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Ricky YI agree with Frank E. Even with free grading..I don't know that there will be enough interst to recover. At this point right or wrong it maybe too late to regain the trust again as their current trouble is sure to be embedded into the conscience of the customer base that GAI is not a trusted brand. PSA for all its criticism (many deserved) has established itself as the "brand" into the conscience of the collectors. As the posting at CSU shows, many posters often show total faith and loyalty to PSA. They can do no wrong..or if they do, its explained away..that everyone makes mistakes but they are still the best and most trusted. SGC has also established its nitche in the vintage category. GAI did have a head start with their pack grading, but it never took off in the card grading area...and its problems with slow turnaround times and things being lost was too much to overcome. PSA and SGC can lose things and ship things slow and not suffer as much because of its established foothold into the minds of the collecting public.
I guess you could say PSA and SGC are like Coke and Pepsi...and GAI is like Cleo Cola.
P.S. to get back on topic...I would also try to contact the head honchos there to see what they can do. It sounds very fishy that they would take the Ruth card and sell it. Ethically that doesn't sound too good at all. Good Luck!
Ricky Y