Newcomer to the Trimming Scandal? Read This Summary Now and Catch Up Fast.

[superdan49]

As folks reading Blowout Forums (and now many in the broader collecting community) are well aware, the trimmed/altered graded card scandal has rocked the hobby in the past few weeks. Members of Blowout have uncovered a huge trove of altered cards, beginning with modern and leading into vintage cards.

The uncovering of trimmed vintage cards began with a post from member astrotrevor, who had tried to privately purchase a raw 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle, of which he posted photos. The ungraded Mantle astrotrevor unsuccessfully tried to buy was identified by him as the same as a PSA 4.5 graded example being offered in a PWCC auction. This fact was confirmed the analysis of paper fibers and print marks unique to the Mantle card.

Subsequently, other Blowout members began searching for cards with PSA serial numbers in close proximity to that Mantle, working under the theory that if the Mantle was altered, then other cards from that same PSA grading order were altered too. And this theory proved correct. After a few more trimmed card finds, the floodgates opened, and members were uncovering before and after photos of dozens of vintage cards, mostly certified by PSA, and virtually all brokered through PWCC, the Lake Oswego, Oregon-based auction house, which uses the eBay platform to sell trading cards.

Soon, veteran hobby members from the pre-war and vintage card-focused Net54 message board began helping the cause, and through the examination of eBay transaction feedback it was determined that Long Island-based dealer Gary Moser was the source of these altered cards. Moser would purchase a card, many times from PWCC, with the intent of altering it, which is a forbidden practice in the hobby and greatly devalues trading cards if alterations are disclosed or revealed. Moser or a surrogate would then submit the altered cards to PSA for grading. PSA, whose mission it is to certify and authenticate trading cards and grade them a 1-10 scale based on their physical condition, failed to catch Moser's alterations, and thus encapsulated them and vouched for them being authentic and unaltered.

Next, Moser would consign the PSA-graded cards to PWCC, who would sell them without disclosing the fact that they had been trimmed, recolored, chemically soaked and brightened, and/or had wrinkles pressed out. An article in a hobby news site also found Moser had placed shill bids using his whitman111 eBay account, which he has subsequently made private and changed the username to ricky-leo.

Furthermore, many of these Moser cards would be given a special sticker from PWCC denoting it had excellent "eye appeal" for its awarded PSA grade. This decision was made by PWCC CEO Brent Huigens, who personally inspected each of the cards, allegedly in a blind process. However, Blowout member 3124508 on COMC (commonly referred to as 312), uncovered evidence that the eBay account pwcc_auctions (prior to 2/27/2015 known as prewarcardcollector) had purchased cards which were then trimmed, graded, and resold through PWCC auctions. Some of these trimmed cards were submitted in the same PSA order as trimmed cards confirmed to have been owned by Gary Moser, thus cementing the connection between the two. This is a huge development, as it destroys any claims of deniability that PWCC did not know what Moser was doing. In fact, the implication of these findings is that PWCC worked hand in glove with Moser to profit off of altered trading cards. The evidentiary basis for these findings can be found here in the threads on this board.

Before proceeding further, I suggest you watch these two, roughly two-minute YouTube clips from the CNBC television show "American Greed." The clips involve the government's case against Bill Mastro, owner and CEO of Mastro Auctions , who pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in 2013, admitting his role in altering the famous T206 Honus Wagner card without disclosing this fact to the buyer. In his plea deal he also admitted his role in a shill bidding scheme. Many collectors have seen striking parallels to this present case presented here:








My next recommended stop for those seeking more information is this excellent overview guide of the entirety of the trimming/alteration scandal from 3124508. It contains many pertinent links to those who wish to dig deep into the relevant data and evidence:
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1297767

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Update 6/15/19: Someone sent me this video summary of the scandal, complete with images. I thought the creator, YouTube user Vintage Card Curator, provided a very good synopsis of the issues involved in this controversy, which some collectors have begun to call #Slabgate.

[ThoseBackPages]

Gary Moser:

[anusinha]

Hopefully the FBI and other law enforcement sees this.

[ThoseBackPages]

it may be time to start a known ebay user list of names of these dirty sellers

its getting difficult to keep score

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

it may be time to start a known ebay user list of names of these dirty sellers

its getting difficult to keep score

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1304959

Block away!

[Mroberts30]

As a guy getting back into collecting since I was a kid in the 90's I'm very grateful for this forum and this information. I didn't think of something like this being a possibility but it makes a ton of sense that people out there would alter cards to increase value. Now that the information is out there, I would think psa would keep a closer eye on the measurements between the borders and photos. Hopefully it won't hurt the hobby too much.

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[regionrat]

I think there are at least 15,000,000 graded cards in existence (probably more). If one percent graded were trimmed, altered, pressed, recolored or trimmed then there could be over 150,000 cards that PSA, Beckett, SGC and other grading companies should NEVER have graded. Based on the recent Slabgate horror story reports about graded cards there could be a staggering number of trimmed and altered PSA & BGS graded cards.

Does anyone else think there may be over 100,000 PSA and BGS graded cards that are either altered, trimmed, recolored and/or fake?

[creasecollector]

Thanks for this summary. Will be spreading the word.

[bagwellshand]

This is so educational. I'm more of a collector than a reseller and have always preferred ungraded cards. No I'm wondering which (if any) cards in my collection may have been trimmed. Any advice as far as spotting a card that may have been trimmed? What are the red flags and should I invest in a quality loupe? What would I even look for as I'm not even sure what these guys use to trim...a paper cutter? Thank you all for the input - very helpful!

[Biohazarddfl]

Does anyone have an update on the Feds progress investigating this? Or any proof at all that they actually are investigating it?

[TheDude1138]

Of course, trimming cards is nothing new. What I find most interesting is my recollection of when companies such as PSA began, their whole sales pitch to the collecting world was that they were smart enough to catch this.

Very well presented.

[Old Chesapeake]

So how is this affecting the Graded cards market? Are people still submitting cards for grading? Are people still buying graded cards?

[armpit69]

Originally Posted by Old Chesapeake

So how is this affecting the Graded cards market? Are people still submitting cards for grading? Are people still buying graded cards?

I'd say...in record #'s it seems...on both counts!

[Zhamlau]

Wow, just making a return after a while. Anything ever happen with trimming or is it just sorta not a pursued issue anymore?

[mjohnatgt]

FBI investigation still ongoing. Cards are still being identified as altered in numbered holders. PSA and BGS are "reviewing" cards that have been outed as trimmed and claiming that they are not trimmed. Cards in the PWCC vault that have been outed are still for sale, despite being outed and PWCC's lawyer claiming all cards that made it back to PWCC (*for refunds) are being held by the FBI and not back in the marketplace.

Oh, and every card in existence is worth 10x this year compared to last year, seemingly.

[Mymoneypls]

This is a great post. Thank you all for putting this together. Unbelievable community with some very smart people.
Keep it up ��

[DragonWagon]

Here is a link to the Altered Card Database, a spreadsheet list of all of the cards that have been identified as altered, faked, mislabeled, etc... It is organized by sport and then alphabetical order. You can even search for a specific serial # or player. As new cards are identified and added, the sheet will automatically update. https://www.tiffanycards.com/altered-card-database

[Friars]

Originally Posted by DragonWagon

Here is a link to a spreadsheet list of all of the cards that have been identified as altered, faked, mislabeled, etc... It is organized by sport and then alphabetical order. You can even search for a specific serial # or player. As new cards are identified and added, the sheet will automatically update. https://www.tiffanycards.com/buyer-beware

Was wondering if there was a database of them all without having to scour threads.

What is going on with this? Crooks getting away with it all despite massive evidence i take it?

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[gsong]

Seems like nothing sacred anymore! I also collect coins and they're selling fake silver...even dimes!!! You wouldn't think there would be enough room for that much prophet but they're doing it!

[uncuthockey]

Hi folks, has there been any movement on the investigation of PWCC and PSA?
Thanks!

[DawnBTVS]

Originally Posted by uncuthockey

Hi folks, has there been any movement on the investigation of PWCC and PSA?
Thanks!

Curious about this too. I know these investigations take many years but with the sudden explosion in the sports card market, I have to imagine there should be a bit of urgency from the FBI's side while trying to ensure they dot every I and cross every T they can.

[mjohnatgt]

Based on PSA and BGS continuing to recertify trimmed cards as unaltered, I'm sure the FBI should be checking in on them as well. Their submission records will be a boon to this investigation, but will take years to go through.
I'm still hanging my hat on this; if they have the manpower to go after a smash and grab store robbery of $200,000 that sold cards from the theft across state lines, they definitely need to keep this investigation open.
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...op-burglaries/

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FRAUD.

[vwnut13]

Never Get Cheated

[auburn35]

Thought this would be a good thread to share this video from rattlepokemon.
Links an apparently altered psa 10 Charizard to well known hobby fraudster, Kevin Burge.

[seanrs1]

Photo of at bat of his game winning double!


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