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Posted By: barrysloate

Hey David- I think your idea is a great one, and I know you have the expertise to make it work. You can provide a more informal service than the grading companies; in other words, if a collector sends you a photo he has a question about, you can offer a professional opinion so that he has piece of mind with it. It doesn't have to include a letter that can be reused to sell a fake photo; you can simply render an opinion as to whether someone got what he expected. It wouldn't necessarily be the "last word" on the photo (as collectors often mistakenly think that a slab is a guarantee of a grade) but simply your expert opinion as whether a photo is first generation, later print, laser copy, etc. I think just knowing an expert examined it is a great service (and a collector should be happy to pay a fee for this). Go for it!