What has changed?

[Flintboy]

This “scandal” has been outed and going on now for about 6 months. I was thinking what has changed? Other than collectors are more aware and additional cards getting outed, I would venture to say nothing.

The same eBay sellers are still selling and the grading companies are still churning out the cards at record paces. I was hopeful that at this point steps would be made or at the very least in place to rectify this situation.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Flintboy

This “scandal” has been outed and going on now for about 6 months. I was thinking what has changed? Other than collectors are more aware and additional cards getting outed, I would venture to say nothing.

The same eBay sellers are still selling and the grading companies are still churning out the cards at record paces. I was hopeful that at this point steps would be made or at the very least in place to rectify this situation.

Nothing has changed except for your first point which is spot on.

I think stuff is happening behind closed doors....some for the better of the hobby, sadly more for the skin of thy own rear ends. Sadly its cyclical.....To me it's going to be up to the Buyers to dictate the future of the hobby/industry not the sellers.

All the information is out there if people don't get it by now they never will.

[perezfan]

Good point. It’s in our hands now. We can’t count on any new rules, protections or regulations. There is no voice for the consumer in this business. So the ONLY place we can hurt them is in the pocketbook. If we simply stop submitting, and supporting entities that knowingly pedal tainted product, we will have the best chance of instigating positive changes.

Since money dictates every decision these people make, that is the only place we can hope to influence the hobby’s future. Perhaps the person who spent $15 Grand on an altered 1964 Koufax is reading this. Hope so, anyway.

[Leon]

What has changed? The TPG's are doing record sales and the prices of cards are going up, in general. Next......

[drcy]

People want intstant karma and instant justice, but that's not always, or even usually, the way it works.

John Dillinger, Bernie Madoff and Al Capone were riding high for a long time. John Dillinger being sentenced for serial bank robbery meant he robbed a lot of banks for a while.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by drcy

People want intstant karma and instant justice, but that's not always, or even usually, the way it works.

John Dillinger, Bernie Madoff and Al Capone were riding high for a long time. John Dillinger being sentenced for serial bank robbery meant he robbed a lot of banks for a while.

+1

Everyone's clamoring for twitter justice.

[Jgrace]

This stuff has been going on for years, though perhaps at not such an organized or systemic level.

It just highlights the importance of knowing what you’re buying and how to determine true value. If you can do that, you can still navigate through the hobby.

I wonder if eventually there will come a day when the history of a card becomes attached to it somehow. Maybe the next evolution of TPGs.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Jgrace

This stuff has been going on for years, though perhaps at not such an organized or systemic level.

It just highlights the importance of knowing what you’re buying and how to determine true value. If you can do that, you can still navigate through the hobby.

I wonder if eventually there will come a day when the history of a card becomes attached to it somehow. Maybe the next evolution of TPGs.

It would require the formation of a completely new TPG company.

One thing's for sure... PSA ain't ever gonna do it. They would never admit to the cards' true histories (even if they were capable of identifying them).

[samosa4u]

I asked this same question on here a few weeks ago and I was told how it's probably going to take years until we get an answer. I was told that the Mastro case took years and how it's not going to be any different with this one.

One thing I really want to know is if PSA had a grader or two or three who worked with these dealers. In other words, when they received trimmed cards from certain sellers, these graders knew they were trimmed, but still encapsulated them. This story has been circulating a lot in the hobby, and it's obviously a very interesting one, however, no one has proven it to be true yet.

[BigBeerGut]

Originally Posted by Flintboy

This “scandal” has been outed and going on now for about 6 months. I was thinking what has changed? Other than collectors are more aware and additional cards getting outed, I would venture to say nothing.

The same eBay sellers are still selling and the grading companies are still churning out the cards at record paces. I was hopeful that at this point steps would be made or at the very least in place to rectify this situation.

What a joke!
You people thought justice would come? What a cesspool

[BigBeerGut]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

I asked this same question on here a few weeks ago and I was told how it's probably going to take years until we get an answer. I was told that the Mastro case took years and how it's not going to be any different with this one.

One thing I really want to know is if PSA had a grader or two or three who worked with these dealers. In other words, when they received trimmed cards from certain sellers, these graders knew they were trimmed, but still encapsulated them. This story has been circulating a lot in the hobby, and it's obviously a very interesting one, however, no one has proven it to be true yet.

Maestro is out of jail any has been buying from many ebay sellers!
Court order says he can not do baseball cards but yet he is buying publically?!

[MULLINS5]

Personally I don't collect graded/authenticated anything (even BBCE) anymore and I haven't had as much fun collecting since I was a kid, but if people want to keep paying PSA for a service they don't offer and paying premiums then so be it.

[pokerplyr80]

I have tried to watch as much as possible. Looking for a correction to pick up a couple of cards on my want list. I haven't seen many opportunities to get any of the cards at all, and certainly no bargains. It does appear, with absolutely no evidence to back this up, that some may be waiting for this to blow over before sending certain cards to auction.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by MULLINS5

Personally I don't collect graded/authenticated anything (even BBCE) anymore and I haven't had as much fun collecting since I was a kid, but if people want to keep paying PSA for a service they don't offer and paying premiums then so be it.

Ditto. I had the most fun at the National this year in many years and it was partially because I ignored slabs. it is really nostalgic for me to actually touch a 1933 Goudey card instead of its tomb.

[Flintboy]

Wanted to bring this thread back up as it’s coming on a year since I originally posted it. Absolutely nothing has changed in over a year. Same outed sellers still selling on eBay and in full force. Others have gone radio silent on message boards, changed EBay handle names, or act like nothing has happened. Disheartening to the good people who do things right in our hobby.

[Flintboy]

Going on two years now since my original post. Not seeing any changes by the third party graders or major sellers, nor any movement on the law enforcement side. Disheartening to say the least.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Flintboy

Going on two years now since my original post. Not seeing any changes by the third party graders or major sellers, nor any movement on the law enforcement side. Disheartening to say the least.

I think this was mostly predictable though. I think a lot of the accusations likely never had any teeth to begin with. And even for the ones that did, it's not exactly clear that those acts were even criminal. But the investigations may still be ongoing? Who knows. Maybe covid delayed things, but I think that's becoming more and more of a longshot with every passing day.

[Johnny630]

I think the tide is turning, I know 99% of people on this board are extremely bullish and think it’s only going to continue to go up and they might be right but I’m the one percent that is very risk off it can’t keep running like this in my mind especially with tapering and rate hikes Coming. Sure it could be months away but the gravy train is going to stop. A lot of this crazy action to the upside has been driven by investors with a lot of money once they exit and find another way to make money things will change.
Will You Be Able To Get Bargains on Key Higher End GOATS no, will you get much more reasonable chances, IMO yes.

In terms of people held accountable for their actions this is 2021 nobody gets held accountable for their actions that’s one thing I’ve learned over the past year and a half.

[Exhibitman]

Never wrong only early, Johnny

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Flintboy

Going on two years now since my original post. Not seeing any changes by the third party graders or major sellers, nor any movement on the law enforcement side. Disheartening to say the least.

Here is a Little history

in 1849 Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said

"The more things change the more they stay the same"

and it is even more true in 2021 in the world Baseball Card Collecting

[sportscardpete]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Never wrong only early, Johnny

too early ends up being wrong though!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

I think the tide is turning, I know 99% of people on this board are extremely bullish and think it’s only going to continue to go up and they might be right but I’m the one percent that is very risk off it can’t keep running like this in my mind especially with tapering and rate hikes Coming. Sure it could be months away but the gravy train is going to stop. A lot of this crazy action to the upside has been driven by investors with a lot of money once they exit and find another way to make money things will change.
Will You Be Able To Get Bargains on Key Higher End GOATS no, will you get much more reasonable chances, IMO yes.

In terms of people held accountable for their actions this is 2021 nobody gets held accountable for their actions that’s one thing I’ve learned over the past year and a half.

A year and a half is the start of a big investigation, from what we have seen in at least one instance. Time will tell but I am still optimistic. I have faith in the authorities.


.and a random card..

[Tao_Moko]

Originally Posted by MULLINS5

Personally I don't collect graded/authenticated anything (even BBCE) anymore and I haven't had as much fun collecting since I was a kid, but if people want to keep paying PSA for a service they don't offer and paying premiums then so be it.

Same here. I had left the hobby because of what grading has done to the joy of collecting. I am having a lot of fun buying raw, or busting slabs on those I get a good deal on. Oversized borders a plus!