Ebay should buy PSA... Discuss...

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Posted By: rand

really at the end of the day, it WAS NOT the psa 8 wagner that made psa, it was NOT the Registry, it was and is Ebay. my reason behind this is simple, it has brought a ton of new collectors to the hobby (including myself) and has been a show case for psa graded cards. the Registry was a brilliant idea that has taken off due to the ability for all kinds of people to have a chance to buy cards that would never have a chance to go to a show or avenue to get them. so ebay has really been the launch of the hobby, psa (the registry) and all the other grading companies along with it.

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Posted By: leon

While your initial statement won't happen I do absolutely agree with you. I remember about 9-10 yrs ago, right after I started collecting...I discovered ebay cards. It was only then that I got really addicted. uh......I mean interested....It was a venue where I could buy so many vintage cards that I couldn't resist. That was when the prices were a lot less too...

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Posted By: rand

hey Leon... the initial statement is just attract readers and get a reaction. it kinda goes along the line of Beckett grading and then selling their cards on ebay.... the double dip approach. i think at one time there was an auction that psa owned, i forget the name of it at the moment, they have since closed.

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Posted By: leon

I got ya'. PSA had the Collectors Universe Auctions.....I actually won my, previously owned, SGC 92 N284 Kelly from them....in a strange bit of irony....

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Posted By: Jason

I remember back around 98. Beckett used to have auctions and it was virtually all raw. I didn't even know what PSA was and built my sets raw. (A few PSA cards crept into their auctions towards the end)

I never really noticed the success of graded cards until I resumed collecting around 2003 on Ebay.

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Posted By: Mark Anderson

rand, just a point of clarification again - the cards Beckett Select Auctions sells are not owned by Beckett. They are consignments in which the owners of the cards approached us and asked us to sell them.

I can't comment as to the old Collector's Universe auctions as I never used or looked at them. I do recall David Hall's own collection was graded by PSA and then sold (including a PSA 10 1952 Topps Mantle, etc.), but I don't know if Collector's Universe Auctions actually sold those, did they? Someone else will remember better. I'm guessing the best stuff sold through an auction house.

As to the initial question, I think eBay likes being able to remain a bystander that happens to profit nicely from grading. If they bought PSA or any other authenticator, I can only imagine the headaches they would deal with on every graded card bought and sold on eBay that someone didn't like for whatever reason!

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Posted By: Jim VB

Mark,



Consignment or not, there is certainly some question about the appearance of impropriety when you both, grade and then profit from the sale of the same cards.



If Beckett is intent on doing both, they should outline a plan to all potential customers, on how they intend to keep the two side separate. What sort of "Chinese wall" has been set up to prevent cross-contamination of the two? Know going in that this has not always worked in other industries. It has had problems at financial firms that deal with analysts who make recommendations while brokers are trying to make sales. Most law firms routinely screen all new clients to make sure there is no potential conflict with existing clients. It's not as easy as it first seems, and you guys haven't broached it at all, at least publicly.



(Note- I have bid on several auctions from beckettmedia. Won some. Lost some. Everytime I have concerns.)

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Posted By: JimB

David Hall sold his collection through Superior Sportscards auction which was owned by Greg Busineau at the time. It later became a part of CU and Greg left and started his current company, Legacy Sports Rarities.
JimB

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Posted By: rand

i am not so sure about 100% consignments with the beckett auctions, just my opinion. let me be 100% clear that i personally like beckett cards and have had excellent success on crossing them to sgc. i also bid in beckett auctions (sky birds) when cards come up i want. so its not a personal attack. although, it would probably be 1000% better if beckett auctions had a different name so it would not even be a conversation.

My Title for this thread is not something i believe, ebay buying psa, its just a hook to get this conversation moving.

I know that ebay was dabbling in the classic car business and auctioning them on their site, as i had a family member that is in that business and was courted by ebay to head up that program. the program Never materialized, but it was a thought.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

It relentlessly touted the sales in its SMR; I referenced this in detail in an article I did at the time for VCBC.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Chris

For me, the appeal of graded cards came after getting ripped off on raw cards by several ebay sellers. I guess, in that sense, ebay drove my interest in graded cards. Back in the day, when all my purchases were at shops/shows, I wouldn't have cared about grading at all, and interestingly all the cards I bought at that time turned out to be 'good.'

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Posted By: Fred C

ebay buying psa... that would be great. Nothing would change as far as customer service goes (they both suck). You'd have a company that is inconsistent over grading policies being taken over by a company that doesn't know anything about grading at all so there's no loss there...

Just think, anyone that wanted to have anything graded would have to get a paypall account...

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Posted By: steve yawitz

It seemed so great when I almost simultaneously stumbled upon eBay and PSA back in '98 or '99: a democratic marketplace - as opposed to the old show- and shop-driven feudal system - and a company seemingly dedicated to making the emerging Internet-based hobby as safe as possible. Kind of a shame that both have indeed come to, well, suck.

http://imageevent.com/yawie99