Authentic Guarantee Program

[frank**jr56]

Sold a 2023 Panini Prizm Puka Nacua Silver Prizm auto for a good price.  The card went to the authenticator (would like to know who that is) and it was returned with a statement saying that the description was not correct and the card had surface damage.

I have sold a lot of cards on eBay with minimal complaints and I knew that card was in MINT condition.  I went back and looked at everything and my listing was spot on except for the authenticator saying it had surface damage.

I received the card back, looked at it, and to me it still looked MINT.  So, I sent it to Professional Sports Authentication Services (The Number 1 in Authenticating trading cards).  Here comes the best part.  The card came back graded PSA/DNA GEM MT 10.

After all that said, my question to everyone is, WHO is authenticating?  Is it Joe Schmow who knows nothing about trading cards?

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There are complaints about PSA grading as well.

There are multiple human beings working for all of the authenticators and they vary in skill and attention span.

[kathiec]

Here's the full scoop on eBay's card authentication program, including who they use as authenticators. 

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-tradingcards-seller/

[frank**jr56]

I don’t fully agree with the CGC, SGC, PSA authenicating the cards.  I had a card come back to me stating it was not as described and had surface damage.  I sent the card to PSA and it graded GEM MT 10.  They definitely not working with PSA.

[mudshark61369]

@frank**jr56,

I take it that your card was graded by SGC.  They tend to be a bit tougher on their grading than PSA. Still considering that prior to the Covid outbreak sports card trading was a fading hobby, the authenticators had to add lots of new employees quickly to keep up with the demand for grading services. How much training they are able to give them, before putting them to work is anybody's guess.

  In a job like authenticating, my guess is, the newer employees are erring on the side of caution, rather than risk over grading a card.