[Archive]

Posted By: Plastic Dog

YOUR "AUTHENTIC" MATTY WOULD BE ADVERTISED AS NM/MT ON EBAY, AND A COLLECTOR WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME PICKING UP THE FLAW IF IT'S ENTOMBED IN BULLET-PROOF PLASTIC!!!

That's the problem Leon. Authentic-graded cards make it difficult for a buyer in any transaction to closely examine the card; it takes away all of your senses except sight. (Remember John Wojak talking about using touch, sight and even smell?) The only reason that most collectors accept the current system is that the "scrutiny" of the card was done by a 3rd party (possibly neutral) grader. With "AUTHENTIC" grades, such scrutiny is no longer possible. And that could mean a difference of overpaying by thousands of dollars for a card.

There are many flaws that you can only be certain of when actually handling the card.

Leon, you would be setting us all up for a bad situation: buy an "AUTHENTIC" card advertised as NM (or even EX, as you want to do with the MATTY), get the card, and you have no way of demonstrating a flaw to the seller. You can't get it graded without taking it out of its "AUTHENTIC" holder, you can't even feel the card yourself to confirm suspicious about hair-line creases, etc. Yet the seller says it's authentic, no problems.

DO YOU THINK THAT REAL - NOT REAL IS THE BIGGEST QUESTION IN THE HOBBY? NO WAY. THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS ALTERED - NOT ALTERED, BY FAR!!! MOST OF THE CARDS WE'VE QUESTIONED HAVE BEEN "AUTHENTIC". THINK ABOUT THE FULL COUNT BOARD: EVERY PRO GRADED CARD, INCLUDING THE MANTLE, IS LIKELY AUTHENTIC (BUT REALLY ALTERED). THE NOTORIOUS SGC DOYLE CARD WAS AUTHENTIC. EVEN THE BAD FRONT-BACK COMBO T206 CARDS ARE AUTHENTIC (THOUGH FROM 2 DIFFERENT CARDS). WE ARE ALL MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE DUPED BY A RESTORED, IRONED, TRIMMED, OR BLEACHED CARD THAN WE ARE BY A COUNTERFEIT.

BUT TO ALLOW SUCH CRAP TO BE SLABBED AS "AUTHENTIC," BUT WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF GRADING TO GO ALONG WITH IT, IS TO TIE THE COLLECTORS HANDS BEHIND THEIR BACKS WHILE GIVING AN EDGE TO THE UNETHICAL SELLERS. HOW CAN YOU REALLY THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING?