I dont know, we have all been worried about fraud since I started collecting 37 years ago. But the hobby has changed so much since then, its hard to compare times. I would bring up the possibility that TPGs have just increased fraud and not limited it in any way. And today is the same as 37 years ago, if you dont enjoy collecting whatever your focus is anymore you find something else...but eventually you rn out of things to shift to.
But TPGs have given a a false sense of security to collectors. People do not spend the time holding the cards and browsing thru them like we used to when shows were every weekend. You always bought beaters to educate yourself with, dip that toe into the water before taking the plunge. But these steps are skipped now with all the holders, same holders that prevent a "collector" from feeling a card, its thickness, texture and even smell. Now people drops 10's and 100's of thousands of dollars within months of entering.
The best way to defend yourself is still educating yourself. Blindly trusting a TPG with this much money just seems odd to me. And no, they arent the best at grading and detecting worked cards. People that have sat at home with their loupes, scan a card at 1200 dpi, handled 100s of the issue are just as good if not better. I handled 2-3000 CJs thru the years, I dont need a TPG to tell me what to look for.
But if the worry of fraud becomes to much then its just time to go and that sucks...but we should still be educating ourselves. If you dont know reach out to a member, super easy way to make a hobby buddy and very rarely has that person not responded to me. Its just part of it, a fun part of IMO.
|