PSA needs to introduce a non-guaranteed review...asap

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

There's a bit of circularity though. If I am right that much of the big money doesn't care about alteration, why would values take a big hit?

Because (i) I don't believe such people really comprehend how prolific alterations are, and (ii) once/if the market offers another TPG alternative that employs the newest technology that exposes the unreliability of current flips, logically cards with old flips will sell for less than cards with new flips. And that market differential will force such people to care. As much as they might relish the competition of the registry, I think they also relish believing their cards hold value.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by benjulmag

Because (i) I don't believe such people really comprehend how prolific alterations are, and (ii) once/if the market offers another TPG alternative that employs the newest technology that exposes the unreliability of current flips, logically cards with old flips will sell for less than cards with new flips. And that market differential will force such people to care. As much as they might relish the competition of the registry, I think they also relish believing their cards hold value.

From some of the trims shown on blowout, PSA isn't even using current or old technology. A $3 ruler would give enough info to think the card may have a problem.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by steve B

From some of the trims shown on blowout, PSA isn't even using current or old technology. A $3 ruler would give enough info to think the card may have a problem.

The Look N'Sees with their 40 40 centering are astonishing.

[Beastmode]

The red cert is tainted. Either by ineptitude, or lack of technology, or kickbacks. Pick your poison. Paying $100 and thinking TPG was determining if your card was altered, was a pipe dream, and frankly, everyone knew it implicitly.

Now the rubber meets the road. If you want TPG to determine if your card is altered and guaranteed (not a watered down one), you will pay a premium for a review by experts (techies from BODA), who know how to detect what the manipulators are doing.

It's the perfect solution staring PSA in the face. Create a new higher end black label for anyone that wants their red-cert card "re"-certified as original and unaltered.

Yes, some vintage red-certs will lose value, as they should. But over a period to time the doctors have a problem. Leave it in a red-cert causing suspicion, or upgrade to the black label that will be forensically inspected. The cream will rise to the top, and those that have unaltered orignal vintage cards in high grade will gain the most.

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by Beastmode

The red cert is tainted. Either by ineptitude, or lack of technology, or kickbacks. Pick your poison. Paying $100 and thinking TPG was determining if your card was altered, was a pipe dream, and frankly, everyone knew it implicitly.

Now the rubber meets the road. If you want TPG to determine if your card is altered and guaranteed (not a watered down one), you will pay a premium for a review by experts (techies from BODA), who know how to detect what the manipulators are doing.

It's the perfect solution staring PSA in the face. Create a new higher end black label for anyone that wants their red-cert card "re"-certified as original and unaltered.

Yes, some vintage red-certs will lose value, as they should. But over a period to time the doctors have a problem. Leave it in a red-cert causing suspicion, or upgrade to the black label that will be forensically inspected. The cream will rise to the top, and those that have unaltered orignal vintage cards in high grade will gain the most.

While I believe such a more-advanced grading system is inevitable, it is unclear to me that PSA will be the one to successfully implement it. While I recognize at this juncture what PSA is being accused of are only allegations that might or might not prove to be true, some of them go beyond mere negligence to gross negligence/recklessness and even beyond that to outright crookedness. So with that hanging over their heads the hobby is to trust them to get it right the next time with a new forensically tested label?

If not now, when would there be a better opportunity for SGC to step it up, or a new TPG company to form?