VCBC #7, 1996, PSA & ASA Card Grading Svc's - Smoke Detectors Without Batteries

[Exhibitman]

Of course it is about money, Mark. Everything in America is about money, from cards to cancer treatment.

Purdy called out the silliness and potential for corruption in TPGs decades ago. I wrote articles for him exposing the fraud behind the SMR, which featured made-up prices for cards that did not exist but which listed them as actual sales anyway. No one cared then and no one cares now because of the money. The registry collectors who consume PSA slabs are too busy spending for slabs as a way of comparing dicks with other rich guys, so they don't want to know from trimming, bleaching and fraud. The PSA dealers know that it costs a fraction of the boost in value to have PSA slab a valuable card, so they hold their noses and carry on. I know that is true because as much as I loathe TPGs, I play that game too when it comes to selling. I sent in an order to PSA last fall which included a Bill Russell RC (the Celtics center, not the Dodgers SS). It is what we used to call a "beater" and I bought it priced accordingly. PSA released the grade yesterday and graded it fair. They 'upcharged' me $60 for the higher than expected grade and I paid it readily because that $60 made a $500 raw card into a $1100 card for the PSA audience. It is a license to print money for everyone involved and as long as there is a market for it, resistance is futile. TPGs are the Borg and they will assimilate you...