The downfall of the PSA boards.

[novakjr]

Sorry to chime in so late on this one. But the PSA boards are fluff. Just another marketing tool for the company. If PSA is policing and poofing any thread or comment that sheds any sort of negative light on them, then the forum is not being allowed to be fully productive..

Ideally, it would be nice if our hobby was limited to sharing our pickups and digital pats on the back, or talking about pop numbers or registry rankings..But let's face it, this hobby is MUCH, MUCH more than that.. And the negative comes with the positive.

That's one of the best things about a board like this one. Absolute freedom. Well, as long as you post your name. We can tackle the good and the bad. And openly discuss and debate any matter, no matter how insignificant or controversial it may seem to some. You just don't get that when the hosting corporation is also the main topic of discussion.. The PSA boards have grown to the point of irrelevancy(would it be too far to say that they were irrelevant from their inception), because anything worth its weight that has been discussed over there, has or can or will be discussed over here openly and honestly, without the policing.

I am NOT trying to pick on PSA with this. Only the merit and character of the forum and the relation to it's hosts. It's just an observation about the nature of discussions about a company being held in a forum run by the same company.. The same would apply to just about any company.

[eomint]

I am highly confident that if Ken Kendrick wanted PSA to take back the card that they would if the Mastro allegations are proven to be true beyond a reasonable doubt. PSA stands behind its product. It is my understanding that Ken likes the story and mystique around "The Card" though and has no intention of unloading it. He has a wonderful collection and the Wagner, while a trophy card, is an insignificant % of his net worth.

There is a reason that Merkel, Branca, Spence, Ireland, and other great collectors are either pure PSA guys or predominantly so. And Fogel is exclusively a PSA guy, never have seen any of his cards in other holders.

In any event, it is not my job to defend PSA, but I do believe that over time rare, vintage, and iconic PSA graded cards, especially at the top of the condition scale, will continue to be in high demand.

BTW, if anybody can locate any of the following cards for me in PSA 9 it would be much appreciated, not an easy wantlist:

1948 Leaf Musial
1948 Leaf J Robinson
1951 Bowman Ford
1951 Bowman Mays
1951 Bowman Mantle
1952 Topps Matthews
1954 Bowman Williams
1955 Topps Snider

EOMINT

[Leon]

EOMINT- As you well know all of your opinions are fine and dandy. You are very close to needing to put your full name out here though. Reason being, how do we know you don't work for PSA? I like PSA and have nothing against them at all. It could be any company or person, same rules for everyone.
Personally, I think SGC and BVG grade vintage better but that is just my biased and experienced opinion. Everyone has one. Just be careful in what you say if you don't want to put your name out here. Also, some anonymous POS tattled on you right before your last post... I can't stand anonymity so would almost do the opposite of what someone tells me to do, if they are anonymous. But with your last post I felt the need to let you know. No worries, just be careful and welcome to the forum.

[eomint]

I'm not even sure what tattleling means in this context, but I am an independent collector with no affiliation to any grading company whatsoever. But this will be my final post. Thank you Leon for admitting me to this forum, I just dont think it's for me. Happy collecting to everyone!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by eomint

I'm not even sure what tattleling means in this context, but I am an independent collector with no affiliation to any grading company whatsoever. But this will be my final post. Thank you Leon for admitting me to this forum, I just dont think it's for me. Happy collecting to everyone!

They told me that you need to have your full name in your posts. They were anonymous so I could care less.
Independent collector, President of the US, grader, manager at a TPG, person that stumbled on our board....it's all the same for the rules. And as I said earlier, I am sure this influx of new visitors will thin out over time. A lot of people don't want to have their name in the public domain so this forum isn't best for them. Also, we are mainly a vintage forum and most collectors don't collect vintage. But our goal is for everyone to!! Good luck in your endeavors EOMINT. Don't be shy about posting but remember if you give opinions of a person or company your name needs to be in your post. thanks again

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by eomint

I'm not even sure what tattleling means in this context, but I am an independent collector with no affiliation to any grading company whatsoever. But this will be my final post. Thank you Leon for admitting me to this forum, I just dont think it's for me. Happy collecting to everyone!

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

BTW, those collectors you listed aren't even that great. Some of the most mind boggling amazing collections out there are pretty private.

-Matt Hall

Edit: I mean no disrespect to any of the names on your list.

I also don't mean any disrespect toward flip collecting.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Sometime's it's hard to beat the classics.

We do need to thank eomint for planting the seed of "greatness" in our minds. I always feel vaguely discomfortable when someone expresses petty jealousy over one of the deep-pockets guy's posting of a very expensive auction win. But I feel similar discomfort when someone else tells them what a "great job" they did buying something that simply took a nice bank account. Admittedly, there are a few guys on this board that WILL win certain items, and some of us don't bother bidding against them. On the other hand, the fact that we know which items they will bid on, implies that they are selective and minimally have good taste.

So what is greatness in a hobby? There is no such thing. If we are going to judge someone as a hobbyist (which we probably should not), it should be for their contributions. Their collections are merely things that will some day be broken up and disbursed to younger people in the hobby, who may or may not be all that "great". Of course, I state the above as someone who, if judged for his collection, would be an insect, or at best, a small mammal.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Sometime's it's hard to beat the classics.

We do need to thank eomint for planting the seed of "greatness" in our minds. I always feel vaguely discomfortable when someone expresses petty jealousy over one of the deep-pockets guy's posting of a very expensive auction win. But I feel similar discomfort when someone else tells them what a "great job" they did buying something that simply took a nice bank account. Admittedly, there are a few guys on this board that WILL win certain items, and some of us don't bother bidding against them. On the other hand, the fact that we know which items they will bid on, implies that they are selective and minimally have good taste.

So what is greatness in a hobby? There is no such thing. If we are going to judge someone as a hobbyist (which we probably should not), it should be for their contributions. Their collections are merely things that will some day be broken up and disbursed to younger people in the hobby, who may or may not be all that "great". Of course, I state the above as someone who, if judged for his collection, would be an insect, or at best, a small mammal.

Who was that member that used to brag about having like, a million PSA 8s? He almost never mentioned anything about the actual cards, just that they were PSA 8s... Anyway, I can't remember his name but I think it is he who is the greatest collector.

[tiger8mush]

funny how much value can be placed upon a card that is entombed in plastic with a flip on it reading "Mint" yet when that SAME card is removed from the plastic, its value changes

isn't it the same card?

if you have a set graded "MINT" by a TPG, then remove the cards from their plastic holders, aren't they the SAME CARDS? Its like some people don't believe a card is a card unless its covered plastic with his/her favorite TPG stamp on it.

Didn't we all grow up collecting cardboard? Whats happened to that? Isn't it still cardboard?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Sometime's it's hard to beat the classics.

So what is greatness in a hobby? There is no such thing. If we are going to judge someone as a hobbyist (which we probably should not), it should be for their contributions. Their collections are merely things that will some day be broken up and disbursed to younger people in the hobby, who may or may not be all that "great". Of course, I state the above as someone who, if judged for his collection, would be an insect, or at best, a small mammal.

I feel like posting that as a sticky, Scott. Very well said!!

My saying, that I stole from someone but I don't remember who, is-

When we are on our deathbed it won't matter what we have (materially), it will matter more what we have done.



I will be here till Thursday please tip the bartender on the way out.

.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by eomint

I'm not even sure what tattleling means in this context, but I am an independent collector with no affiliation to any grading company whatsoever. But this will be my final post. Thank you Leon for admitting me to this forum, I just dont think it's for me. Happy collecting to everyone!

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I'm your huckleberry......

[HRBAKER]

Must be headed back to where the "great" collectors hang out.

[glchen]

Eomint's pretty well known on the PSA boards, btw, especially for having an incredibly nice collection. I'm almost positive he doesn't work for PSA. He still may need to put his full name, however, for any controversial posts if Leon decides, of course.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by eomint

There is a reason that Merkel, Branca, Spence, Ireland, and other great collectors are either pure PSA guys or predominantly so. And Fogel is exclusively a PSA guy, never have seen any of his cards in other holders.

Bobby is also a PSA collector, or was.

There is no such thing as a 'great' collector. We all end up in the same place, just some get mahogany and some get pine.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by Runscott

There is no such thing as a 'great' collector. We all end up in the same place, just some get mahogany and some get pine.

I would have given this a +1, but I'm offended because people like me, with a particle board collection, weren't included.

[HRBAKER]

What is a great collector? In the context used it seems to also
mean great customer.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Runscott

There is no such thing as a 'great' collector. We all end up in the same place, just some get mahogany and some get pine.

+1 very well said, Scott.

We do not own cards or anything else in life. We're simply borrowing it for a short time. One day, someone else will have our "stuff." We will all leave this life with exactly what we brought into it.

"Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo"

[TNP777]

Originally Posted by bubblebathgirl

"Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo"

God, I admire you. (Mr. Poon, a.k.a Irwin Fletcher)