Heritage Auctions offering new "Best-in-Class" certification

[cgjackson222]

Heritage Auctions is now offering a best-in-class certification, sort of like PWCC's eye appeal levels (except there appears to be only one-level) or the MBA (Mike Baker Authenticated) certifications.

Makes sense for a large auction house to do this, as it may bring in more high quality consignments.

Also, not sure if Fanatics is carrying on the eye appeal certifications that PWCC had, so there may be an opening in the market.

It's all subjective of course, but I do see the point of these designations, given that 3rd party graders aren't always concerned with eye appeal, even if I find the idea of yet another certification kind of annoying

[ullmandds]

yay...stickers rule!

[pawpawdiv9]

I don’t need a sticker to tell me if a card is wonky
I see enough women out there to know eye appeal

[LEHR]

These high-end designations with the stickers have always seemed silly to me; and just another money grab. I can see with my own eyes if a card looks nicer than the given grade, and I don't need a sticker to tell me it is. I feel like our hobby churns out one gimmick after another just trying to see how much collectors will swallow. I'm involved in lots of other collecting hobbies (vintage shotguns, coin-op, movie posters, fine art, slot cars, etc.) and no one's putting little stickers on these items for a fee.

This would be a hard pass for me but I'm sure some will undoubtedly participate to get a new sticker.

[BioCRN]

Like a lot of things in the hobby it's something no one asked for and no one wanted, but if you put 2 cards side-by-side and one has something that potentially adds value...well, we know which will be purchased 9 times out of 10.

If it manages to gain a foothold, then it becomes part of the hobby.

The difference in the amount of money paid for a graded 10 over a graded 9 was something people would have laughed you out of the room over 30 years ago. Now it's accepted and the norm even if some of us don't care to pay the difference or participate in graded cards at all.

[parkplace33]

Everything gets a sticker!

I never bought into those. Eye appeal is so subjective.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by LEHR

These high-end designations with the stickers have always seemed silly to me; and just another money grab.

Agree 100%

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by LEHR

These high-end designations with the stickers have always seemed silly to me; and just another money grab. I can see with my own eyes if a card looks nicer than the given grade, and I don't need a sticker to tell me it is. I feel like our hobby churns out one gimmick after another just trying to see how much collectors will swallow. I'm involved in lots of other collecting hobbies (vintage shotguns, coin-op, movie posters, fine art, slot cars, etc.) and no one's putting little stickers on these items for a fee.

This would be a hard pass for me but I'm sure some will undoubtedly participate to get a new sticker.

+1. I've got your sticker right here. Sticker this.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

yay...stickers rule!

They are awesome for sure. I miss the Purple Sticker guy as his stickers looked the best. Maybe we need a new company for grading all these different stickers. Make it a graded card sleeve with a sticker on it grading the sticker on the slab. The card sleeve would have to have a tamper resistant seal so scammers would switch the sleeves. It would be horrible if the sticker giving a high grade to the sticker on the slab was switched to a slab with a low grade sticker. WOW I am getting dizzy from all the stickers.

[4815162342]

“Buy the sticker, not the holder.”

[G1911]

Stickering for eye appeal may have value to blind investors or market pumpers. It’s pretty stupid for the rest of us. I think I can tell if a card looks nice by using my eyeballs instead of an appeal to authority.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by G1911

Stickering for eye appeal may have value to blind investors or market pumpers. It’s pretty stupid for the rest of us. I think I can tell if a card looks nice by using my eyeballs instead of an appeal to authority.

Dammit, I need confirmation of my card's greatness from an authority!

[gonefishin]

Wow - it seems to always be something. How do you think they would rank my 49 Campanella rookie?

[perezfan]

The presence of the "sticker" just increases the odds that the card is altered. Bad idea.

TPG grading should be going the exact opposite direction. Would love to see the emergence of a grading company that simply determines whether the card is authentic and unaltered. Forget the arbitrary contrived number... the card's owner can determine that for himself.

[puckpaul]

Originally Posted by gonefishin

Wow - it seems to always be something. How do you think they would rank my 49 Campanella rookie?

Easily “best-in-class” for the part of the card that is intact!

I find the PWCC auction listing descriptions laughable, every card “looks nicer” than its grade. So EVERYTHING they auction is undergraded?!

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by gonefishin

Wow - it seems to always be something. How do you think they would rank my 49 Campanella rookie?

That is best in class, where the class is comprised of Campanella rookies with masking tape on them.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Makes sense for a large auction house to do this, as it may bring in more high quality consignments.

But really, does it?

Opinions about opinions.

For a nominal fee, I am willing to offer my opinion of the Heritage opinion of the opinion seller's opinion, IF you are of the opinion that such an opinion would interest you, feel free to contact me. Please title your message "opinion of opinion of opinion needed" so as to help me differentiate it from all the other messages I receive.

Thank you,
Doug "is my last name just somebody's (possibly wrong) opinion?" Goodman

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

But really, does it?

Opinions about opinions.

For a nominal fee, I am willing to offer my opinion of the Heritage opinion of the opinion seller's opinion, IF you are of the opinion that such an opinion would interest you, feel free to contact me. Please title your message "opinion of opinion of opinion needed" so as to help me differentiate it from all the other messages I receive.

Thank you,
Doug "is my last name just somebody's (possibly wrong) opinion?" Goodman

Thanks for not including the whole sentence.

The actual sentence, was "Makes sense for a large auction house to do this, as it may bring in more high quality consignments."

I'm not saying I would ever participate in the process of getting a sticker or chasing cards/memorabilia that have stickers.

I am simply saying that there are people that do (as evidenced by the premiums PWCC got for cards with their stickers). And Heritage may get consignments from people for the reason that the consigners think they will get more money if their consignment gets the sticker. Heritage is in the business of making money.

If the program is a failure and they don't make more money, they may ultimately drop the program.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Thanks for not including the whole sentence.

I just edited my original post to include the entire sentence because it does not change my point in any way.