Quote:
Originally Posted by drcy
I know I'm right. How TPAs or whomever uses the technology and methods is neither here nor there to me. There's also no reason it has to be a commercial endevor-- no need to define this issue in terms of commerce, companies and market share. It's like saying "Which company is going to own carbon dating?" No one owns carbon dating. It's a scientific method written about in textbooks, taught in physics classes and used all over the world.
Also, many authentication tools and methods are inexpensive and many people, and collectors, them. Anyone who examines their card with a $6 black light or $10 handheld microscope can attest to this. There will be scientific tools, some expensive and some not, but it's mostly about knowledge.
Also, people have to differenciate between grading and identifying altereations. Grading and grading critereon are subjective and no AI or compupter program can 'solve' that. Identying altereations on the other hand is scientific, and technology can be applied there.
|
I guess we're talking about 2 different things, then...
Most collectors (the people feeding endless sums of money to PSA) seem to want a 3rd party to "validate" their cards. They view the self-appointed experts as "The Voice of God", and get an ego boost, when their card comes back with a highly-assigned grade (even if it's altered).
I'm guessing the use of technology (or any science for that matter) won't change that mindset.... regardless of how easy the identification techniques become. PSA won't ever admit to their mistakes... which involve multi-thousands of graded cards. So if it then becomes up to the collector to determine what is legitimate and what's not, I honestly think most of these people won't even want to know the truth... especially those who are deeply invested and in love with PSA. A pretty sad state of affairs.