[Rhotchkiss]

I have not accused Brett or Betsy of anything. What I have done is posted a series of Mantle SGC 7 alleged sales of the same card, including what Peter found, 4 of which sales are connected in some fashion to PWCC - either their auctions or their vault. Not REA, not Goldin, not any other house- rather PWCC, an outfit that has been involved (fact and documented) in numerous sketchy activities, got booted from eBay, and recently went belly up (from the top of the world). If the conclusion people are drawing is that PWCC or their old ownership was somehow connected with these “sales”, it’s tough to argue that. I have no direct proof. But where there is smoke….

Regardless, I don’t give a shit about PWCC or anyone there. That place imploded and I haven’t bought from them in years. They are history. Instead, I noticed the same mantle being sold 4 times in 2 years, each time for less, and I pointed that out and asked for theories. My theory is at least 1 of them (now 2) are fake sales intended to create inflated comps. I don’t know if it was PWCC, eBay, Brett/Betsy, other people, or all the above. But I do feel they were fake, nefarious, and PWCC is connected to 4 of the “sales”. At the least, PWCC created a platform that provided opportunity for fake sales.

Edited - I just went back and looked at my earlier posts, and I concede my second post could imply that PWCC directly faked sales. I did not mean that, although I certainly believe they were at least passively connected to the fake sales/at least complicit - I think 2 sales were fake and the both happened on PWCC’s platform. Here is what I think - PWCC extended credit to people, who pledged cards as collateral. PWCC borrowed (either as loan or equity) the funds it lent to others. Like all creditors, I expect PWCC expected to get paid back, but end borrowers likely started defaulting on their loans once the bubble burst. PWCC was owed money from people who lost their asses and owned greatly devalued cards, and PWCC’s immediate collateral was cards, held at PWCC, which likely also had been devalued. The cards were how PWCC would get paid back and, ultimately, how PWCC would pay back its creditor(s). Fake sales on PWCC’s platform almost certainly happened, and I believe the Mantle is an example of that.