So what was the big meeting all about last night at the national with JP & Marshall?

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

99.9% overweight and misshapen...

Grotesque oddities.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Grotesque oddities.

Being someone who tips the scales at about 150 pounds, I was always fascinated by the girth of some of these guys. Don't they ever say "no" to that second helping of apple pie?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Not everyone can be an ascetic.

[barrysloate]

Returning to more serious matters, the problem with forming a group of dealers to police the hobby is the ones who agree to join are generally the honest and ethical ones, and those who operate below the radar will not join.

So how will this proposed group deal with the card doctors, autograph forgers, and general miscreants who will still conduct business a usual?

[bigtrain]

Are we talking about a group of dealers led by a convicted felon and his friends?
Maybe the hobby needs a Commissioner. I nominate Jeff.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by bigtrain

Are we talking about a group of dealers led by a convicted felon and his friends?
Maybe the hobby needs a Commissioner. I nominate Jeff.

I can't be Commissioner -- I'm banned.

[barrysloate]

Mark- how can you ban a card doctor who works out of his basement? He never was a part of the mainstream hobby, and maybe has never even shown his face to collectors. So what organization is going to stop guys like this? Only the grading services can by identifying and rejecting his altered cards. But often the work is so good it can't be detected.

Any organization to clean up the hobby is great in theory. But I think it would be relatively powerless.

[mark evans]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Returning to more serious matters, the problem with forming a group of dealers to police the hobby is the ones who agree to join are generally the honest and ethical ones, and those who operate below the radar will not join.

So how will this proposed group deal with the card doctors, autograph forgers, and general miscreants who will still conduct business a usual?

Net 54ers notwithstanding, I think that the issue of fraud in the hobby is not fully appreciated by a wide range of collectors. If, however, indictments and convictions stem from the current investigation and are well publicized, then collectors generally should become sensitive to these problems.

Then, assuming a strong and vibrant association of ethical dealers (auction houses/authenticators/graders) is established and becomes recognized by collectors, those who decline to join should over time be driven from the hobby.

Another problem arises obviously if it is the dealers with a checkered past who attempt to associate. The system will only work, in my view, where a strong code of ethics can be established and enforced.

[Peter_Spaeth]

A strong and vibrant association of ethical dealers. Don't we all wish.

[lharri3600]

way to money involved. after this is the good old USA

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

A strong and vibrant association of ethical dealers. Don't we all wish.