Grading Co. Burlesque

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Posted By: ty_cobb

Where does grading belong long term in the hobby?
At this time most high quality cards are slabbed,
so the short term gain of a dealer slabbing a '5'
and dressing it up as a 6 for profit are gone.

I've wanted to address this subject a year ago,
but the big 'love-in' with SGC for vintage slabbing
got in the way of useful discussion.

Since then there's been the inevitable, WIWAG,
more recently an alleged fake PSA M101 Thorpe,
(looks like a fake to me too) , and the PSA
submissions debacle (condolences to Dan McKee
on the lost card).

My perception of Grading Co's after a year's time is that
a)long-term hobby quality assurance is just not there
b)there is a notion that grading confers an illusionary
security, when in fact at this period in time said
companies appear to be looking at reducing liability
in any areas they can.
c)the grading almost inevitably has to get worse as
the gold rush of high grade finds is over. 5 years
from now there will be nothing left to do except
liberate a Kit Young 2002 Topps T206 common and
grade it a '3'.

I'm beginning to think we might be better off with
trimmed cards in 10 years time! The very cards we
sought to denigrate and pooh-pooh might be all we
can identify as 'original' by then.