The New Sports Card Authentication System is Rigged

[bialystock]

I wanted to warn as many sellers of Sports Cards as possible, as to the rigged Authentication System.  It is set up to completely damage the credibility of the seller, and promote their self interests.  

I just sold a high dollar sports card, pictures of the card were taken at all angles, and the condition of the card was listed as "Like New".  

The Authenticator returned the card, and said that it couldn't be authenticated.  After making phone calls to the people who sold me the cards as to it's authenticity, I was told that the reason it couldn't be authenticated was that they found a scratch on the rear bottom corner of the surface.  

This NEVER should have happened.  In this situation, the card is real, the card is authentic, and the card was sold with an accurate description.  

The Authenticator is doing what they intend to do along with eBay's help.  Promote the Grading Services, and to kill the eBay sellers.  Non Graded Cards will be impossible to sell under these guidelines.

A Warning to those who will have to go thru this.  

Jon

[kensgiftshop]

Was the scratch they found mentioned in the listing?

[bialystock]

So insignificant, not even spotted when picture taking.  Every angle including high resolution pictures taken.  

[simba6]

Could be they just don't grade cards with any damage. 

[bialystock]

...not talking about grading, talking about authenticating.

[luckythewinner]

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@bialystock wrote:

...not talking about grading, talking about authenticating.

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Part of authenticating is making sure it matches the description. And you said it had a scratch, which did not match the description.

[theteamsetguy]

Which card was it? The Gretzky?

[bialystock]

The description was accurate.  The Authenticator is there to verify if the card is real or fake.  If it's a matter of description, that's up the having the card graded or not.  

[bialystock]

No, it was a Jayson Tatum card.  

[12345jamesstamps]

A scratch is a scratch and has to be in the description just like coins and stamps...especially if it's an high end item. You be surprised how many buyers are so picky about condition. Even though you might mention like new it still has that scratch. A lot of buyers are not good at looking at photos. I go through this all the time making sure I describe everything of the item I am selling.

[bialystock]

They called it a scratch, I didn't.  It didn't have a scratch.  It was exactly how I described, and the photos were extensive.  

[joliztoyco · Accepted solution]

One of the only ways you can avoid Ebay's bumbling "authenticators" is to have your cards graded and then sell them. I know that makes the price increase drastically, but they are making our choices much harder. After 40 years of collecting, I'm pretty confident about how to accurately grade cards, and am not willing to put it in the hands of some 14 day trained clown Ebay has turned into an authenticator. I mostly use PSA and when the time comes to sell , I won't have to deal with them.
I know this isn't a great solution, but we have little choice.
And for those of you that don't know what we're talking about  REAL authenticators for a company such as PSA not only describe condition and grades of cards but a second or 3rd also. They then seal it in a "slab" with a registration # that get entered into a database. Also a QR code is sealed into it for future reference. And fakes are pretty easy to spot. 
Good luck on your selling.  

[amricons]

AG is not a well thought out program. They left out BGS and created several degrees of risk without any benefit.   One obvious issue which defeats the entire concept if a seller sells a PSA graded card, how can sending in to PSA gain anything. PSA has a conflict of interest and besides PSA is not perfect as they have known issues and does not do forensics on the submitted card after original grading. Likewise for CGC card sent to CGC.  LOL

[inhawaii]

What does ebay have to gain by not authenticating your card?

You lose the sale.

They loose their cut of the sale.

[amricons]

eBay does not authenticate the card, a 3rd party does. Ironically, it is a con game, as they add an additional layer of risk to the transaction and often adds costs to the deal. Does it make any sense for CGC to authenticate their own cards or PSA for PSA ? Usually adds up to more fees for eBay. 3rd party companies fail, screw up or go out of business all of the time. Seems eBay is trying to satisfy buyers by making sellers look bad. But if a seller is already selling a graded/certified item, what is the point of sending the item back to the grading company so they can say, OK , yes that is ours.  PSA for example, has known to have graded and slabbed defective cards and counterfeits.  The sellers rep is important and AG has put that doubt in every buyers mind. In fact, some buyers are thinking , why am I buying a certified graded item from a top company and adding the additional time and handling ie shipping risks .