Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny630
Grading was supposed to the authority in determining whether a card was altered or not. Trust your eye over theirs..never trust or buy a slab buy the card.
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PSA is guilty of not identifying all of the altered cards submitted for grading, as examples pile up. Still, nobody is saying that PSA fails to identify some of the altered cards submitted for grading. Also, nobody is saying that PSA is grading counterfeit cards. And, the grades assigned are reasonably consistent regarding the presentation (appearance) of the cards being graded. These services would seem to offer some attraction to buyers, particularly ones that are new or part-time in the hobby.
While PSA has been less than diligent about policing the alteration and re-submission of previously graded cards, it uses disclosed, repeatable processes to evaluate the cards submitted for grading. It is now clear that those processes do not catch all altered cards. How realistic it is to expect those processes to be perfect and whether those processes can be perfected at a workable cost, remains to be seen.
PSA is routinely accused (universally without evidence) on this forum of corrupt practices that amount to agreeing to inflate the grade given to cards submitted by favored customers. This kind of corruption is very hard to sustain and conceal, particularly in a public corporation. Should it turn out to be true, PSA will, and should, pay a large price.
I hope that PSA (and SGC/BVG) accepts the role currently filled by Blowout of policing the acquisition, alteration, and re-submission of previously-graded cards. It would seem to be vital to the success of their business model going forward. It would also provide further incentive to get cards graded before they can be altered and ensure that once graded, a card cannot be un-slabbed, altered, and awarded a higher grade.