[Republicaninmass]

It's good to see there are still collectors who value independent opinions. For a while, I felt collectors could care less if an item was good or not, as long as a TPG would approve it. I've Also wanted items to be authentic so badly, I made excuses why the signature didn't look right. That never ended well, and I needed to take a step back for a while.

Many of the long time collectors I trade with do not have any cards authenticated. Their caveat is that the authenticators have never seen these players sign in person, so how can anyone be 100% sure. I guess this is why we must rely solely on opinions, as well as provenance.

I'm relatively new at collecting autographs, heck I haven't been alive as long as some have been collecting, but even I have the occasional head scratchers. More recently, it seems the TPGs have been overly cautious, failing items of common players who are still living, and actively signing ttm, only to ultimately pass them.

I'm pretty confident in an expensive card in a psa holder, however I do remember some 33 Ruth's that were sold that that good ole Peter Nash hurled some accusations at, and were sold right away. Usually if a card is raw, and I am not 100%, I will ask for a guarantee to pass a either psa or SGC. Other that that, I don't have the luxury, or want to bother, asking for an opinion from a friend as most of my trusted confidants now work at a TPG!