THE MARKEL REPORT: Are Graded Baseball Cards Being “Juiced” (Aesthetically Enhanced)?

[Flintboy]

What should bother everyone is what this effect is having on everyones collection monetarily. For example, I find a 61 Jim Gentile raw, a very low pop and grade it. It comes back an "8." I sell my legitimate card on Ebay for "X." I check VCP and see that several cards have sold prior to this by someone who I suspect is altering cards. My card sells for a quite a few dollars less because "seller X" has sold 3 other Gentiles in an "8". Basically that guy just cost me good money. How much has your collection suffered cash wise because of this? Im bettin quite abit.......

[WhenItWasAHobby]

I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise, but I've been banned from the Collectors Universe Boards after being a member for 8 years plus 2 years prior when it was the PSA Board.

I have no regrets regarding the way I've handled this. I believed from the start of this investigation that I should distance myself from anyone or organization that would compromise the integrity of the findings or try to suppress the truth and I'll just leave it at that.

I do find it curious that Joe Orlando would do such a thing when he's in such a vulnerable position as he is right now. This isn't about a vendetta against PSA - I still own about 600 PSA graded cards. It's about stopping someone from systematically defauding the collecting community and hopefully the victims getting back what they lost.


There's actually one real good development in the making. It should become self-evident in the next several days.

[calvindog]

Dan, it's disappointing that the hair-trigger response from PSA is not to try to get to the bottom of a horrible situation of which they were probably an unwitting party but instead to shoot the messenger. Such a typical, paranoid response from Joe Orlando. I'm disappointed as I really thought this presented him a chance to do some good and show the collecting community that he cares about the quality of his product. Oh well, no wonder he's such a great guy.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Dan, it's disappointing that the hair-trigger response from PSA is not to try to get to the bottom of a horrible situation of which they were probably an unwitting party but instead to shoot the messenger. Such a typical, paranoid response from Joe Orlando. I'm disappointed as I really thought this presented him a chance to do some good and show the collecting community that he cares about the quality of his product. Oh well, no wonder he's such a great guy.

Jeff I don't condone PSA's attitude but I can understand it. An admission that a dealer/card doctor can regularly get trimmed cards past their graders could be devastating. Against that, any backlash from banning a dissident is probably minor.

[calvindog]

It's certainly understandable for them to circle the wagons but kicking one guy off their boards will not make the problem go away nor prevent others from learning about it. Why not take the high road by announcing steps to prevent this sort of thing from happening again?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

It's certainly understandable for them to circle the wagons but kicking one guy off their boards will not make the problem go away nor prevent others from learning about it. Why not take the high road by announcing steps to prevent this sort of thing from happening again?

Because they already have graded millions of cards, and an admission would created unmanageable fear, uncertainty and doubt.

[calvindog]

Sounds like we need a special prosecutor on this one. Or perhaps a Slab Czar.

[botn]

An attempt to suppress or silence those who point out flaws in PSA's system is the typical response from the company. PSA has been permitted to cover up stuff like this rather than fix it.

Corruption and deception exist at all levels in this hobby.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Dan -- under the circumstances banishment would seem to be a badge of honor. Have you heard from Susor?

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by WhenItWasAHobby

I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise, but I've been banned from the Collectors Universe Boards after being a member for 8 years plus 2 years prior when it was the PSA Board.

Looking at things from the bright side, at least Boards such as the ones you describe choose only banning. They do not (at least not yet) add such other niceties as imprisonment and torture.