What is your opinion on TPA's?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

My time in this hobby predates the TPAs. I've also worked as a TPA and ultimately left that to deal in autographs. I miss the pre-TPA era, where much more emphasis was placed on personal responsibility and knowledge. Forcing us to fend for ourselves, it made us stronger and more independent. The reputable dealers were honorable if something they sold later turned out to be amiss. You quickly learned who to deal with and who to avoid, and it was your own damned fault if you continued to roll the dice with dealers of questionable repute.

Since leaving the TPA end of the industry many years ago, I've had practically no need of their services. I can sell my material without slabs, stickers and LOAs. Granted, the majority of what I deal in is not your usual Mantle/Williams/DiMaggio/Jeter, etc. I'm not suffering as a result of not spending undue funds for outside opinions; I'm perfectly comfortable with my own thoughts and feelings on the subject, thanks very much.

Granted, when it comes to big ticket, HOF items, you're going to maximize your potential profit by utilizing the services of a TPA. In those cases, the no-brainer solution is to simply talk to a sampling of your favorite auction houses to see who can make you the best offer for the sale of your material and cost to you (if any) for TPA authentication. Leave it to them and wash your hands of the often-convoluted, costly and lengthy TPA process when done on your own. Sit back and wait to collect your check after the auction. Keep it simple and keep costs and headaches down!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

My time in this hobby predates the TPAs. I've also worked as a TPA and ultimately left that to deal in autographs. I miss the pre-TPA era, where much more emphasis was placed on personal responsibility and knowledge. Forcing us to fend for ourselves, it made us stronger and more independent. The reputable dealers were honorable if something they sold later turned out to be amiss. You quickly learned who to deal with and who to avoid, and it was your own damned fault if you continued to roll the dice with dealers of questionable repute.

Since leaving the TPA end of the industry many years ago, I've had practically no need of their services. I can sell my material without slabs, stickers and LOAs. Granted, the majority of what I deal in is not your usual Mantle/Williams/DiMaggio/Jeter, etc. I'm not suffering as a result of not spending undue funds for outside opinions; I'm perfectly comfortable with my own thoughts and feelings on the subject, thanks very much.

Granted, when it comes to big ticket, HOF items, you're going to maximize your potential profit by utilizing the services of a TPA. In those cases, the no-brainer solution is to simply talk to a sampling of your favorite auction houses to see who can make you the best offer for the sale of your material and cost to you (if any) for TPA authentication. Leave it to them and wash your hands of the often-convoluted, costly and lengthy TPA process when done on your own. Sit back and wait to collect your check after the auction. Keep it simple and keep costs and headaches down!

Of course, not everybody likes, nor has any use for, TPA services. But it does seem the market has spoken decisively as to their utility. They have also broadened that market considerably, I'd guess.

[mrmopar]

There are always new people entering the market. Maybe it is the broader exposure of facebook groups, but it just seems to me that more and more people have entered in the last 3-5 years that know absolutely nothing. They rely on the certificates and authenticators and complete strangers opinions in online groups to guide them.

I am in a group that helps ID signatures and some of the stuff being posted is laughable. It seems to be people buying random stuff from thrift stores, garage sales, online market places, etc and then running over to this group to get the signatures identified, so they can probably turn around and sell for a profit, all the while not knowing a damn thing about what they are doing.

When you ask who signed a baseball that may or may not have a legible signature, but there there is a "HOF 62" or "NL ROY 1995" inscription, well I am not sure what I can say about your ability/knowledge that is anything other than disparaging.

I would have liked to see card makers get involved in the certified autograph craze sooner. I love that aspect of collecting more than just about anything anymore. We missed the boat (except for buyback cuts) on a lot of great players unfortunately, so I guess that helps to add comfort to signatures from guys like that who died before certification was a thing.