active on these forums.
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I share the opinion. SGC does an accurate job at grading cards. That's what I pay them to do. Someone else stated in the apocalypse thread that we should boycott TPG companies who have undertaken unethical practices, put collectors at risk, or have done things that present a conflict of interest. If you feel the same way, more power to you but from my experience you have now limited your card submissions to Verisleeve. (Not knocking Verisleeve, I actually like their concept.)
SGC recently had key members of the company outed in the release. It's damning and I'm disappointed, but it's not a death blow and in a month the hobby will move on to something else. They employ some of the most accurate graders and despite what the homemade flyers nailed to lamp posts around here, they don't universally sell for pennies of PSA. Their turnaround times are near spot on, and the slab is beautiful especially with vintage. I use them for my vintage cards and will likely forever continue to.
PSA had as many or more names listed, the only difference was their title with the company. The company colluded on the hobby's most iconic fraud, it took years (boderline decades) for them to improve upon the hobby's easiest to tamper slab, their turnaround time on specials is measured by the seasons, and they whitewash their image like Stalin's photo album. For example: last year I received a ban from their message board for outing this BS they allow:
I didn't call out PSA for stupidly slabbing this in the manner they did. I simply posted it to warn people what to look for so they don't make a costly mistake (the auction winner ended up bidding $1300 for what in reality is a $30 card). Over night the thread vanished I was banned without an explanation or even a "hey you've been banned" email. It took two months of email tag and an 'apology' from me to forum administrator to get reinstated. But hey, at least it's not a widespread issue and this was just a one time oversight....
Oh wait, it's not. They allow stupid sh$t like this to be slabbed constantly that cause uneducated collectors to lose thousands of dollars. Crap like this pops up on eBay weekly and PSA's lack for foresight to prevent this is astounding. This crap is subbed in this manner for one reason only... to take advantage of the uneducated and scam some money... and PSA is totally cool with it.
That being said, their grading and alteration detection is fairly accurate, their implementation of the registry was brilliant, and they have one of the best reputations in the hobby. I use their PSA/DNA service for my signed cards and most of the 50's and 60's sets I work are PSA. I see no reason why this will end anytime soon.
Beckett was not on the list from what I could gleam, they must be smart enough not to conflict themselves. Except for the fact YOU CAN TOTALLY LET THEM GRADE YOUR CARDS AND THEN AUCTION THEM FOR YOU. Lord could you imagine the mudshow that would erupt if you opened up a catalog and saw a m101 Ruth graded REA 8 in a REA Auction. Peter Nash would have a stroke and need a new change of britches. Also....
This crap...
Da fuque was this ever supposed to accomplish, why is it still a thing, and seriously tell me who ever... ever.... ever... thought it was a good idea.
Yet I still like Beckett. Their slabs can stop a bullet and they've corned the modern market. I appreciate the semi-transparency of their sub grades that give you insight into why you received the grades assigned. Remember that PSA crap I posted above with the Jordan? They refuse to slab such in a manner that might trick an future unsuspecting buyer (they used to label them 'not authentic signature' now they refuse to slab) because, ya know, they have some common sense and all. I use them for my modern cards and pack pulled autos and likely will until forever.
Point being, they've all done stupid sh$t that has caused me to stop and wonder "why? really?" and between personal shilling practices, sheer stupidity, and whatever the heck BCCG is supposed to be they have wittingly cost the collectors they are in the business of protecting thousands of dollars. But at the end of the day they accurately grade cards and put them plastic blocks which is pretty much what they tell me they are going to and all I ask them to do, so like my parents always said.... "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed."
Happy Collecting.