SGC is now authenticating autographs

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by CardsFan999

I like TPG because they make it easier for me to sell vetted items and I get a better price. That is the bottom line. Strictly financial for me.

+1 on the card side. I only collect non-graded, but am moving toward only selling graded cards. It's easier, faster and fewer returned items.

[CardsFan999]

Originally Posted by Runscott

+1 on the card side. I only collect non-graded, but am moving toward only selling graded cards. It's easier, faster and fewer returned items.

It appears that I'm much the same as you regarding cards. I like them raw, so when I do buy graded cards I generally do a crackout (with a few exceptions for very high-end grades). I don't sell raw, only graded.

[drc]

I'm not advocating anything or any company or any authentication process in this post, but no matter how ignorant one thinks are the buyers, if one completely ignores what they want one won't be a successful seller.

If you sit sit down and think about it, you're selling sports collectibles-- not too far removed from selling Beanie Babies and Barbie Dalls. It's not always so horrible to cater to some of want the buyers wants, even when you think the wants are useless or rather dumb. If the buyer wants some sparkly sprinkles in the packaging for her used Barbie Doll, it won't send you to Hell to put some sparkly sprinkles in the packaging.

And, no, I firmly believe items received should be as advertised, including the authenticity. I never suggested or implied anything other.

And do I disagree with some popular collecting 'rules' and auction industry conceits and am able to understand how someone else could have a serious bone to pick with TPAs or card grading? Sure. A few pop hobby rules make me roll my eyes to reach for the blood pressure medication.

And, for the record, I've never paid for a LOA or to have a card graded or anything to to a collectible encapsulated, laminated or hermetically boxed, bagged, fused or housed.

And if I sold Barbie Dolls and learned little girls like sparkly sprinkles in their packaging, I'd go right over to Rite Aid and by a bag of sparkly sprinkles.

I think some people on this board sometimes forget we're not talking about how to solve the Middle East Issue, we're talking about about kids collectibles that, technically, we should have lost interest in when we turned 14.

And, once again, I firmly believe that items should be correctly identified and described at sale, whether its a George Washington letter or a 1978 Topps George Brett or a Malibu Barbie party dress accessory. I never said or implied anything other.

[CardsFan999]

DRC -- Have you ever considered running for congress? We could use someone with your common sense.

Once big money arrived on the sports collectibles market, and that took some time to evolve, it was inevitable that TPG
authentication would evolve as it did for coins and other collectibles.

I see TPG as a case of a rising tide lifting all boats. I think it's increased the value of peoples collections, both graded and
raw cards. People that couldn't sell their duplicate raw cards for a reasonable price are doing very well selling them graded. TPG
has helped a small online market mushroom. Think about it. Even during a bad economy and less disposable income for many
people, the sports collectible market has held it's own. And the high end graded cards and autos are not only holding value, but
getting more and more at auction.

Collectors want good quality items and TPG increases the odds that they can achieve that goal. Is it a perfect system? No.
Do injustices and mistakes happen? Yes. Are some graders less than perfect? I believe so. But would the market we see
today be different without TPG? Hugely IMHO.

[drc]

I could never win. My mom's maiden name is French.

[npa589]

You seem to know an awful lot about Barbies drc!

[drc]

I thought about the stigma as I was writing. I wanted to use an silly kids toy as an example and nearly used GI Joe.

My friends have a 5 year old daughter so I'm not entirely ignorant about Barbie and her accessories. I've seen in person her kitchen set.

For the record, most of Barbie's autographs on the market are autopen.

[CardsFan999]

Originally Posted by drc

For the record, most of Barbie's autographs on the market are autopen.

Hmmmmmm... I'd always heard that Ken signed for her. Secretarial by her boy-toy.

[MikeKam]

Does anyone have an opinion on SGC authenticating so far? I have seen some of their pieces pop up on eBay and everything so far looks good.

[Exhibitman]

I've submitted a bunch of stuff to them and they've been more cautious than the other TPGs--perhaps overly so--even rejecting cards that JSA has already passed and other cards that were sourced directly from someone in MLB.

[mschwade]

I talked to a dealer the other day and I asked him the opinion of the job SGC has done so far in autograph authentication and his response was, "SGC is by far the most conservative of the three authentication companies (JSA, PSA, SGC)."

[theshleps]

I agree- they came back with a" not sure "of some signed callahans I had that I know were good.

[Bossfan]

These are a couple autographs that I found on an online auction that were authenticated by SGC but look a little odd to me (I'm a novice at this, so how it looks to me doesn't mean much). How do they look to you folks?

Thanks.