Do you see a problem with an authenticator selling Game Used with their LOA?

[3arod13]

Do you see a problem with an authenticator selling Game Used with their LOA?

I was looking at Grey Flannel's auctions and thought to myself, would they, whether really authentic or not, slap one of their LOA's on it much easier than someone else?

Same with Beckett. Selling the price guides and dictating the values, yet, selling cards that they also grade. Don't you think they would be more generous grading for themselves to sell?

Just my thoughts.

[David]

I've never had a problem with a LOA that accurately describes the item. It's the ones that don't correctly describe the item that are the problems.

There are sellers who are honest and ethical and whose opinions I trust, and there are third party companies whose opinions I question. So I don't draw an LOA-line between sellers and independent parties. I'd much rather have an LOA from the seller I trust than from an independent party I consider dubious.

[David]

Traditionally, in the memorabilia hobby, the most knowledgeable people about the material were the dealers. This is because the dealers handled the most material (buying and selling equates to lots of material) and were first hand familiar with such topics as rarity, fakes, reprints, etc. It is true there was financial conflict of interest, but it is also true that if you needed vital info on baseball cards you would go to expert dealers like Lew Lipset and Bill Mastro. You can say all you want about them personally, but there's no denying they're experts on baseball cards. While your family Reverend might be as pure as the driven snow with no conflict of interests, you'd still chose Bill Mastro as the one to give an opinion about the authenticity and value of a T206 Honus Wagner. Just because one is without conflict of interest, doesn't make one's opinion worth. Wrong without conflict of interest is still wrong.

So, yes, there has long been a conflict of interest, but it has also long been the case that people with conflict of interest are the ones who know the most.

As these folks are buyers and sellers, selling to you and your hobby friends,
collectors can figure out which of these dealers are honest and trustworthy and which are not.