Joseph M Pankiewicz, you are a disgrace to this hobby!

[HRBAKER]

The whole inter-related marketing mechanism is amazing. People send cards in relying on expertise that has been demonstrated repeatedly to be very limited. Auction houses rely on TPG because it essentially allows them to wash their hands of grading and authenticity issues even though again the system is very flawed. It comes down to the fact that customers vote over and over again that it is more important what the slab says than whether there is really a high level of expertise behind it. As long as slab = liquidity it is going to be this way.

I have really come to think that there is a large group of collectors that don't care at all if the card has been altered as long as it "numbers."

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

The whole inter-related marketing mechanism is amazing. People send cards in relying on expertise that has been demonstrated repeatedly to be very limited. Auction houses rely on TPG because it essentially allows them to wash their hands of grading and authenticity issues even though again the system is very flawed. It comes down to the fact that customers vote over and over again that it is more important what the slab says than whether there is really a high level of expertise behind it. As long as slab = liquidity it is going to be this way.

I have really come to think that there is a large group of collectors that don't care at all if the card has been altered as long as it "numbers."

That's exactly right Jeff. The slab gives everyone a free pass.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

I have really come to think that there is a large group of collectors that don't care at all if the card has been altered as long as it "numbers."

Better late than never. What was it Dennis Purdy called PSA in his classic early 1990s screed in VCBC, a smoke detector without batteries?

[ElCabron]

I agree with Joe. Some people are unbelievable scumbags and outrageous criminals. Right, Joe? Back me up here, Joe. Hello? Joe???

-Ryan

[ullmandds]

How about...."people do the darnedest things?"

[T206Collector]

I think we should have a poll as to what the defense will be:

1. I should be rewarded for exposing the cracks in TPG.

2. Nothing I did was fraudulent, deceptive, or otherwise illegal.

3. I dropped the cards in a jar of Lena Blackburne's Rubbing Mud and upon brushing them off realized through none of my own intent that the cards were sharper and shinier.

4. You want answers? You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

I think we should have a poll as to what the defense will be:

1. I should be rewarded for exposing the cracks in TPG.

2. Nothing I did was fraudulent, deceptive, or otherwise illegal.

3. I dropped the cards in a jar of Lena Blackburne's Rubbing Mud and upon brushing them off realized through none of my own intent that the cards were sharper and shinier.

4. You want answers? You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

It takes a lot to make me laugh but this did it

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Let me grab my bag of popcorn...

Z Wheat

Originally Posted by ZachS

Just catching up on this. Looks like we got some pretty good detectives here. Now I'm anxiously awaiting the response.

Who has the popcorn?

I brought plenty, and am happy to share.



I am having some kettle corn tonight. Yummy.

Originally Posted by Texxxx

I dont have to work since I broke my hand in three places last week so this sound like a good place to sit back and read.

Sorry to hear about your hand, Bruce. I broke my left leg in three places end of June. Maybe we can convince Leon to put a couple comfy chairs up front for us. I have a feeling this thread is going to go on for a long while. Either that, or it will collapse into itself like a black hole.

[ZachS]

Just catching up on this. Looks like we got some pretty good detectives here. Now I'm anxiously awaiting the response.

Who has the popcorn?

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Better late than never. What was it Dennis Purdy called PSA in his classic early 1990s screed in VCBC, a smoke detector without batteries?

Yup. I have been plugging through the back run I bought a couple months ago and serendipitously began issue #23 last night. It has an article by Keith Olbermann about a grading gone terribly wrong titled "Slab This!!" and is as relevant today as it was in 2000 when it was published. I leave with you with the last paragraph.

"There is only one solution, and that is to presume that every card sealed in a plastic container has been altered, and, however innocently, pronounced authentic and original, nonetheless. In short, don't buy a slabbed card. Ever. Ever."

[glchen]

Originally Posted by conor912

Yup. I have been plugging through the back run I bought a couple months ago and serendipitously began issue #23 last night. It has an article by Keith Olbermann about a grading gone terribly wrong titled "Slab This!!" and is as relevant today as it was in 2000 when it was published. I leave with you with the last paragraph.

"There is only one solution, and that is to presume that every card sealed in a plastic container has been altered, and, however innocently, pronounced authentic and original, nonetheless. In short, don't buy a slabbed card. Ever. Ever."

But Olbermann has bought slabbed cards ....

[conor912]

Originally Posted by glchen

But Olbermann has bought slabbed cards ....

I believe he bought the Wagner before this particular debacle. I can not speak to what he has bought and sold since.

[T206Collector]

I'm just piecing some things together -- wasn't all of this vetted a year ago on the CU Board? What, if any, was the resolution there?

The most I could find was here:

https://forums.collectors.com/messag...entid=10134480

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

I'm just piecing some things together -- wasn't all of this vetted a year ago on the CU Board? What, if any, was the resolution there?

The most I could find was here:

https://forums.collectors.com/messag...entid=10134480

That thread was deleted by the CU mods. There was more to the thread than your link provides. Probstein first replied and inferred that Joe P was one of many dealers that visits Probstein's operation in person to view the cards either before or while they're on auction and that's how he gets his bumps - he's basically cherry picking them. Probstein later replied in the thread that he was banning his eBay username (pank21) and would no longer accept consignments from him...which we know is not true.