The Great Grading Scam & You’re the Sucker!
This is just my opinion, and if you don’t like it, tell someone who cares. Oh and I do curse in this article so be aware.
Let’s start with a simple truth: the only real service a grading company provides, the only one that actually matters, is telling you whether your card is real, fake, or altered. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Everything else? Theater.
Now before the slab-clutchers get triggered, let’s clarify something: authenticity checks are crucial. In a hobby flooded with fake autos, altered patches, counterfeit reprints, trimmed edges, cleaned surfaces, and shady “hot packs,” having a legitimate third party verify, “Yes, this is real” is a valuable service. It’s the modern hobby equivalent of a banknote watermark or a notarized signature. Necessary. Legit. Worth paying for.
But the moment some “expert” slides your card under a lamp and starts grading corners like they’re evaluating diamonds? That’s when the scam begins.