Quote:
Originally Posted by jmk59
I don't know about the exact details of the business set-up, but I think I do see some merit in the idea.
I've been on these boards a long time, and I can't imagine how many times I've seen people trying to figure out the history of a card in an auction. Some eagle-eyed auction browser will spot a card and speculate that it may or may not be the same card that used to be in this or that holder with this or that different grade and sold for $X in some past auction. It is very common for people to start trying to backtrack a particular card and confirm something about previous grading or other history. Ususally they are trying to spot little aritifacts on the card - slight stains, tiny paper pulls, etc - and match them up to blurry scans and things like that.
I've also seen it suggested many times that grading companies scan cards as they come in to help keep registries straight as cards are cracked and resubmitted, expose fraud if someone wants to do their own reholdering, identify alterations, etc. It's always been agreed that it doesn't seem feasible for the graders to do that.
So I think it could be useful to have an online archive of graded cards with dates, companies, grades, serial numbers and very detailed images. One spot where you could try to find an image and confirmed grade/company for many cards. I would bet I see it referenced on this board eventually as cards are logged and posted and someone here recognizes the same card in different clothing in a different auction.
I also think it could be a valuable link for ebay sellers that don't have the time or equipment to post detailed 50x scans.
As to the business model, pricing, target audiences, etc, I don't know how well that will go. But I definitely see some usefulness in the overall idea.
Joann
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Thanks very much for the post Joann. A little history on our model... it is the product of about eight month's worth of enumerating the issues that we felt were effecting the hobby in a less than positive manner. We then applied solutions to each issue. In some cases one solution addressed several issues and in other cases several solutions were required to correct one issue.
We drew from our experiences of over 100 years, collectively, in the hobby and have also leveraged our professional backgrounds in Regulatory Technology and Enforcement (on Wall Street) and Memorabilia Sales / Authentication to deliver a service that would enable sellers while protecting buyers. We also felt that it would deter fraud while developing a self-governance through a single source with easily accessed forensic information. It is a new culture and a new paradigm, so we understand that it's something that will take a little time.
It's clear that you have been able to see the big picture Joann, and have looked through to the other side :-) This is vacuum that simply needs to be filled. To address your last statement about pricing, we offer "10 card" registration packages starting at $75 which includes free shipping and insurance back to the registrant. However, we are always open to suggestions and welcome your input.