Ebay seller returned cracked out slab

[Prof_Plum]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Exactly. If I have a Lionel train car from the 1930's and it's in the original package, and I remove it from said package, it devalues the item. Same thing with an unopened Star Wars figurine from 1977. A CGC graded comic book. And a slabbed card. ...

Except these examples aren't the same, which is why I suggested there is a huge gray area when putting a value on the packaging. The Lionel train car and Star Wars figure package was part of the original retail item. The CGC grading and GAI holder are embellishments added after market items.

Adding to the complexity of the issue in this case is the value of the card. I mean, if the slab was merely a GAI 1 or 2 and the buyer broke it before return of the card I doubt there'd be nearly as much discussion. So as I somewhat t.i.c. suggested earlier in the thread, in the future sell the slab, not the card.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Prof_Plum

Except these examples aren't the same, which is why I suggested there is a huge gray area when putting a value on the packaging. The Lionel train car and Star Wars figure package was part of the original retail item. The CGC grading and GAI holder are embellishments added after market items.

Adding to the complexity of the issue in this case is the value of the card. I mean, if the slab was merely a GAI 1 or 2 and the buyer broke it before return of the card I doubt there'd be nearly as much discussion. So as I somewhat t.i.c. suggested earlier in the thread, in the future sell the slab, not the card.

You are really selling the slab AND the card in the slab. Its like a christmas pack extra value. Its the mystery of whether the GAI will hold up to its grade is the 'value' If it was some XYZ company with zero history of competence, the slab is meaningless.

However there are collectibles to this day that are in GAI slabs in auctions that sell for thousands of dollars such as wax packs etc. XYZ company doesnt have any

The 'mystery' is now gone from this collectible because the slab is gone. People pay more for mysteries/gamble

Example- People pay 40 dollars for a slot in a set break when average value of cards will be 3 dollars. Its the mystery!

Example Xmas packs- Its the mystery!

Meeting someone online whos video is always broken on computer or phone which prevents a live view of the person and all you have to rely on are pictures which could be feasible excuse in 1994 but not in 2019. Its the mystery (not from prior experience)

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

You are really selling the slab AND the card in the slab. Its like a christmas pack extra value. Its the mystery of whether the GAI will hold up to its grade is the 'value' If it was some XYZ company with zero history of competence, the slab is meaningless.

However there are collectibles to this day that are in GAI slabs in auctions that sell for thousands of dollars such as wax packs etc. XYZ company doesnt have any

The 'mystery' is now gone from this collectible because the slab is gone. People pay more for mysteries/gamble

Example- People pay 40 dollars for a slot in a set break when average value of cards will be 3 dollars. Its the mystery!

Example Xmas packs- Its the mystery!

Meeting someone online whos video is always broken on computer or phone which prevents a live view of the person and all you have to rely on are pictures which could be feasible excuse in 1994 but not in 2019. Its the mystery (not from prior experience)

If I spend $5k for a card described by the seller AND the TPG as near mint, I am not thinking that I am buying a mystery. I think I am buying a near mint (unaltered) card.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Mark17

If I spend $5k for a card described by the seller AND the TPG as near mint, I am not thinking that I am buying a mystery. I think I am buying a near mint (unaltered) card.

You are buying a mystery if the TPG is GAI. Afterall if its from PSA wouldnt it go for far more than 5k? Its the mystery of the GAI is why GAI 5's go for more than PSA 2's for example.

However the benefit of PSA is you can try to get your money back from them if if the card is altered, as everyone is aware from me, no lawsuits yet that I know of so apparently buyers are satisfied.

As for GAI, its buyer beware and buyer is getting it for the mystery and can sell it later on as long as its in the same holder with the extra mystery value....crack it out, you lose the mystery....


So if someone says 'NO returns on graded cards' I can crack it out of a PSA case and say the card is altered so i want my money back because why would i pay 15k etc....

[Peter_Spaeth]

Early GAI generally speaking is still considered pretty reliable.

[painthistorian]

At one time, GAI had many good cards in holders, much less accurately at higher priced cards or higher tiers. A buyer can initialize a return if the seller uses "Free Returns" power seller terms so he gets an e bay invoice credit monthly if he or she qualifies for Top Rated.

If the seller does not authorize this status, he still has to take card or any item back no matter what within 30 days, so if the buyer cracked out of any slab, either lower tier holders such as CSA or PRO, it ALTERS the original sold product and is not in original sold condition. Even if PSA deemed it altered or non authentic. EVERY GRADING SERVICE including SGC, PSA, GAI, BVG etc offers their professional opinion on grades and based upon our perceptions as to whom we choose to pay to slab numerically...that changes nothing, items are supposed to be returned as shipped, raw or graded....GAI did grade professionally until two years before their demise. If an item is not returned as received, e bay and paypal offers seller protection but you need to file a Federal IC3 fraud report, local police report or professional appraisal to substantiate your claim. Hope this was not too long....

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Early GAI generally speaking is still considered pretty reliable.

right..everyone says that and everyone has an opinion of what was early and what wasn't and how to identify it or not. Plus there are problems with early grading as well.

All part of the mystery value but it does add value to a card because of the 'maybe' factor

A XYZ holder has zero 'maybe mystery' factor and is just a hard plastic sleeve.

I think we can agree that if you get a card in a hard plastic sleeve and return it in a soft plastic sleeve, its wrong but nobody really is going to complain

a XYZ holder is a hard plastic sleeve. A GAI holder is more than that because of the mystery and past sales. Maybe 20 years from now GAI will just be a plastic sleeve but its not there yet.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

right..everyone says that and everyone has an opinion of what was early and what wasn't and how to identify it or not. Plus there are problems with early grading as well.

All part of the mystery value but it does add value to a card because of the 'maybe' factor

A XYZ holder has zero 'maybe mystery' factor and is just a hard plastic sleeve.

I think we can agree that if you get a card in a hard plastic sleeve and return it in a soft plastic sleeve, its wrong but nobody really is going to complain

a XYZ holder is a hard plastic sleeve. A GAI holder is more than that because of the mystery and past sales. Maybe 20 years from now GAI will just be a plastic sleeve but its not there yet.

When a relatively common card says 1st Graded, it's early -- very early.

[t206fix]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

You are buying a mystery if the TPG is GAI. Afterall if its from PSA wouldnt it go for far more than 5k? Its the mystery of the GAI is why GAI 5's go for more than PSA 2's for example.

However the benefit of PSA is you can try to get your money back from them if if the card is altered, as everyone is aware from me, no lawsuits yet that I know of so apparently buyers are satisfied.

As for GAI, its buyer beware and buyer is getting it for the mystery and can sell it later on as long as its in the same holder with the extra mystery value....crack it out, you lose the mystery....


So if someone says 'NO returns on graded cards' I can crack it out of a PSA case and say the card is altered so i want my money back because why would i pay 15k etc....

Exactly - like buying a lottery ticket with a $7000 potential prize on the face, and then trying to return it because you only won $100.

[todeen]

I actually really like this thread just for the psychological aspect it presents. I have asked my non-card collector friends what their opinion is. Even among my friends the choice between buyer and seller is at 50/50. One friend said that buying an appraised card from a defunct company that has an iffy integrity should signal to the seller it will be reappraised. The card should have been regraded by the seller or taken out of the holder. She added, no opinion is always better than a bad opinion.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by todeen

I actually really like this thread just for the psychological aspect it presents. I have asked my non-card collector friends what their opinion is. Even among my friends the choice between buyer and seller is at 50/50. One friend said that buying an appraised card from a defunct company that has an iffy integrity should signal to the seller it will be reappraised. The card should have been regraded by the seller or taken out of the holder. She added, no opinion is always better than a bad opinion.

Is there a third party grading company you know of that has anything better than "iffy integrity"? None of the current ones with names comprised of 3 initials would come to mind.

I do agree that no opinion is better than a bad opinion (as per the thousands of erroneous numerical grades exposed on Blowout).

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by t206fix

Exactly - like buying a lottery ticket with a $7000 potential prize on the face, and then trying to return it because you only won $100.

Yes exactly, wow someone understood my point exactly