As collector I never understood how the hobby as a whole allowed a company to grade the cards,
set the price and then charge you based on the perceived graded value of the card. At the same time claims
that all cards are graded to the same standards, yet i can pay 50.00 to have a card graded or I can pay
10,000 to have a card graded. If the standard and the process is the same which it should be, and according tpo them it is,
then why is the price different. Always seemed a bit well fruadulent if you ask me.
Speaking of grading companies and fraudulent there is the Eric Savoy case, look it up some really interesting shit here.
here is a link, you can find th edirt on your own it is out there.
Court Docs
funny they all settled of court and all signed non-disclosers. Not to mention the biggest grader who is named
in that suit and paid also started their business by screwing up and calling a card authentic unaltered and
giving it a grade. Only to learn it had been doctored and trimmed more than once by more than one person.
Even after all of this, the hobby as a whole not only allowed it, it lets it be the standard.
So I'm here to take a shot and put a dent in it, change it, or at least vent my frustration at the stupidity of it all.
At least take my shot across the bow, you know try, and if nothing else show people a better way. What I believe is this,
collecting isn't to get paid, it can be and thats fine, when done with integrity and with the overall well being of the hobby
concidered..
But,
When it is done to the detriment of the hobby and when a kid pulls an Anthony Edwards Gold Prizm, and mom can't afford to pay
$600.00 for a grade thats not helping the longevity of the hobby. See that leads to the card being damaged, lost, or sold to one of
big graders whales who get better turn around times and pricing, for a fraction of the costs in some cases. Dont think so, there used to be
ads from people who would submit by proxy, and guarantee grades. Here is a link from a quick google search;
https://diamondelitecards.com
and that is just one. Or how about when someone loses a loved one and they find a box of cards and they
contain a 86 Jordan or a 52 Mantle and they have to sell it for a pittance to one of the big graders whales so they can get rich off it.
All because of some greedy suits who again claim its all the same standards so why a different price. Just because they charge more doesn't
make them better. How much did that littlew shut down, which coincided with that Savoy case I mentioned cost you? It was all bullshit because they werte scared and understaffed and had people doing shady shit. All in the name of corporate money.
That's wrong so let me say hello. I want to change all that and make collecting fun and a hobby for the young , make it affordable
and do it the right way. Or at least what I percieve that to be. What it isn't is greed and suits, lawyers and posturing.
I mean there is a site that has pics of most of its graded cards. I challenge anyone to look at the 1981 Joe Montanas that are graded 10. You tell
me how, and how many are maybe legit. They have more sevens and eights that are closer to tens then the actual tens are. Same with the Jordan rookies.
A lot of 10's have this goofy ass pink line on the bottom back. Almost like a print wheel arm or wheel was weighted to heavy. Now that should be
a surface issue it certainly makes it unperfect or just a mistake but how any of those are 10's is beyond me.. Not to metion look at the different
shades of the name plate come on man. And again 7 8 9 look better than some they call tens. There is a reason why that is and I am getting there.
How and why, here how about this (true story) you send in a card and low ball the price you pay the company. The same company that set the value
also grades the cards. If they are low balled they dont grade higher than you paid for. If you over pay on obvious junk you also don't get a
refund.
So joe has a card thinks its a 10, card is immaculate. Doesnt want to risk shelling out 2000 for a grade and pays 300. it comes back a 8. Those
are the cards I buy crack open regrade and sell. Now they could simply pay me to grade the card, but i don't sell grades i grade it on the card,
every card same way same process. If it has no eye appeal then it has a surface issue, thats not a 10. 90 degree corners are 90 degrees, even cut
is an even cut, center is center, edges are clean or they are not. Not one of those are subjective. The only one that is and that effects the grade
is the surface grade which is the only subjective part. If it looks like a magazine cover and the rgb hex cards are indistinguishable from swatch
to card its a 10 anything less is not, I will tell you what I will get customers as people see my grades are legit cards are legit. It may take
time at least my way is right and fair. WHAT I WON'T BE DOING IS SIGNING A NON DISCLOSER AND SETTLING OUT OF COURT TO HIDE THE SHADY SHIT THEY
PULLED and disappearing like other lawsuit filers did.
So like or not all you are party to this. So you going to let the comnpany who grades the cards based on value (even though same process)
set the value which determines what you pay to get that graded. If you dont guess right or play it safe your 10 gets treated like the
source treated Aftermath under scores you. 5 mics all day on at least 10 records from teh Shady Aftermath camp, sorry, back on point. Yet if
you over compensate depending on how bad either you pay for a grade of they keep the amount you sent. I think it comes down to how much you do business with them.
That story so I once took a 10 upper end nothing crazy instead of paying the 1200.00 and declaring what was and
still is a perfect card at over 25k. I low balled it at 9000 paid 250 I got an 8 i guess they were pissed, did I mention I
opeened a 10 graded by this company and took the card out. Now after it came back sent it 4 states away to a buddy he resubmmitted
with the 1200 and boom a 10. Then we took a 7 sent it in as 10 they sent a 9 kept the difference but then took an 8 paid for the 10 got it.
I find it funny no one i know ever gets a higher grade then they paid for. And that right there is why they are in my eyes fraudulent by nature
a 10 is a 10 no matte what you pay for someone to grade it, they use subjective and eye appeal as an excuse for greed.
Then to make things worse and insult to injury we have this, there was an investigative reporter in Texas he caught
Heritage and Goldin Auctions dead to rights basically selling merch to each other for ridiculous values. To set records,
get press and force up prices. That stuff should and can get normal folk booted from any auction site around, and again
the only thing that pops in my head wiyth that is fraudlent.
some articles
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamecollecting/comments/pun41e/wata_sale_and_goldin_auctions_sale_private_equity/
https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/psa-grading-parent-buys-video-game-grader-wata
https://twitter.com/sethabramson/status/1440708613983457288
https://kotaku.com/wata-games-lawsuit-classic-nintendo-retro-collecting-sc-1848923457
https://retrostack.substack.com/p/breaking-news-a-major-scandal-at
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamecollecting/comments/pun41e/wata_sale_and_goldin_auctions_sale_private_equity/
Guess what the grader/price setter is now an owner partner of one of those auction houses. Then We have this well these go together
you know some companies if you claim to verify their stuff they get all bent send cease and desist letters. But the one big auction site
everyone has used, they now have you send cards to their people they then verify if they are legit, the ability to overiride the big dawg.
Then they bothhave these vaults you know. You Pay for it but they keep it for you and store it for safe keeping.
Here is a little history lesson So Gamestop and meme stocks, do you know how the rich stopped the bleeeding. They turned off
the buy buttons and the over sold the stock and a drastic cut to bring the price down to get out. At one point there was like
120% of the stock out . Thats right 20% MORE STOCK THAN REALLY EXISTED. They sold made up pieces of a company that didnt exist
and at a cut rate price while threatening the peoples brokerages to save save themselves. Which like when a crypto exchanges
takes your coins and or you money says you have this in you wallet but if everyone pulls out at once they dont have
it they are not liquid, except binanace, He is transparent these days.But the rest look at FTX the douche bag who took
everyones stuff and basically gambled and lost with it. With all the rest of this who in the fuck is going to allow something
to be put in a vault and not ever touch it. Its as bad as NFT's seriously. You all watch how this ends with more court rooms
, more non-discloesures, and average people holding the bag while congress makes threats but then does nothing.
Here if you were involved in Gamestop ask yourself, while it was full bore, and then all the bots with misinformation , and
the bots that were just there to send people else where. Where did they come from so quick? Not wallstreet, these arent coders
these are bros who probably had to suck a dick to get in a frat house then made other dudes suck dicks to get in all for a
future of fucking everyone the meet OUT OF THEIR MONEY. The same people who said they would get to the bottom of it then somethinmg else
happened in the news cycle it all changes and bye bye. Took a kick back and moved on. I mean it my opinion but how far off
am i really ? Im not naming names except the auction houses and thats becaiuse that is undeniable they got caught caught they can kiss my ass.
Look my poiunt is in the 90's this shit got trashed and tanked and guess what the same poeople were here then. Take a look
they just bigger richer and think their shit dont stink. All Im saying is take a good look around and ask yourself 1 why do you
do this , is it to get rich first ? Is it all about greed ? I bought a 1987 Jordan from a guy back 2019 . I offered
him a double nickle you know like the comeback game he was in new york. He was clueless he flat said i just do this to
make money i dont know anything about this guy. So you want to keep drinking corporate greed money flavored kool aid go ahead
Ill be back when it all goes to crap with a big fat SEE. Or try a different approach.
My entire business plan is different. than everyone elses. This is what I plan on
I only give out 2000 grading slots a month period. thats 67 cards a day for the average cards one price 25.00 a card....oh
and a question if its at least $20 to get a card graded how do they price the values under 20.00 for even a 1? Just
saying is their service worthless. but anyway $25 a card for any worthless card that has sentimental value ill do it for 15.
If you have high end cards Ill do this I have a service Ill come to you grade them seal them and you have 6 months to come to me and i will
case them while you wait. Or you come to me Ill do it all while you are here. Obviously fees for tha, BUT IM NOT COMING OFF MY CARDS. Heck I dont
even like 3rd party authenticators. So give me or anyone else a shot but the big dawgs are just suits playing make believe to get rich.
My way everyone wins cant lose at 25.00 a card any card
a grades a grade. thank you.
