MEARS effort to help clean up the hobby. REA signs on.

[Archive]

Posted By: JK

Barry,

You stated:

"Thanks Charlie. I can only do so much. I just can't have cards that have already been authenticated to be reexamined and reevaluated by another party. It just doesn't work for me, and I would lose my consignors along the way. They certainly wouldn't put up with it."

Maybe you are only referring to Jim's suggestion that Kevin be allowed to review all cards, etc. However, Im unclear as to whether this statement also applies to your objections to Mears' efforts.

As I read the Mears letter, there is no request that graded cards be examined by an independent grader/authenticator before being put up for auction. They are only asking that any KNOWN cleaning/alteration/etc. be noted in the lot description.

That seems perfectly reasonable to me. If you are, for example, mastro and have an sgc graded card that has had glue stains removed or a crease pressed out prior to encapsulation (and you know this because your employees did the work), it should be disclosed, end of story. The fact that so many auction houses are balking at this surprises me, but perhaps its the totality of the requirements (ie auditing, disclosure of ownership, etc.). I just dont see what is so objectionable. As it is, most businesses routinely get audited, whats one more given that there would be no cost to the auctioneer according to Mears (of course, I'd prefer to see an independent auditing firm do the work)?