Posted By:
Al C.risafulliMost industries have an association that helps guide it and set its standards.
I think it's been tried in this hobby as well. The problem, to my understanding, has been that it's impossible to get everyone agree to a single set of standards. Just look at the variety of opinions on this board as to what constitutes a "3". Look at the number of people on this board that reject the concept of third-party grading to begin with. Hell, look at what happened when some guys tried to agree on a place to have DINNER.
A few months ago, Jim Crandell brought up the subject of the term "alteration" and tried to take votes on whether certain practices constituted an alteration. Even in the last day, it's been said that taking out wrinkles is okay, provided the wrinkle doesn't compromise the paper. It's also been said that it's okay to erase "light" pencil, but not heavier pencil. Who becomes the arbiter of whether a mark is "light"? Or whether a crease has or hasn't compromised the paper?
While an advisory board is a great idea, I don't think it should be a place where everyone can go to bitch about their grades, or to besmirch someone's reputation. I think it should be a small group of collectors and dealers that establishes a clear set of standards and a clear set of best practices when it comes to buying, selling, and grading cards (and when I use the term "grading cards", I don't mean determining what differentiates EX from EX-MT, I mean the actual PRACTICE of doing it - how it's done, in what sort of environment, with what sort of safeguards, and what sort of customer service). It would provide, after an evaluation, a "seal of approval" to a set of business practices. Then, if an individual was subject to a situation where that set of business practices was violated, and they were unable to get satisfaction from the buyer/seller/grading company, then they could approach the advisory board with a case, as sort of an independent mediator.
I think that handling it any other way, it would immediately get overloaded with "I paid too much for this overgraded 5, and I want the grading company or auction house to give me my money back" and never get anything done.
-Al