Darren's Rovell take on PWCC, etc.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I was actually approached about joining a grading start up about two weeks before this scandal broke. I turned it down due to the conflict of interest and concern about the company having enough money for the initial huge marketing push that would be necessary.

I had to rethink my initial response long and hard after the scandal broke, but if I changed careers again my wife would kill me, and I don't see how you can run an auction and be a party involved with a grading company.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I was actually approached about joining a grading start up about two weeks before this scandal broke. I turned it down due to the conflict of interest and concern about the company having enough money for the initial huge marketing push that would be necessary.

I had to rethink my initial response long and hard after the scandal broke, but if I changed careers again my wife would kill me, and I don't see how you can run an auction and be a party involved with a grading company.

Most stamp expertisers also have other jobs, sometimes as a dealer. They don't work at the companies location, but with batches of stuff in their specialty that are mailed to them. (Some probably do work at the organizations location)

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I was actually approached about joining a grading start up about two weeks before this scandal broke. I turned it down due to the conflict of interest and concern about the company having enough money for the initial huge marketing push that would be necessary.

I had to rethink my initial response long and hard after the scandal broke, but if I changed careers again my wife would kill me, and I don't see how you can run an auction and be a party involved with a grading company.

Scott, someone with the integrity to even see the conflict of interest is exactly who is needed to head up such an effort. I'll bet you could come up with an ethical policy that could firewall your existing business and your efforts with a new grading service. For starters, never grade your own cards, never auction cards your new grading service has graded, and etc.

Eventually, being in on the ground floor of a grading service that is committed to catching alterations using the best, most current technologies, and constantly improving detection methods, would be more profitable than your current business (and probably more rewarding, being part of a solution to this huge problem.)

Look, if wealthy politicians can put their assets in a blind trust and continue to make policy decisions that have huge impact on their portfolios, you could do it much simpler by separating your inventory and auction material from the stuff you grade.

Any successful new TPG will need experienced card dealers, and the fact you are even concerned about the conflict tells me you have the ethical makeup necessary.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Scott, someone with the integrity to even see the conflict of interest is exactly who is needed to head up such an effort. I'll bet you could come up with an ethical policy that could firewall your existing business and your efforts with a new grading service. For starters, never grade your own cards, never auction cards your new grading service has graded, and etc.

Eventually, being in on the ground floor of a grading service that is committed to catching alterations using the best, most current technologies, and constantly improving detection methods, would be more profitable than your current business (and probably more rewarding, being part of a solution to this huge problem.)

Look, if wealthy politicians can put their assets in a blind trust and continue to make policy decisions that have huge impact on their portfolios, you could do it much simpler by separating your inventory and auction material from the stuff you grade.

Any successful new TPG will need experienced card dealers, and the fact you are even concerned about the conflict tells me you have the ethical makeup necessary.

I appreciate the thought, and even considered the "not selling cards the company graded" route. The problem with that would be if the grading company became successful and developed a reputation for missing very few altered cards, and my company refuses to sell them. My own success in one venture would actually harm the other venture. Not to mention having to turn down consignments with cards from the grading company. There's just no way to make it work that I can see.

The party that approached me is one of the most honest guys I've met, and I was incredibly flattered that he though enough of me to ask. I'm hoping he finds a path forward with someone else trustworthy, and frankly more knowledgeable than me. I know a lot, but it's a drop in the bucket in comparison to many I've met on this board. I'd be spending a LOT of time on research for some of the more esoteric items as they came in.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I appreciate the thought, and even considered the "not selling cards the company graded" route. The problem with that would be if the grading company became successful and developed a reputation for missing very few altered cards, and my company refuses to sell them. My own success in one venture would actually harm the other venture. Not to mention having to turn down consignments with cards from the grading company. There's just no way to make it work that I can see.

My thought is that such a grading company is so badly needed, and has so much profit potential, that as you grow the grading service you gradually transition out of the dealer business. Then you're a major force in the hobby with no possible conflicts, supporting your family well, collecting whatever you want for your own collection, all with the satisfaction that you're not just making customers happy by selling them cards, you're giving them a comfort level with the purchases they are making.

On your 100th birthday, looking back, which would be a more satisfying legacy? I'm not saying it would be easy or that success would be guaranteed, but eventually somebody will do it. It sure isn't in the best interest for existing TPG to add new technological testing methods to their process that would reveal all the alterations they missed..... So, whomever does start this new, high tech grading service.... for everybody's sake the #1 priority must be integrity.

On a side note, could black light or infrared reveal modern foreign substances like coloring, rebuilt corners, or bleach through a plastic holder? Wouldn't it be cool if it could, and someone could set up at The National with a machine where, for $5.00, people could put their PSA or other graded cards under the lights for a quick alteration detection scan?

[BeanTown]

Originally Posted by Mark17

My thought is that such a grading company is so badly needed, and has so much profit potential, that as you grow the grading service you gradually transition out of the dealer business. Then you're a major force in the hobby with no possible conflicts, supporting your family well, collecting whatever you want for your own collection, all with the satisfaction that you're not just making customers happy by selling them cards, you're giving them a comfort level with the purchases they are making.

On your 100th birthday, looking back, which would be a more satisfying legacy? I'm not saying it would be easy or that success would be guaranteed, but eventually somebody will do it. It sure isn't in the best interest for existing TPG to add new technological testing methods to their process that would reveal all the alterations they missed..... So, whomever does start this new, high tech grading service.... for everybody's sake the #1 priority must be integrity.

On a side note, could black light or infrared reveal modern foreign substances like coloring, rebuilt corners, or bleach through a plastic holder? Wouldn't it be cool if it could, and someone could set up at The National with a machine where, for $5.00, people could put their PSA or other graded cards under the lights for a quick alteration detection scan?

+1 completely agree

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Mark17

My thought is that such a grading company is so badly needed, and has so much profit potential, that as you grow the grading service you gradually transition out of the dealer business. Then you're a major force in the hobby with no possible conflicts, supporting your family well, collecting whatever you want for your own collection, all with the satisfaction that you're not just making customers happy by selling them cards, you're giving them a comfort level with the purchases they are making.

On your 100th birthday, looking back, which would be a more satisfying legacy? I'm not saying it would be easy or that success would be guaranteed, but eventually somebody will do it. It sure isn't in the best interest for existing TPG to add new technological testing methods to their process that would reveal all the alterations they missed..... So, whomever does start this new, high tech grading service.... for everybody's sake the #1 priority must be integrity.

On a side note, could black light or infrared reveal modern foreign substances like coloring, rebuilt corners, or bleach through a plastic holder? Wouldn't it be cool if it could, and someone could set up at The National with a machine where, for $5.00, people could put their PSA or other graded cards under the lights for a quick alteration detection scan?

Would be super cool if this happened !!!

I’d love to see PSA get taken down as number one ! Competition is a Beautiful Thing :-)

[ruth-gehrig]

For anyone wondering, PWCC has been branching out from cards.....

(Insert a quote about greed here)

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=259594