Blatantly Hacked and Kudos to Rob Lifson PSA should be ashamed!

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I'd rather send them back to PSA and have PSA make good on their policy than put them up and have REA call them trimmed. PSA does make good when they blow it like that.

I have never heard of a collector of PSA 8 (or higher) slabs actually sending cards back to PSA because they feel they are trimmed. If PSA couldn't tell a card was trimmed BEFORE it was hidden behind plastic (and PSA are the experts), then how can a lowly collector tell AFTER it is entombed? Doesn't make sense to me

[cyseymour]

REA opined that a T206 PSA 8 Frank Chance was trimmed a few years back, and it didn't make the slightest bit of difference in the sale price. In fact, it sold for more than what those cards were typically going for back then.

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2009/238.html

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I have never heard of a collector of PSA 8 (or higher) slabs actually sending cards back to PSA because they feel they are trimmed. If PSA couldn't tell a card was trimmed BEFORE it was hidden behind plastic (and PSA are the experts), then how can a lowly collector tell AFTER it is entombed? Doesn't make sense to me

It's happened; I've done it myself one time with several PSA 9s and 10s (1970s cards) I felt were trimmed/short. They concurred the cards were bad, a settlement was reached, and the cards were taken out of circulation. I guess mistakes get made but they can be corrected, at least to some extent.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by MattyC

It's happened; I've done it myself one time with several PSA 9s and 10s (1970s cards) I felt were trimmed/short. They concurred the cards were bad, a settlement was reached, and the cards were taken out of circulation. I guess mistakes get made but they can be corrected, at least to some extent.

The key thing is that when you get caught you take care of the problem quickly so that your customers keep coming back for more...or less.

Steve mentioned in another thread that it's real easy to spot trimmed cards (I assume, that's only true if the card is not in a holder). He got into the detail about how the cutting blade used 100 years ago affects the front and the back of the card. Most of us already had a sense of this, but if not - his explanation certainly explained it well. Apparently it's nothing at all like the results you get from modern blades that weren't designed like paper cutters.

So I wouldn't call it a 'mistake', although committing fraud is certainly a mistake of sorts. But if it really is simply grader ineptitude, I have to wonder why you would put a grader who isn't aware of these differences, on a $1,000+ card.

I know - everybody likes more cash.

[jhs5120]

These older labels are tricky. Whenever I see a problem with a PSA card it's always in these circa 2000-2004 slabs. I don't know if it was just one problem grader or a more relaxed mentality or they were just unaware, but it is almost always these older slabs.

It's a shame that REA accepted this consignment, I held them to the highest regard until now.

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by jhs5120

These older labels are tricky. Whenever I see a problem with a PSA card it's always in these circa 2000-2004 slabs. I don't know if it was just one problem grader or a more relaxed mentality or they were just unaware, but it is almost always these older slabs.

It's a shame that REA accepted this consignment, I held them to the highest regard until now.

Well said. I can only speak for myself, but if I ran an AH I would not put up cards I suspected were altered in slabs. I respect REA for calling it out like they did-- that should not go unnoticed-- but I would have gone one step farther and said we don't put up fugazi merchandise.

[calvindog]

How is it fake? REA described it exactly how it is: trimmed. You think Legendary would do that? They're altering the cards themselves and failing to disclose in their write ups. What else is REA to do? There actually is a market for trimmed, pristine cards. REA is blameless here and should be lauded for its honesty.

[MattyC]

Sorry, I shouldn't have said "fugazi." That implies fake. I should have said trimmed. To me trimming makes a card utterly undesirable-- but that's just me; if there is a market for such cards and REA wants to cater to that market then by all means, to each his own. I will say I applaud the step they did take. As someone who personally avoids trimmed cards like the plague, were it my AH I wouldn't put them up. But again just my opinion there.

[jhs5120]

Originally Posted by calvindog

REA is blameless here and should be lauded for its honesty.

I wholeheartedly disagree.

As it was pointed out before, the last PSA card that they described as trimmed sold for MORE than the card in the perscribed condition usually sells for. Obviously one of two things happened; the buyer didn't read the descripition carefully or the buyer has the intentions to resell the card without the disclaimer.

REA shouldn't play the middle man for releasing altered memorabilia into the market place. I am happy they mentioned it might be trimmed, but it is a horrible practice to knowingly sell altrered cards that were inappropriately labeled. REA should be ashamed.