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

[dstudeba]

Originally Posted by BCauley

I was planning on going to the show this weekend but we just moved, have a little league baseball field about 60 yards from our back door, and my three year old just got his first wiffle ball and bat and loves being on the field with them so I'm taking a pass. My first national visit will have to wait.

You sir are a very wise man, enjoy!

[mark evans]

You guys are tough.

As I say, the system will only work where its members cede authority to the association to establish and enforce a strict code of ethics. We can only hope and assume that the alleged impending indictments will put the fear of God in those individuals who need it in order to operate ethically.

I don't think the grading companies need to acknowledge their shortcomings in order to benefit from participation in the association. Again, as the general public becomes more aware of fraud in the hobby, I think it will behoove the companies to be able to advertise that they are subject to stringent standards of expertise and operation enforced by an objective body.

[Peter_Spaeth]

So what's going to happen Mark dealers are going to turn over their books and records to an association, or make them available for inspection? The owner of SGC is going to sell if the association decides he has a conflict of interest? The grading services are going to submit to inspections? How does this work?

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by mark evans

You guys are tough.

As I say, the system will only work where its members cede authority to the association to establish and enforce a strict code of ethics. We can only hope and assume that the alleged impending indictments will put the fear of God in those individuals who need it in order to operate ethically.

Mark,

If you re-read the original email, there was no mention of any intent to establish or enforce any code of ethics. There is no mention of doing anything to clean up the hobby nor "operate ethically."

The intent is to figure out a way to maintain the status quo. They are worried about reputations and financial consequences.

That's a very different goal than you are hoping for.



"Marshall emphasized to me that this meeting is important in combating the national consequences that are about to occur causing damage to the reputation and the past financial successes of our industry."

[JasonL]

Originally Posted by Jim VB

Mark,
"Marshall emphasized to me that this meeting is important in combating the national consequences that are about to occur causing damage to the reputation and the past financial successes of our industry."

is: "combating the national consequences"
this suggests an overaching structural change of some sort, and one that could be met on some field of battle with some tactic...

also, how do you "damage...PAST financial successes"? perhaps they are finding that the hobby's biggest collectors amassed their amazing collections with the use of PEDs, and will have an asterisk placed by their names going forward?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by JasonL

also, how do you "damage...PAST financial successes"?

By confiscating funds or property that were gained through illegal actions.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by JasonL

perhaps they are finding that the hobby's biggest collectors amassed their amazing collections with the use of PEDs, and will have an asterisk placed by their names going forward?

Anyone that used credit cards, loans or lines of credit instead of cash to purchase cards for their registry sets will have an asterisk assigned next to the respective set or sets and registry points will be docked accordingly in accordance to the severity of the occurrences within each set.

[Butch7999]

Yes indeed, entities with a vested interest, acting in collusion, to form a self-regulating monopoly whose rulings can not be challenged, is always the best way to ensure integrity...

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Butch7999

Yes indeed, entities with a vested interest, acting in collusion, to form a self-regulating monopoly whose rulings can not be challenged, is always the best way to ensure integrity...

LOL!
Oh! Don't worry! They intend to charge a big application/membership fee. That will keep out the riff-raff.

[FUBAR]

Maybe all the masterminds could sign a document !!! but whom would be able to authenticate it?

If those are masterminds, then i must be a pure F**kin Genius!!

[mark evans]

Back to basics: I don't wish to set myself up as defending the individuals who held the meeting, none of whom I know. My point is a larger one, that I think the concept of an association is viable. It would obviously need to include virtually all of the major companies that are generally perceived as operating in an ethical manner. If they do not see it as in their best interests to participate, leaving only companies of dubious reputation, no one is going anywhere.

Peter's questions raise a level of detail that would need to be worked out during the development of the association. I think the potential answer to all is "yes."

[bigtrain]

The actual, genuine and all original table from the 2010 National Convention in Baltimore where the now famous "meeting of the masterminds" took place. Signed by J.P. Cohen, Marshall Fogel and many of the other luminaries who took part in this historic meeting which led to the creation of... nothing. A priceless artifact of the hobby. Impossible to estimate the value of this one of a kind piece of cheap furniture. No reserve.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by bigtrain

The actual, genuine and all original table from the 2010 National Convention in Baltimore where the now famous "meeting of the masterminds" took place. Signed by J.P. Cohen, Marshall Fogel and many of the other luminaries who took part in this historic meeting which led to the creation of... nothing. A priceless artifact of the hobby. Impossible to estimate the value of this one of a kind piece of cheap furniture. No reserve.

The price on the table is 75K -- but for you I'll sell it for 72.5K because after all, I've got 70K into it.