Top Graders' Compensation

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by T205 GB

Graders make $35K-$45k roughly the last time I was pursuing that as a job. Best paid guy was $65k or so

Interesting. How on earth does one survive on that income and especially in California???

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

Interesting. How on earth does one survive on that income and especially in California???

They don't.

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

Interesting. How on earth does one survive on that income and especially in California???

They grade their buddy's cards, and then take a cut of the final auction price...

JK

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

They grade their buddy's cards, and then take a cut of the final auction price...

JK

As said before, that'd be my worry. Not really as worried about precisely how they could do it (seems there are many ways... And seeing PSA method, the receiving person assigning the new serial number seems to hold a lot of power), as I am by the simple fact these guys don't make much, yet have power to add tens/hundreds of thousands in market value to the items they review on a daily basis.

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

They grade their buddy's cards, and then take a cut of the final auction price...

JK

That's a pretty bold accusation.

[glynparson]

are making far more than 45-65,000 a year unless salaries have been cut in half (or more) over the last decade/decade and a half.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

That's a pretty bold accusation.

Or a joke, but who the hell can tell these days?

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

Or a joke, but who the hell can tell these days?

I read less as an accusation (my position definitely not accusatory), but more an acknowledgement that the ingredients are in place for some really lucrative potential corruption.

I think one of the main reasons there have not been major sports/pro athlete gambling controversies of late is that these guys are clearly very well compensated, and have everything to lose.

The 1919 White Sox were not. College players have never been. NBA refs are not (at least relative to players). I think that these scams and corruption are more likely to occur when the proper ingredients are there--- underpaid individual, having great personal influence over something worth a lot of money to others, as well as difficult to enforce.

[drcy]

You don't need AI as a grader, you need AI as foreman.

HAL 9000 scene

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by drcy

You don't need AI as a grader, you need AI as foreman:

HAL 9000 scene

I do love me some HAL.

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

I read less as an accusation (my position definitely not accusatory), but more an acknowledgement that the ingredients are in place for some really lucrative potential corruption.

I think one of the main reasons there have not been major sports/pro athlete gambling controversies of late is that these guys are clearly very well compensated, and have everything to lose.

The 1919 White Sox were not. College players have never been. NBA refs are not (at least relative to players). I think that these scams and corruption are more likely to occur when the proper ingredients are there--- underpaid individual, having great personal influence over something worth a lot of money to others, as well as difficult to enforce.

It may be a joke or it may not be but in the bigger picture suggesting card graders or card grading companies are bought off with back door payoffs is a bold accusation. PSA is obviously a public company and you would be looking at serious jail time and a total destruction of their business.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

It may be a joke or it may not be but in the bigger picture suggesting card graders or card grading companies are bought off with back door payoffs is a bold accusation. PSA is obviously a public company and you would be looking at serious jail time and a total destruction of their business.

It's not an accusation or even a suggestion (from me at least). It's just an observation that the opinions of several people who make relatively modest wages can have a mulitmillion dollar impact one way or another on these products. This is not directed at any TPG, but is a general comment. Again, I'm mainly commenting on a set of circumstances, which can lead to temptation.

This in no way unique to collecting, and clearly similar applies in many other fields, including for example the public sector. I remember reading a story a few years ago in SF where a few city building inspectors would block proposed home improvements (adding a floor, a garage, a deck, etc). When those houses would eventually sell, the inspectors were in cahoots with buyers, and would then approve these improvements which increased home values. On a broader scale, the City of Bell, CA. Too many scams there to begin listing.

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

That's a pretty bold accusation.

FYI, JK means "Just Kidding".

FYI, FYI means "For Your Information".

JK

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

FYI, JK means "Just Kidding".

FYI, FYI means "For Your Information".

JK