Posted By:
J LevineI personally do not collect game-used or autographs for the reasons listed above but one thing does trouble me a little. A lot of collectors are slamming Bushing, et.al. (and in my opinion rightfully so) for doing what many of us do practically everyday...I have bought items (read as vintage cards) and authenticated them myself, and then sold them on ebay giving them my personal guarantee of authenticity and originality. Not once asking for a second opinion, confident in the knowledge that I have acquired over the years (just as I am sure Bushing et. al. think). I think that Bushing and some of the other game used authenticators have crossed an ethical line by non-disclosure of ownership and instead of just admitting mistakes and trying to correct them they have tried to cover their collectives butts.
I have been at shows many times and helped tell friends and dealers about cards and letting them know if they were reprits, fakes, or orginals. Do I consider myself the foremost authenticator of Phillies or T-205 cards? Of course not! I always tell the people that I give information to that it is my opinion. Heck, some of you even saw me run around to about six dealers incl. Mastro, fellow board members Art M. and David L., and another collector that I respect when I was asked if a t-205 blank back was real. Consensus was it was real (and it was nice) and I ended up buying it from the dealer who asked me to look at it...Now, I have authenticated it to my satisfaction and if I decide to sell it, many of you would buy it on spec. from me just because I have a small reputaion of being an "expert" on T-205s. No LOA, no COA, no third party grader. Just me. Just like Bushing. The difference is that you know I own it and I back my product. Bushing hides behind the authentication and the company he consigned the item to. I think that is the unethical part.
The point of all this is, I have no problem with demanding more than one authentication and asking questions, but remember that people in glass houses should not throw stones and no one is perfect. I have made mistakes, admitted them, refunded money, etc. It is not that hard to do. I wish people would just admit their mistakes, stop suing each other, and get on with collecting...
I feel that people should ask questions and I encourage it but just be aware next time you sell on ebay an ungraded/unauthenticated item that you may be doing the same thing as Bushing.
I will end this tired tirade now...
Joshua