Dennis C. Purdy

[Stampsfan]

Wow, just wow if those allegations are true. I’m speaking of switching submitted cards, and PSA selling their own wares.

I’m speechless, except to say thanks for sharing.

Reading posts from 2011 and 2012 makes me wish I had found this forum earlier than I had.

[rickyb80]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Wow, just wow if those allegations are true. I’m speaking of switching submitted cards, and PSA selling their own wares.

I’m speechless, except to say thanks for sharing.

Reading posts from 2011 and 2012 makes me wish I had found this forum earlier than I had.

Thank you, Sir. Just here to help in any way I can. Happy to be able to share the wealth of knowledge found in those who have been in the hobby a lot longer than I have. There's a lot we can learn that can't be found using Google.
Cheers,
Ricky

[Ronnie73]

Interesting stuff. I was a PSA member very early on and had some suspicion that cards were getting switched. Especially when I'd separate the perfect centered cards from the ones that were a bit off, then send in the centered cards and get back 8's and 9's that weren't centered. I also thought it was odd that they were always behind in grading, as if they needed the extra time to find card replacements. Unfortunately back then there were not many digital cameras that took good pictures and camera phones were not even a thing. So I was never able to prove it. My free submission and first paid submission were all Griffey Jr rookie cards.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by rickyb80

Thank you, Sir. Just here to help in any way I can. Happy to be able to share the wealth of knowledge found in those who have been in the hobby a lot longer than I have. There's a lot we can learn that can't be found using Google.
Cheers,
Ricky

Unfortunately the generations that follow us will never know this, as we are truly a "dying breed". They just want what's quickest/easiest, and do not have the patience to conduct research of any depth, or motivation to seek the truth. They blindly put 100% of their faith in the PSA Slab, thinking they are somehow protected. Because it's easy and effortless.

You should definitely do the YouTube channel. It will reach people who would otherwise be completely oblivious. You'll derive lots of personal satisfaction while helping to educate many others. Just be sure to keep the videos rather brief, as people's attention spans have narrowed considerably.

Far better to do a "series" of brief 5 minute videos, than to do an all-encompassing hour long piece that will lose peoples' interest (no matter how well it's researched and/or executed). Please keep up the good work on behalf of the collector, and be sure to keep us posted if/when the YouTube expose comes to fruition.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Ricky,

Excellent post and much respect for putting it out there. I'd love to read the article you wrote too by the way.

Andy

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Wow, just wow if those allegations are true. I’m speaking of switching submitted cards, and PSA selling their own wares.

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

I’m speechless, except to say thanks for sharing.

Reading posts from 2011 and 2012 makes me wish I had found this forum earlier than I had.

Not trusting people/companies I don't know well, once I started getting cards graded I always make high res scans (as photos) of my submissions - raw and in card savers so I can compare them when they eventually come back...making sure what I got back was what I sent... More work but worth it... Also in case I ever need to file an insurance claim I can prove to what was in the package...

[jackwesq]

Hi everyone. Speaking of the McGwire rookie card, Brent/PWCC has this 1985 Topps Mark McGwire PSA 10 up for auction here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Topps-...C/352964200673

If there ever was a buy the card and not the holder, I imagine this might be it.

[Exhibitman]

Anyone attend the 1996 Anaheim National? At the back of the room there was a booth of several tables jammed with boxes of postwar cards at ridiculously low prices. I spent nearly all my money there. At the front of the room was the PSA booth. I noticed some of the same people working both booths. The scuttlebutt on the floor of the show was that the booth blowing out cards was an offshoot of the PSA booth selling cards that were acquired en masse by people affiliated with PSA but deemed not worth grading. I don't know if that was accurate but it was what was rumored at the show. I do know that there were some hellacious bargains to be had.

[TUM301]

Just happened to pick up this VCBC show advertising banner last week. Issue #5 Jan/Feb 1996 that has a few cool aspects to it. First it`s huge, 4 feet by 5 feet and it great shape. Second it features a great shot of my favorite collecting subject matter, Joe Jackson. Lastly it came with a pristine copy of the same magazine with an excellent article written by our very own, Barry Sloate. Makes a nice addition to the hobby room without spending too much of the budget.
1996 Baseball Collector Mag. Show Banner 5 X 4 feet by Hugh Murphy, on Flickr

[Leon]

That banner is cool.

Originally Posted by TUM301

Just happened to pick up this VCBC show advertising banner last week. Issue #5 Jan/Feb 1996 that has a few cool aspects to it. First it`s huge, 4 feet by 5 feet and it great shape. Second it features a great shot of my favorite collecting subject matter, Joe Jackson. Lastly it came with a pristine copy of the same magazine with an excellent article written by our very own, Barry Sloate. Makes a nice addition to the hobby room without spending too much of the budget.
1996 Baseball Collector Mag. Show Banner 5 X 4 feet by Hugh Murphy, on Flickr

[BeanTown]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Anyone attend the 1996 Anaheim National? At the back of the room there was a booth of several tables jammed with boxes of postwar cards at ridiculously low prices. I spent nearly all my money there. At the front of the room was the PSA booth. I noticed some of the same people working both booths. The scuttlebutt on the floor of the show was that the booth blowing out cards was an offshoot of the PSA booth selling cards that were acquired en masse by people affiliated with PSA but deemed not worth grading. I don't know if that was accurate but it was what was rumored at the show. I do know that there were some hellacious bargains to be had.

Yes, I remember that show well. Glenn Mechanic sold me some great items as I recall. That show was close to the timeframe when dealers would use the SCD price guide to buy cards and then sell them using SMR. Enjoyed the tour of the museum where we loaded up 2 private buses to get there full of enthusiasts.

[Leon]

Glenn always has great, esoteric, early stuff. A nicer guy you won't meet either.

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Yes, I remember that show well. Glenn Mechanic sold me some great items as I recall. That show was close to the timeframe when dealers would use the SCD price guide to buy cards and then sell them using SMR. Enjoyed the tour of the museum where we loaded up 2 private buses to get there full of enthusiasts.

[rickyb80]

Originally Posted by jackwesq

Hi everyone. Speaking of the McGwire rookie card, Brent/PWCC has this 1985 Topps Mark McGwire PSA 10 up for auction here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Topps-...C/352964200673

If there ever was a buy the card and not the holder, I imagine this might be it.

To have this happen to one of the most iconic modern key RC's in the hobby is pretty ridiculous. Someone actually paid $838 for that McGwire, and in reality this card would likely not meet the criteria to receive a 7. Is that an oil stain I see on the back of the card? Good grief...how would PSA explain something like this? I understand that mistakes get made, but this is pretty bizarre. I wish I could say it was the first time I've seen it, but it's actually very common.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Ricky

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by rickyb80

To have this happen to one of the most iconic modern key RC's in the hobby is pretty ridiculous. Someone actually paid $838 for that McGwire, and in reality this card would likely not meet the criteria to receive a 7. Is that an oil stain I see on the back of the card? Good grief...how would PSA explain something like this? I understand that mistakes get made, but this is pretty bizarre. I wish I could say it was the first time I've seen it, but it's actually very common.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Ricky

Yes, very common see botched grades like that... especially for the "right" customers. But still not nearly as common as the mountain of altered cards that reside in their numerically graded slabs.

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by rickyb80

To have this happen to one of the most iconic modern key RC's in the hobby is pretty ridiculous. Someone actually paid $838 for that McGwire, and in reality this card would likely not meet the criteria to receive a 7. Is that an oil stain I see on the back of the card? Good grief...how would PSA explain something like this? I understand that mistakes get made, but this is pretty bizarre. I wish I could say it was the first time I've seen it, but it's actually very common.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Ricky

and very short in the holder to boot...

[Den*nis O*Brien]

...I think he was a great guy. Very easy to talk to and helpful. I believe he had a brother and they ran/hosted shows featuring surviving members of the AAGPBL . He was kind enough to take some snapshots and run them by his autograph guests for ID. It turned out they were an all star group of AAGPBL players playing Cuban all stars in Cuba. He promptly and kindly sent them back to me with the info he gleaned. The magazine was terrific in my opinion. I am so sorry it could not continue. Does anyone know what the Purdy Brothers are up to today????

[oaks1912]

I saw Dennis last Fall. He's still in the Northwest, working on a new book and doing well considering the major health issues he has faced. I saw his brother Cameron last year, and again doing well.Dennis contributed quite a bit to the hobby twenty plus years back, and he still stays in touch with a few people from the hobby

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by jackwesq

Hi everyone. Speaking of the McGwire rookie card, Brent/PWCC has this 1985 Topps Mark McGwire PSA 10 up for auction here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Topps-...C/352964200673

If there ever was a buy the card and not the holder, I imagine this might be it.

My god the card is more than 1/8" short top to bottom.