Long time lurker finally joined. Howdy.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Hi Scott! Where do you stand on card soaking

I prefer getting soaked myself. Seriously it's a tough question. It's not like any schmoe can just start soaking cards and voila they suddenly have a bunch of PSA 9's. Is it different than using pantyhose to remove a wax stain? I've done that. Does that make me evil for "doctoring" a card? If it's undetectable to the major grading companies aren't we pissing up a rope even worrying about it? If it is detectable then they shouldn't be grading them. Is that ambiguous enough of an answer?

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Probstein auctions

Hmm, I am acquaintances with Rick's dad and I've done business with him once (selling autographs which I know very little about) he treated me fairly, albeit it was an incredibly slow process and communications were not his strong suit. If there's an issue with him in general I am unaware of it, but my lurking these boards was usually researching something specific, not just general reading on what's what and who's who in the business. Frankly I am more curious about PWCC as it dumbfounds me how they can sell graded cards on ebay for more than anyone else selling the same exact cards in the exact same grade. It just makes no sense. But I certainly can't accuse them of anything. OK I'm jealous, I admit it.

Originally Posted by Stonepony

SGC vs PSA

At the level I am at it's a bit of a moot point. I started in grading as a PSA guy so through inertia I have stayed there. I, like everyone else in the world, am occasionally disappointed by a grade, but I've never had any qualms. I know there are people who want to storm the castle over the Wagner, but in that rarefied air it doesn't affect me directly (OK big things affect EVERYONE in the hobby I know) and I get better prices for their stuff over SGC stuff.

That being said, I have a ton of respect for SGC and trust their material as well, and happily deal in it. They have been courting me at some of the shows I've been doing, offering me pre-grading and better rates, so I could well become a convert.

Originally Posted by Stonepony

HOF RC price manipulation

Again, kind of out of my rent district, the market will self-correct and I hope that the manipulators can't do enough damage to the hobby to permanently affect things. Luckily most of it seems tied to high grade flips and I tend to buy raw when I'm buying for resale and get it graded myself. Haven't had a bunch of people refusing to sell to me recently because I'm too cheap so I guess I'm OK. I probably benefited from it recently buying a raw Banks rookie, getting a PSA 5.5 on it (brutal grade lol, thought 6 at the worst outside shot at a 7, dead center which is so hard to find on this card. ) and getting double SMR. Of course that was still a good chunk less than PWCC got on a 5 so...

Originally Posted by Stonepony

and a guy named Adrian?

Dantley was seriously underrated, and if he had been on a championship team and not bounced around so much we'd be talking about him in the same breath as Dr J.

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Just kidding! Enjoy

Now you tell me...