Just really upset
 

I really think that the people that come on this site and want to find out if an autograph is real or not should never ask or question someone's opinion.
I have never agreed with David on anything but we have found common ground.
If you ask for an opinion please have respect for the opinion and not say anything. Go spend your money on a tpa cert but don't insult us. You are getting free advice from some of the best people out there.
We can can be wrong but if five people tell you your drunk and one tells you your not who are you going believe ?

I am just amazed how people can ask for an opinion and then have total disrespect. There are five or six people on this site that I would take there opinion over Jsa, Psa or any TPA. I don't have to say who they are but I bet there percentage is higher than those people that can't even get a name correct or know boxing from a politician.
In the last few months people that didn't know there a-s from a hole in the ground are now experts. How do you in a few months now become something that it took most of the really good people on here years? :confused:

Just a reminder to those people that want to correct by spelling or anything else. I am a total dyslexic. This took two hours of my time.

+1

+1...Like I have said in many other threads, I trust the opinions of the brain trust here much more than any of the "professionals" out there...that includes Spence and Leland's.

The amount of money and time that folks on this forum have saved people by giving their opinions (for free I might add) is priceless.

Have a little respect.

yup, +1

and kudos to those of you who look at auto after auto and give your professional opinion for free.

And I don't participate much but I sure do appreciate the folks who help others without ever asking for anything. Thanks guys!!

Yours, David's, Jim's and Richards and others knowledge is invaluable to our community. Thank you

True Dat Sheldon.

I appreciate all the help on autographs I have posted :D.

Shelly's best post ever and as true as any post on Net54.
Kudos for posting this, it needed to be said.

As someone new I really thank you shelly.

JimStinson
 

Instead of beating around the bush why don't you just SAY what you feel and not pull any punches ...:), I agree 100% but I've learned my lesson. I've noticed that with most FREE opinions , they are perceived as worthless. So why bother ? Also it seems there is alot of "opinion shopping" ...20 say its bad and one says its good so it MUST be good. Then if I express a negative I'm inundated with pm's asking WHY ???? or someone hurls an insult or two. If I wanted to have a fight I'd just go to the local tavern and pick one but I won't be "leading with my chin"
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jim@stinsonsports.com

I'm not involved in autographs, but my personal rule I learned years back about other areas I deal with was only give an opinion if asked for one (a post for an opinion on a this board can count). I'm happy to help out collectors who have some questions but offering unsolicited opinions can lead to trouble and/or a waste of your energy. The second is give your honest opinion and that's it-- some people won't accept the facts you give them, especially when potential for resale money is involved involved, so don't worry about.

But there are many honest collectors and sellers with sincere questions about date, identity and authenticity, so I don't have an issue with people asking me for my opinions . . . If answering email questions becomes a part time job I'll quit, but two a month I can handle :)

Anyone who does not appreciate and respect Richard Simon's or Jim Stinson's opinion is a fool!

People are so brainwashed they buy the item for the cert as PSA and JSA and that has been taked about many times before. It's sad but it's the way it is and collectors are the ones that let it happen. Sure you want a so called expert opinion but to me if Jim or Richard say it's goood why the heck would I send it to PSA or JSA. People think there item is easier to sell with PSA or JSA because the collector that hasn't heard of the other little guys won't take a chance and in there mind PSA and JSA authenticate everything with no mistakes. I would also take Richard and Jim and a few of the other guys on here over PSA and JSA a hundred times over the big 2 TPA.

I rarely post on this side of the form. I listed a Mantle once and Christopher and Jarrod chimed in with opinions. I just wanted to thank you two again as well as the rest of you that are on here consistently offering your valuable services for free. After getting everyone's opinion on my Mantle, I happily returned it to the collection knowing without a doubt that it was authentic. Although that was the only instance I've solicited an opinion, I immensely appreciate the free education every one of the experts on here have provided. So, thank you all again for all of your assistance.

The reason PSA & JSA are so prominent and used is strictly because of ebay. If they don't say it's good....either via a letter of quick opinion....it will get pulled. This mostly applies to higher dollar items but even an item valued at a few hundred will get pulled. Have seen it happen many times.

Dave - you forgot about the big auction houses, all of them, except Lelands uses them. That carries a lot of weight in unknowing collectors minds and that is where the TPA's get their big money from.

I mostly lurk because I lack the expertise of many around here, and I only buy autographs every now and again, but I would like to thank all of our "local" experts for sharing the information that they do free of charge. It's very informative - I usually pick something up even in the dozens of "Mickey, good or bad?" threads - and sometimes fascinating.

As a new member, it took me about 30 seconds of looking through posts to understand that there are some real autograph heavyweights on this forum. After 25 years of collecting, I have some general knowledge on what some signatures look like but only a fraction of what the established members of this board have.

My bankroll isn't in the Ruth-Gehrig range, but I still like to have confidence in what I'm buying. In the short time I have been a member I've acquired a couple nice HOF autos in my price range based largely on opinions from some members here. I still feel a little apprehensive in asking for too many opinions as this is a skill that takes decades to hone and no one should expect this service to be handed out freely.

In short, thanks to everyone who takes the time to offer their insight. I truly appreciate any help that is offered.

yep, and thats what needs to be changed, the closed shop of auction houses and ebay with the stranglehold on autographs so its not just a two companies duopoly with basically two men in the united states telling people if their autograph is good or not, when we have seen their track record. more qualified opinions are definitely in order but the online auction houses and brick and mortar auction houses have a vested interest to prevent that from happening.

if i would give a boxing coa, that coa would be pulled when it came to auction and replaced with a psa or jsa coa, so no one elses coa can ever get any traction because its psa or jsa at auction and nobody else, ever, or there is gonig to be trouble, so if anybody else even tries, no matter how respected, the defenders of psa and jsa will jump on their carcass and start pulling meat and the hyenas will swarm and the vultures circle to get them to fold before they could even get started.

JimStinson
 

Hey did you just call Richard and I one of the LITTLE GUYS ???? :)
On behalf of little guys everywhere we resent that remark
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jim@stinsonsports.com

JimStinson
 

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
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jim@stinsonsports.com

this might've been in reference of the recent ruth signature, and i agree with shelly's position.

i had a similar experience last month on my walter johnson signed piece with legendary. it came with a JSA loa, but after soliciting advices from the board i just did not feel comfortable paying for it, knowing full well that with the JSA letter i could turn around, sell it and recover all my money and maybe turn a profit. i didn't want to do that either knowing what i know, so now i'm banned from bidding with legendary.

Seems like they cut off their nose to spite their face.
You can buy from me anytime Chad,,, and (advertisement coming) I will have a nice new price list coming out in a few days with some very nice autographs.

Wow, sorry to hear about that Chad. But I'm glad that you had the piece of mind in not getting the auto because of the expertise of the members here. It's their loss, because they lost a great potential buyer.

Sorry Jim, Didn't mean little guys like in stature just meant one of the little guys without all the overhead and waste the bigger guys have. :D

JimStinson
 

Just joking !!!! about the "little guys".... as for being banned from any company THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE GREAT STUFF TO BUY THAN YOU HAVE $$$$$$ TO BUY IT WITH Unless your last name is "Gates" or "Trump" and if it was you would not be banned....wear it as a BADGE OF HONOR..:)
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jim@stinsonsports.com

Sorry that happened. I have to admit, I'm careful about how I talk about auction houses that I purchase regularly from. If I don't like something they've done, I first try to resolve it with them. If that gets me nowhere, I still try to be careful about how I bitch about the transaction publicly.

But I very much admire the fact that you did not blow it off, knowing that you could get your money back by keeping your opinion to yourself. I have a similar situation with a group of PSA/DNA autographs, and I decided to not keep pushing the auction house - they made it very clear that they didn't give a shit about my opinion, and that's something I will not forget. But when I re-sell the items, I will be honest about my opinion, and the bidders can buy PSA's opinion if they choose.

Just remember when Richard wants to sell you an autograph he checks your bank account first.:D

they stuck to their policy, and felt that was the necessary step. i'm not a big whale by any mean but have bidded and won off and on with them for 10 years. no big deal there are ways around it i just didn't want to pass that johnson on. it'll get resold again and the next guy w/o this forum's access will be happy with the sig and the JSA cert.

JimStinson
 

Auctions ??? there is a new one every week and when one fails there are six to take their place , so no big deal......

Think about THIS if you WIN something at auction it means you were the ONE guy in the WHOLE WORLD that was willing to PAY MORE than anyone on the PLANET for that item. Is that a good deal ?
So are you losing alot being banned from that "privilage"?????
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jim@stinsonsports.com

But I do accept 3rd party postdated checks :).
(a paraphrased line from Cheers for all those trivia buffs)

JimStinson
 

I accept clam shells & tulip bulbs ....Top that one SHORTY ...I mean Richard.....:)
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jim@stinsonsports.com

Last time I checked I was 5'-11", shorty??
And several of the members here have proudly been banned by auction houses, and we wear that badge proudly.

If you are five 11 that must have been a leg transplant not knee. I think as we get older we shrink but Rich your ego gets bigger and bigger so I truly thing you must be at least as tall as David.:D:D:D:):):p:p:p:):):):D:D
David it is all in fun.

No problem, Shelly. I'm 6' 1''. (But I used to be 6' 3".)

I do not post a lot as I do not feel comfortable giving opinions to others at my level of knowledge but I read this site daily. That being said, Jim and Richard have both helped me privately on at least one occasion in regards to an autograph and it was much appreciated. I have since bought from Jim and will buy from Richard when something I want and can afford shows up in his email. Ken Goldin has also been gracious to answer questions for me about The Score Board and its relationships and signings. What you "Pros" do on this board does make a difference. I am more informed because of you and have changed how I look at possible purchases. So thanks again, and know all us newbies aren't the same. Every time I see someone who started a "Is it real thread?" last week with a horrible, not even close forgery, on a China ball and then give their definitive opinions on a Dimaggio the next make me want to punch a hole in my screen. Between that and the lack of respect I even get perturbed for you. Please keep up the good work. It does not go unnoticed. Cheers

Shelly, as you well know, it was not a transplant, though that is a novel idea.
Better to walk around with someone else's knee then to walk around with metal and plastic in my leg. Would make it easier to get through airport security :).
Might make the physical therapy easier too :).

Whether you get an opinion on here or through a TPA, it is just an opinion. It should be respected and left up to the person who receives that opinion to decide what they will do with the information. If that is the deciding factor as to whether or not they will buy an item, then so be it. The burden is the buyer to do their homework.

if it's down to a specific piece, like say a ruth...if the members here such as richard, chris, jim, david, shelly agree that it's bad, then i don't care whether it has a jsa or psa/dna loa. steve grad was still probably waiting outside hotels for fred mcgriff when richard and jim were knee deep in this stuff. i wouldn't make his opinion the deciding factor.

i'd more apt to go with psa/dna on modern stuff like chipper jones or mike trout, NOT ruth/gehrig/johnson/cobb/lajoie etc etc etc.

JimStinson
 

Who is Mike Trout ?.....:):):)
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jim@stinsonsports.com

Any relation to Kevin Bass?

JimStinson
 

Nevermind .......:D
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jim@stinsonsports.com

JimStinson
 

Chico Salmon ?
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jim@stinsonsports.com

Sid Bream?

JimStinson
 

I think Bream might be another member of the seafood family
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jim@stinsonsports.com

JimStinson
 

Or Mike Carp ? It would have been great to see "Hooks" Wiltse pitch to any of those guys
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jim@stinsonsports.com

George Haddock?
Lipman Pike?

Don't forget Bobby Sturgeon.

Of course, any of those players will make an out against a pitcher that throws a good sinker!