MEARS effort to help clean up the hobby. REA signs on.

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Posted By: Joann

Well, the November 10 deadline that MEARS set has come and gone. Recall that MEARS had published a list of policies that they will use in 2008 in terms of accepting business from auction houses. The policy listed such things as requiring the auction house to divulge ownership in lots, to disclose ANY prep work done on a card before grading, to keep records of bidding to help prevent shilling, etc.

In short, it outlined the very things that many on this board have said are desperately needed to help this hobby retain credibility. I'll post the links to the policy when I get a minute to dig them up.

MEARS said they will not do ANY business in 2008 - meaning any business - with any auction house that had not agreed (by November 10) to adhere to the new policy. This company flat out put its money where its mouth is.

As of the deadline, only one auction house agreed to adhere to the policy and thus be eligible to send items to MEARS for authenication in 2008. That company is REA. Therefore, it seems from this article on the MEARS website that REA is the only auction house from which MEARS will accept any business in 2008.

http://www.mearsonline.com/news/newsDetail.asp?id=336

Well, this is something I believe in, and it's the first action I've seen in which a major player has put itself on the line to do something right. If MEARS put its money where its mouth is, so I guess I can too.

OK. I know that I don't have a whole lot of money with which to try to make a statement. Me putting my foot down and not bidding in certain auctions is kind of like me putting my foot down and refusing to stay at the Ritz. Just won't, dammit! lol But I can only do what I can do, and I'm going to at least do that.

So in 2008 I'm not going to bid in any auction except REA. It's not like I win a lot or spend a lot in some of these, but I do like a few of the other houses fairly well and have won from them in the past here and there. But only REA, at least for 2008. If MEARS can make a big statement, then I guess I can make a small one.

The article linked says that MEARS sent their letter to the auction houses named. I am unclear as to whether MEARS will accept 08 business from a house that did not receive the letter and also did not accept the policy. If anyone can clear this up, I'd appreciate it. I don't know where that leaves some of the auction houses that did not get the letter from MEARS explaining the new policy and setting the deadline.

And as to them expanding the policy beyond memorabilia and to include cards, I have zero problem with that. The same general principles apply, so why not demand good practices across the board. Someone had to do it.


J

Edited to make it less choppy, and then edited again to fix the DANG link that got all corrupted when I edited the first time.