Joseph M Pankiewicz, you are a disgrace to this hobby!

[HRBAKER]

IF it's true, would you be surprised?

[the 'stache]

David, first of all, let me say I applaud your research efforts.

I don't even know where to begin with this. In my line of work, we'd call this market manipulation. It's deceptive, immoral, and illegal.

I know PSA provides their opinion on an incredible number of cards, but how can they not see some of the alterations being made?

[CharleyBrown]

Is there any possibility that he established some friendships among other graders / people working for PSA and SGC?

[atx840]

No bump for you!!

BOUGHT

SOLD

[atx840]

A $600 increase.

BOUGHT

SOLD

[pepis]

Originally Posted by atx840

A $600 increase.

BOUGHT

SOLD

The real shocker i see here is the mental status of the buyers!
investors?, registry nuts in search of false glory?! i can't imagine a true collector paying over 14 times more for a card in a psa 8 holder even know
they're not capable of being able to tell the difference over a much cheaper
and absolute same looking psa7, you hear from many wanna be collectors say,
buy the card not the holder BUT this are the ones paying that crazy money
for that one higher grade!

[CW]

Originally Posted by pepis

The real shocker i see here is the mental status of the buyers!
investors?, registry nuts in search of false glory?! i can't imagine a true collector paying over 14 times more for a card in a psa 8 holder even know
they're not capable of being able to tell the difference over a much cheaper
and absolute same looking psa7, you hear from many wanna be collectors say,
buy the card not the holder BUT this are the ones paying that crazy money
for that one higher grade!

While I agree that is a crazy premium for an "8" over a "7", on that specific card there is more to the story. The O'Rourke card is one of the top 2 toughest cards in the set to get in a PSA 8 grade. Still a crazy price, but that explains the big premium being paid. Many collectors who choose to build that set shoot for all 8s.

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Well then I guess what I can conclude is the TPG's don't really have the ability to detect alterations, and that the card doctors currently have the upper hand. So what are the grading services doing to combat this? How do collectors, and the industry as a whole, deal with this problem? This certainly doesn't bode well for the future.

Unfortunately, many will deal with it by choosing to leave the hobby.

Originally Posted by D.P.Johnson

If I'm not mistaken, there are several members of this board who have contacts at PSA and SCG, and this specific issue has been brought to their attention. Thus, since fairly solid evidence exists that this person "Joe" is altering cards and submitting them for grading, I wonder why the folks at PSA or SCG don't ban "Joe" from making further submissions...

Most likely because his checks clear.

[the 'stache]

One question for you guys: do the cards that are being posted in these different discussions sell often in Probstein auctions? Is it possible he sells an Art Shell rookie, and then sells another six weeks later, not recognizing it's the same card with a different grade? How many people are working for him? Or, is he doing the lion's share of work himself? Obviously I am not at all familiar with his operation beyond seeing his name on Ebay.

Am I being obtuse here?

[D.P.Johnson]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

One question for you guys: do the cards that are being posted in these different discussions sell often in Probstein auctions? Is it possible he sells an Art Shell rookie, and then sells another six weeks later, not recognizing it's the same card with a different grade? How many people are working for him? Or, is he doing the lion's share of work himself? Obviously I am not at all familiar with his operation beyond seeing his name on Ebay.

Am I being obtuse here?

I don't know exactly how many, but he has people working for him...

[Wite3]

oops...already mentioned

[botn]

Joshua,

It was mentioned above but Joe has long been gone from SGC. They should probably ask him to remove that from his facebook page.

Greg