Is the Grading System Broken?

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Posted By: JimB

It seems to me that the best suggestion so far is to create sort of independent review board that runs seminars on new techniques in tampering and how to identify them and certifies graders from all major grading companies. Maybe once a year they would have to take a weekend class and test to get re-certified as an industry grader for the next year. Then PSA or SGC or whoever can advertise that they have 100% certified graders. Perhaps their test scores could even be graded so that they could claim 90% "A" grader and 10% "B" graders or something like that.

I don't think some premium service will ever fly for a number of reasons.
1) They are supposed to be authenticating already. If they aren't already doing it, then what are they saying about their own services right now.
2) Many set collectors (Registry or otherwise) like all their cards in matching holders.
3) Grading companies would not go for it and there probably would not be enough high-end business to make it sustainable. How many owners of PSA 8 '52 Mantles are going to crack them out to get recertified by the high-end company. Most people with high-end cards who are happy with their current status of evaluation will leave them that way.
JImB