Posted By:
Mark Andersonrand, just a point of clarification again - the cards Beckett Select Auctions sells are not owned by Beckett. They are consignments in which the owners of the cards approached us and asked us to sell them.
I can't comment as to the old Collector's Universe auctions as I never used or looked at them. I do recall David Hall's own collection was graded by PSA and then sold (including a PSA 10 1952 Topps Mantle, etc.), but I don't know if Collector's Universe Auctions actually sold those, did they? Someone else will remember better. I'm guessing the best stuff sold through an auction house.
As to the initial question, I think eBay likes being able to remain a bystander that happens to profit nicely from grading. If they bought PSA or any other authenticator, I can only imagine the headaches they would deal with on every graded card bought and sold on eBay that someone didn't like for whatever reason!