Mike Baker -- now offering a full line grading service?
 

They’re not an actual grading company, right? They don’t take submissions from the general public, you can’t find a submission form and submit a card on their site…not even sure what you’d call them without it being something vulgar and derogatory.

Looks like they kinda - sorta take submissions ???

"Authenticity Guarantee
MBA-Certified trading cards undergo the same extensive review process as MBA Grading, but at a lower service cost. The authenticity verification, alteration review, and condition reports provide our customers with the transparency and accountability they deserve.
Condition Ranges

FR to GD+, VG to VGEX+, EX to EXMT+, NM to NMMT+, MT or Better designations apply to all MBA Certified items. Evidence of Alteration and Minimum Size designations are also applied when appropriate. Note: MBA Certified cards can be submitted for MBA Grading and Encapsulation at any time; the final grade is guaranteed to exist within the assigned MBA Certified range."

Oh great just what the hobby needs another BCCG...

No, it was submitted in the slab as a crossover, with a minimum requested grade of "1."

PSA initially charged me and returned it in the original slab without any notes. When I contacted customer support for an explanation, they responded with this e-mail:

""Your order did not crossover because it did not meet your minimum grade requirement that you set, meaning our graders are of the opinion that your card did not meet the standards of that minimum grade or higher. They do not come to this conclusion lightly, and more than two expert PSA Graders inspect your item, and they both must come to the same conclusion. According to our graders, there were signs of alterations on this card, and the only way to have had this item encapsulated was to set your minimum grade to authentic."

PSA was only able to review the card through the slab, but confidently stated that it was altered. PSA also has an incentive to make competitors look bad, but at the end of the day they're on record that this card was tampered with, and MBA is on record that it wasn't. I'll leave it to others to decide whether PSA is wrong or MBA is wrong.

I’d love to know where on the card the alteration occurred.

I will say it's hard to be 100% in a slab, on the internet, but I am not in love with that top edge, especially looking at the back. The way the wear in the upper left corner ends is weird and that is one of the things I always look for, and both corners curve slightly down, plus the almost regular repetition of damage across the edge with a little ding at set intervals.

I wouldn't say it's conclusive because of what I have to judge by, but that's where I'd look very closely if given the opportunity

A couple other angles from when it was in-hand.

https://i.ibb.co/yFyn9dHM/IMG-0876.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/fzQQ1QSG/IMG-0877.jpg

I'm no expert, but I noticed some lipping along the top edge. I have no love for PSA, but it also wouldn't surprise me if it was cleaned and MBA is just waving them through for Greg Morris.

interesting, from the new back angle it looks warped as well towards the red top section. Maybe a soak gone wrong?

Again it's all conjecture with internet pics but it's interesting.

Who the heck is gonna spend the cash to move their Vintage cards from SGC Slabs to MBA Slabs????

Bottom edge towards the left is highly suspect. Upper right corner from the reverse, also highly suspect. Neither appear to have natural wear. Also it could be the scan but the card is very bright. Most evidenced by the worn corners which having that much wear should be dirty.

That is the first card I have seen either in hand or in a scan by MBA that I did not like.

Just tossing this out there for a minute - EJE Card Grading
 

Emerald Jade Evaluations

So I gave these guys a try due to the (seemingly) non stop Chaos with the Major TPGs lately.

EJE advertises Grading Service at $9.00 per card.

However, Once I got hooked up with them - they sent me a "discount" promo (Welcome) for Grading Service at $5.00 per card.

So I sent them 22 cards at the $5.00 per and (here's the kicker) - Turnaround was 10 days from the time I dropped them off at Post Office until the day that received them back.

Take a look at the examples below - Crucify the results (if you must) but I'm pretty sure that I get cards (like those I sent) graded for more of a protection measure than a "make money on the slab it's in" measure.

Overall - I'm quite satisfied with their service.

https://ejecards.com/

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/150864751@N07/54749678492/in/dateposted-public/" title="EJE Pendleton - Grade 5"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54749678492_ca3fe0291d_c.jpg" width="800" height="475" alt="EJE Pendleton - Grade 5"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/150864751@N07/54750738608/in/dateposted-public/" title="EJE Ripken Grade 9"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54750738608_98a114a75e_c.jpg" width="474" height="800" alt="EJE Ripken Grade 9"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Never heard of them until your post...

Small sample size, but the 2 grades you showed look to be spot-on. Better than PSA could do these days, at 1/3 the price, FWIW.

You should ask how much they would charge to slab the cards without their flips. You might get down to almost free! ;)

Presented without comment.

https://www.mbadiamond.com/report-card/SGC0077560

It's the Animal Farm of Grading...

Almost as bad as the "3" on the Baltimore News Ruth.

No sticker on the Ruth.

I still remember GAI and how that went. It started out really good, then after a while it was obvious that trimmed cards were receiving numerical grades. I guess we're supposed to forgive and forget, move forward.

The one thing I liked about the GAI card slabs (until it became obvious about trimmed cards given numerical grades) is that the top edge had the card information which allowed you to pick the card out of a box while only looking at the top of the slabs. I wish other TPGs would do this.

Anybody have an OJ to show in one of those MBA slabs?

Attachment 673164

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I guess the sticker is intended to signify that the card is essentially under-graded??!!!

Obviously it seems like a generous cherry on top of an already very generously graded cake.

But if MBA has so certified, who are we to demur?

As Yogi would say, "It's Deja Vue all over again."

The Wagner is a 2.5 - 3, if any of us sent it in for grading. No way on earth it would receive better than a 3. And they don't even have the "old label" excuse!

Grading is a complete scam.... pay for play.

With those corners, it might be a legit 5 if it were a 1913 National Game card.

Maybe.

The hobby of no consequences. I think this will be my newest mantra, after stuff trumps all, the flip is the commodity, and Animal Farm grading.

No more resenting discussions on this discussion board?

I differentiate between a signature line and a mantra. :)

Grade notwithstanding, because those corners can't be 5s, this is one of the best looking Wags in the hobby (or, I have ever seen) so not sure it wouldn't get some kind of gold medal for that.

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Cards that receive a Gold Diamond Certification are determined worthy of a higher technical grade from MBA. These are truly exceptional examples within the assigned technical grade, generally representing the top 5% of the population, for that grade. A Diamond Certified trading card must achieve a 0.5 technical grade increase, or higher, to receive the Gold Diamond designation.

And the Chief Grader is the Pig!

Swing and a miss. Ball was nowhere near the strike zone either. So much for considering MBA for grading.

Card can get a gold medal for eye appeal but should not get a gold MBA sticker. it already got a 2 grade bump for eye appeal.

I like TPG but this one and the BN Ruth make it hard to argue with those on here who hate the whole concept. Those two cards alone scream Just Say No To Grading.

Hopefully the number of "exceptions" to the rules for wealthy influential hobbyists is limited.

I was thinking the same thing. Beautiful card.

Mba
 

https://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...Mathewson5.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...RoseCoback.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...216Wagner3.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...216Wagner2.jpg

I wondered earlier in the thread of Brent was involved with Mike's new adventure. It appears he may be from this pic of a recent dinner (with an impressive cast of hobby luminaries) in which Brent is sitting next to Mike. In any event, it's been quite a long time since Brent vanished from the hobby after the sale of PWCC to Fanatics. I expected him to return at some point.

Yes, they do say that the criminal typically returns to the scene of the crime. If he only had a heart... and ironically, looking into the mirror, it appears the Tin Man took that photo.

Thanks for posting. Interesting group at this table :D

LOL. I recognized some, but by no means all.

Looking closer, I spy Steve Foreman of SGC fame.

Would love to be a fly on the wall.

Yes, as well as Joe T. of Goldin and (I believe) Lee Iskowitz and Derek Grady of Heritage. Interesting gathering, no doubt.

Those guys have had their hands on a lot of great cards over the years. I bet there was tons of storytelling going on who scored the most at this table.

Maybe Im wrong, but I feel like PWCC and MBA assign these "stickers" anytime the card is well centered. That is a gorgeous Wagner , But I would have gotten a 2.5 likely LOL.

I envision there was merely tons of discussion how to manipulate the hobby to enrich themselves.

According to sources, one of the guys in the group that just bought a Jordan/Kobe card for 12 million and a Jordan/Lebron card for 10 million is also in the picture.

Why am I reminded of the old annual power event known as the Predators' Ball? LOL

Have no comment on the photo but 22 large could not have been spent worse, imo, but happy collecting to O'Leary and friends.

Even if they sell at a loss, we'll be told the opposite by the Ministry of Truth.