Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards
LOL. You're funny. I only "ordered" you to stop making bad comparisons.
The only answer that doesn't involve destroying them that makes any sense is to treat them like any seized asset and the government sells them at auction. And then what do you think happens with them?
That's why I think they have to be destroyed.
To answer your irrelevant hypothetical, if the Gretzky Wagner was seized as evidence it would STILL be a different scenario as that card will never be as anonymous as the cards in the current scandal. There's almost no conceivable way that the card be sold fraudulently in the future because ostensibly anyone interested and able to purchase it would be well aware of it's history. You can't say that about some random 1952 Topps Mantle of which there are thousands graded and it's not inconceivable that there are nice examples that still aren't graded. So 20 years from now a card the government sold as altered is sold as legit because it's impossible to trace. Something the Wagner will never be.
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Scott, I have noticed since I have been participating on this site that I almost always agree with you, and I have been thinking about what, exactly, our difference of opinion is here. First, I think you are talking specifically about cards that may be seized and held by law enforcement in specific court proceedings, and as such, those cards would be under the legal control of law enforcement. Yes, reintroducing them back into the public domain would likely result in their being misrepresented and sold in the future. Hence your conclusion is that, to avoid that almost inevitable scenario, the only way is to destroy them. I think your logic in that assumption is sound.
Where we differ, I think, is that I see value in genuine cards, even if they are altered. Of the 1910 era cards I own, and have owned, some have had rounded corners, missing paper, creases, water damage, fly poop, pinholes, writing, dirt, and etc. So if, for example, someone had an altered T205 Joss with touched-up corners and I could get a good deal on it, I would be happy to add that imperfect card to my imperfect little collection.
I would rather see law enforcement stop fraud, and I'd love to see more sophisticated methods of alteration detection utilized, but (and this will be the tenth time I have said this, forgive me) I don't want to see old cards destroyed.
I think your dismissal of the Wagner hypothetical is weak - where do you draw the line? How about a T206 Doyle, or Plank... at what point do you say, "Let's destroy all the other cards deemed to be fraudulently altered... oh, except for the Wagner because it's so high-profile... but the Plank...?"
So, I think our basic difference is that you seem to think altered cards being sold is the problem, and the solution is to therefore destroy them. Burning down the forest, so to speak. My opinion is that altered cards still have value and the goal should be enhanced detection (maybe a new high-tech grading service) and until then, all we can do is be careful.
I enjoy a good discussion. Your point is valid I think; we just disagree.