[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

No excuses for why that didn't have more impact, maybe because it was graded several years prior (?), who knows. I cannnot imagine if a repetitive scam were exposed, in real time, in which a handful of employees were systematically bumping grades for profit, or whatever... perhaps slabbing fake signatures.

When there are 2 or more highly motivated competitors, offering a nearly equal service, I can't imagine something like this would not have a huge negative impact on the company that gets busted.

Hopefully none of this plays out, regardless of which speculative outcome is more accurate.

PSA used to hand out bumps like candy at shows. I know people who would travel to the shows to get the bumps. I know dealers who would personally take cards into the grading booth to argue their case. It was common knowledge. But as long as the grade was still within reason (and there is lots of subjectivity for tweeners), it caused no shockwaves. It doesn't work that way now, but I am sure that being human organizations, at TPGs some submitters are more equal than others.

Lots can happen short of blatant corruption. You don't need people handing graders bags of cash.