Did PSA get a free pass on The American Greed show?

[insidethewrapper]

Didn't PSA also give that trimmed Wagner a High Grade ?

[ngnichols]

Yes, they did.

[Kenny Cole]

Yes and yes. The trimmed Wagner that Gretzky and McNall bought was PSA's first graded card and its unveiling as a card grading company if I recall correctly. So yes, I think it is fair to have some questions and ask why PSA gets a pass.

[Orioles1954]

It's only a one hour program.

[Kenny Cole]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

It's only a one hour program.

Right. That deserves its own episode.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Kenny Cole

Yes and yes. The trimmed Wagner that Gretzky and McNall bought was PSA's first graded card and its unveiling as a card grading company if I recall correctly. So yes, I think it is fair to have some questions and ask why PSA gets a pass.

There have been rumors abounding for many years that the whole grading gala for the T206 rollout Wagner by PSA and Mastro was a staged event from the get go. As the story goes, Bad Bill approached, I guess, Collector's Universe brass with the Wagner in hand (yet trimmed or not, who knows?) and basically said, 'let's make a deal.' -- perhaps something like I will pay you
X to make this T206 Wagner Wonder Card the first card you grade, but it must be a nrmt/mt 8. The publicity for both of us will be terrific etc. etc.
Perhaps just another urban legend about this sad chapter in hobby history.

[LeftHandedDane]

I am one of the many collectors who prefer raw cards to graded. I frankly find the obsession over a 6 vs. a 7 vs. an 8, which to my eye look virtually the same (and all nice) to be uninteresting. But I do understand the financial implications of those differences, and therefore strongly believe that any company that performs this service has a fiduciary obligation to be consistent and accurate in its performance.

But at an even more base level, many collectors like me have been told that we should buy slabbed cards whenever we are purchasing something of any real value as protection against buying a fake or tampered card. Now while I believe that PSA catches the fakes, the fact that I cannot confidently believe that a slabbed card has not in fact been tampered with simply gives me yet another reason to stay aware from them altogether.