It seems to that the question of what to do with seized altered cards is a secondary problem. The main concern IMO is how does the hobby prevent the introduction into circulation of newly created altered cards?
Unlike an instance of a currency counterfeiter being caught and his/her plates destroyed, thus preventing the printing of new currency from these plates, with altered cards under current TPG grading methods one can assume that new alterations will soon be hitting the market. Their will never be a shortage of card doctors looking to make a dishonest buck, and they will always have access to ways to alter cards to elude detection under current methods of grading.
Yes, I understand that it is still prudent to take measures to insure that the current alterations that have come to light do not get re slabbed with numerical grades. But if somehow the hobby can figure out how to solve the main problem, this secondary problem will be solved as well.
I am here at the National, and there has been ample discussion about the current scandal. More than a few people I have talked to have proffered the same potential solution -- introduction of a grading process that relies on science, not human opinion. Doesn't the technology exist to detect trimming, coloring, artificial cleaning, even corner pressing and crease spooning-out? A system using this methodology would simply insert the card into a scanner, and presto, these alterations would be detected.
What about the cost of doing this? Agreed, it will not be cheap, but given the tremendous number of cards waiting to be evaluated by this method, coupled with current grading fees, I would think it could potentially be a profitable venture.
As to how does one induce owners of currently graded cards to submit their cards for this new re grading, the answer would be market forces. If I was the owner of a TPG company using such technology, I would in documented random fashion (so as to establish I am not cherry picking the most blatant examples) select a statistically significant number of high grade T206s (8s, 9s and 10s) for re grading by this new method. I would wager that the overwhelming majority of 9s and 10s (well in excess of 90%) and a significant majority of 8s (well in excess of 50%) would be revealed as altered. At that point for a T206 graded 8 or higher to hold its value it will need to be re slabbed.
|