August Off Topic!

Comments · 72

• SA

  @sarahstaley3052 · 4 weeks ago

  The OJ Simpson of Grading.... someone hit the nail on the head with that one.  This is one of the few hobbies in which people actually welcome criminals and make grifters like Probstein, Mastro, Huigens and Baker rich (at others' expense).

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• TO

  @TonyTalksCards · 4 weeks ago

  When the Subway employee analogy was mentioned, it took me back.  I agree that the more "new people" you hire, it dilutes the average amount of employee knowledge and possibly average accuracy and consistency.  Here's a curve ball just for fun - sometimes the newest employees (depending on the personality) may be the most attentive to the rules in order to make a good impression and keep their jobs.  And I think we've probably all been around longer term employees (though knowledgeable) who maybe were "riding it out" and maybe were a little sloppy here and there.  The employee themselves and frankly how good is the internal training (and feedback loop to all employees) will also impact consistency too.  Hard to know how all that works of course.

  1

• JE

  @jeremym.5833 · 4 weeks ago

  Inconsistency is the one constant we can count on from the grading companies. Thanks for another enjoyable episode.

  1

• DA

  @DavidEveringham-q6t · 4 weeks ago

  Mike Baker would travel  to local carrd shops across the country and grade cards for those local dealers for a fee based on the volume graded. I submitted cards  to a local Sacramento dealer in the mid 1990's and they were graded by Mike Baker himself at GAI. He  graded a 1962 Willie Mays which I submitted at that time and he graded it a GAI 8. I later sent the exact card to SGC and they sent it back to me as Authentic trimmed. This was a common discovery with GAI cards graded by Mike Baker at that time! It's very clear why GAI no longer exists and why Mike Baker's credibility is questioned. Local dealers loved him until they discovered his methods were sloppy and all about a money grab! So what's different about his MBA Sticker scam!

  4

• JI

  @JimDeFineSporticvs · 4 weeks ago

  The whole need for stickers is proof of wide-spread inconsistent grading.  Fix grading consistency instead...and add an eye appeal category.  We need to demand one-stop shopping for all the grading/eye appeal services.  We used to call that customer service.

  2

• JA

  @jayhawkervintagecards · 4 weeks ago

  Some great points made. Inconsistency on grading has been the only consistent thing about grading from its inception. <br><br>I agree with Darren that grading isn&apos;t a scam by definition. I believe that much of what surrounds grading is where the scamming can be found.

  1

• YA

  @yankeekane · 4 weeks ago

  Great episode guys. &nbsp; I appreciate with both of your busy schedules that you&apos;ve put out 52 of these. &nbsp; Keep em coming. &nbsp; Appreciate the consistency, not the inconsistency. &nbsp; Darren made a great point about the word scam. &nbsp; I think in general, especially in this hobby, people don&apos;t define the word correctly. &nbsp; ~ Brian Kane

• SU

  @SunkenLithographSociety · 4 weeks ago

  Really enjoyed both of your takes on this topic. The “inconsistency” is maddening for sure. Proves Forest Gump had it right all along with his famous quote!

• MA

  @markstein1916 · 4 weeks ago (edited)

  Regardless of what their published standards say... SGC is tougher on cards with creases. &nbsp;I have seen plenty of PSA 4s with wrinkles and creases. &nbsp;But never have seen an SGC 4 with a crease. &nbsp; In this case, it&apos;s quite possible (even probable) that SGC found the PSA-graded cards to be altered. &nbsp;Tens of thousands of altered cards reside in PSA numerical slabs. &nbsp;Grading is currently a complete mess.... I wouldn&apos;t try to read in any logic or deductive reasoning. &nbsp;Graig nailed it at the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewdHJMmUkT0&amp;t=1380">23:00</a> mark.

  2

• JI

  @JimDeFineSporticvs · 1 month ago (edited)

  If grading companies graded correctly, then MBA stickers wouldn&apos;t be necessary. &nbsp;It&apos;s a parasitic situation that distracts from the root-cause problem being corrected. &nbsp; Two factions are sheering the sheep now instead of one. &nbsp;What&apos;s next? Stickering the stickers? &nbsp;...and so on, and so on...when is enough?

  4

• ST

  @stuke1976 · 4 weeks ago

  Enjoyed the episode guys!

• LE

  @LegendsNeverDieCollection · 3 weeks ago

  Stickers...blah blah blah<br><br><br>I love you guys!