Posted By:
JimCrandellJust as I finished writing a long piece my computer crashed. Let me try again in abbreviated form.
Thanks Joann for your e-mail--I have been on vacation so that accounts for my lack of response. Thanks also for highlighting this issue.
I have never heard of MEARS as I don't collect memorabilia but I have to agree with those that this is encouraging and potentially important.
At this point, I wonder if there is enough support among collectors to set up a set of guidelines(or rules) that auction houses first and ultimately dealers agree to adhere to. This is not meant to be definitive but such guidelines could include the following:
1)No bidding by auction houses employees on their own auctions.
2)No altering of cards of any kind of cards consigned to them.
3)Disclosure of any conflicts of interest in selling the card.
4)The grading history of the card(the auction house would be expected to exercize reasonable due diligence to disclose this).
5)Disclosure if item is owned by auction house.
6)No shill bidding--perhaps confirmed by outside source.
My idea is that list is refined after some debate on this board and presented to all auction houses. All collectors agreeing to the guidelines or rules would put their name on the list. Auction houses could either agree with the terms, not agree with the terms or simply not respond. Whatever each decided to do it would be broadly publicized. If we could get a majority of the auction houses to agree to a set of rules or guidelines I think it would increase the pressure on the others to do so.
Who knows--some good might come out of it. If an auction house agrees and flagrantly violates the rules, it would come off the good list.
Jim