Ugh!
Sorry, Jimmy, I have to disagree. This will benefit the whales of photography collecting and PSA, and cost everybody else a lot of money, in my humble opinion. As a longtime collector and dealer of vintage photography, I just don't see the need for this service. Unlike cards and autographs, there's never been an issue of forgery that I'm aware of, and trimming is not a problem. And keeping a collection in binders of PVC-free sheets is perfect for both storage and viewing. In your capacities as collector and dealer, how many times have you needed someone else to tell you anything you don't already know about the photos you handle? With only a tiny % of photos I've dealt with has there been some question as to the type or vintage, and I don't think the "authenticators" at PSA will do any better than you and I, and maybe worse. As far as grading is concerned, all you need is your eyes. The market has always "graded" photos by the price, now the grade will drive the price instead. Card and autograph grading, although correcting some abuses, turned collecting from fun to an anal-compulsive contest. Now grading will do the same to photos and everything else it touches. Yuck.
Hank Thomas
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