SGC kept my Vic Willis T206 gray back variation

[Mark17]

For the past few years I'd been looking for a Vic Willis T206 portrait with the gray back variation. This September I found and bought one on ebay from battersbox.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194250670218

I wanted to send it to SGC to get it authenticated and in a slab, certain it would not get a numeric grade due to condition issues, but confident it would get an Authentic designation due to the reputation of the seller.

SGC, through my online order status and email, notified me they couldn't grade it, and refunded me the $30 for it. On the invoice I received with the rest of the order, next to the Vic Willis entry, it simply says "Cannot Grade".

Okay, if they don't want to grade it and they refunded the money, that's fine, but here's the problem:
THEY KEPT THE CARD!!

I just sent them a message that says:
"I just received my order, invoice #208604. You graded and returned 8 of my nine cards, and did not return the best one - the Vic Willis T206 gray back variation. The invoice says "Cannot Grade" due, I suppose, to the printing error that caused the gray background color. But you kept it instead of sending it back. This printing error is somewhat scarce and if you don't want to grade it, fine, but at least return it to me ungraded."

Is this a common thing??? I thought these guys were ethical.

[ullmandds]

i'd be on the phone with SGC?

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

i'd be on the phone with SGC?

Tried that and got a recording saying that in order for them to process orders in these difficult times, they weren't answering their phone. I have to submit my complaint online which I did.

[bobbyw8469]

They are not supposed to keep cards they don't grade.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

They are not supposed to keep cards they don't grade.

Well, it's good to know they are not supposed to be thieves.

We'll see how this plays out. I was surprised they wouldn't grade it A in the first place. Maybe some inexperienced grader had no idea there was such a thing as a known printing variation with this card, where the maroon background color isn't there, producing the gray background.

And...... this card was the only reason I sent them the order in the first place. The other cards were mostly low grade T202 that I sent along just to get them in protective slabs as they are somewhat fragile.

[Mark17]

Well, I got a quick reply, but not a truthful one:

Hi Mark,

I checked with my team to see if anyone kept your card. We did send it back with the rest of the order. We have no reason to keep it.

Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Brent Martin
Collector Support

[upstateNYmilb]

Contact Peter Steinberg, I believe his email is

peter@gosgc.com

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by upstateNYmilb

Contact Peter Steinberg, I believe his email is

peter@gosgc.com

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

Thanks, I just sent him an email.

[Pat R]

Mark that stinks that they kept your card but your Willis is definitely not a print variation it's the result of a chemical reaction.

[icurnmedic]

Never heard of this , and Ive graded thousands of cards.

Now it is a "he said she said" thing.

Good luck with your situation.

As far as communication goes, they really need to do better. Very poor in my opine.


Thomas Church

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Pat R

Mark that stinks that the kept your card but your Willis is definitely not a print variation it's the result of a chemical reaction.

Is that true of all the Willis T206 cards that have the gray, or violet, backgrounds? Because I've seen several Willis cards that look this way.

[Pat R]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Is that true of all the Willis T206 cards that have the gray, or violet, backgrounds? Because I've seen several Willis cards that look this way.

No there are some color variations in the Willis portraits but yours was caused by a chemical reaction probably it was glued in a scrapbook and exposed to sun or dampness that caused a reaction with the glue.

You can see that there is a discoloration on the back and there's a spot where it was protected by something that matches on the front and back.
The area that was protected has an almost normal background color for a Willis portrait.
Willis Chemical.jpg
Willis Chemical.jpg Back.jpg

Hopefully everything works out and you get your card back. SGC was right in not grading it and I think the email you got was truthful they would have no reason to keep the card it's maybe a $50-$75 card in that condition.