Notes from a former card Grader/Authenticator

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by swarmee

So here's a question that many are probably wondering:
A rare/scarce vintage card is bought through eBay AG that is real, but has minor undisclosed alterations. Who is resposible for recommending to the company that the buyer still get a chance to accept the card as is rather than cancelling the sale? Most buyers would prefer to fill a hole in their collection rather than have it unilaterally cancelled without input.

I understand wanting a look behind the curtains, but I can't really talk about the process. But it is worth mentioning again that we were all collectors, so we understood the mindset of a collector wanting an item that would be hard (or even impossible) to replace if they didn't get the item now no matter the condition.

Originally Posted by Fred

For clarification - which TPG did you work for?

Reading through your original post, were you indicating people would provide commentary on the cards in their submissions?

When I submitted cards, I'd put the ACC info on it and pray the TPGrader didn't totally hose the grade. I can remember once in a blue moon that I'd leave a comment and it usually was regarding encapsulating the card with an AUTH opinion if the grader felt it was altered in any way. What would drive me nuts is that receiving a card with the rejection slip/label and having wasted the money on that opinion. I felt, if an "A" label is what the card should have, then slab it anyway. I could always break it out if I wanted to. Biggest difference in a grade on a resubmission I had was through PSA. The initial grade was an "Auth". I resubmitted and received an "8".

CSG/CGC is the company I came from. My references were to typical messages I would see in the community (message boards and social media). The only notes I would see in grading is if there was a min grade or auth only requested. Graders aren't opening and processing the mail, so unless it directly affects our grading of the card we wouldn't see it (like the submitter information).

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

Then again, as far as I know the OP only worked for the CGC company. All our cherished myths can stay intact for the other grading companies.

Brian

Oh, you can keep any myth you want, but I wanted to humanize the position a little . I am no longer in the field so really it won't affect me going forward. I just know that prior to taking the job it was hard to find any grader (former or current) that would publicly talk about it. So I thought I would add a little insight from my POV.

Originally Posted by Pjere

This may be mildly irrelevant to your situation but I thought that I’d ask. eBay has spent a ton on this authentication process with high end packaging and utilizing grading companies to authenticate. Have you seen it make a difference from when they started the program up until you left in the amount of fake cards sent by sellers?


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I felt like it ebbed and flowed. It was as though I would get a large flood of fakes, then it would be quiet for a month or two and it would happen again. I wondered if it was just fraudsters testing the waters again to see if they could get something by that they didn't get by previously.

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Kinda surprised that somebody with over 3000 posts has a username I don't ever recall seeing before. Recent name change, or did I miss 3019 of your posts?

As Leon has stated I have been around with the same name. I honestly don't recall your ID either. It just appears that our paths haven't crossed much. That said, I will go back and edit my profile now to put in my full name since this may be a little too close to an opinion and I don't want to break the rules.