Posted By:
barrysloateI agree with Josh that if only one grading company marked an altered card and the others didn't, it would significantly hurt their business. And I do agree with Dave that you can't accept a card from someone and then take the liberty of marking it up.
Jim- I have some mixed feelings about your comments. I thought we had a positive meeting in that for two hours we had a brisk discussion of many of the problems the hobby faces regarding card alterations. But I never for one moment went into it thinking we would form a group that would have the power to clean things up. I am concerned too with what goes on, but a "vigilante" group of collectors and dealers probably won't work. If you insist that all dealers join some kind of organization, most of the ethical ones will, and the unethical ones won't.
I still think our best line of defense is the grading services. If they can't distinguish a trimmed card from a good one, then all is lost. Forming an organization is fine, and I would be happy to join, but since I do not alter cards my membership in it won't have that much of an impact.