"Anatomy of a Typical Altered PWCC Card"— Anonymous E-mail Tip Received Today

[superdan49]

As many of you know, since January I've maintained an anonymous tip line, superdan49@protonmail.com, where I've received a few hundred tips that have brought some big hobby scandals to light.

This morning, I received an e-mail from a source regarding a 1957 Topps Hockey Glenn Hall rookie card, graded PSA 9 Mint with the certification number 27843826. This card was purchased at a PWCC auction for $9,900.00 on 3/26/2018. (See https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/1628374 to view the item page on PWCC's website.)

Apparently, someone with access to this card (perhaps its current owner?) did some research on it, and has found it to be altered by using a simple UV black light and a 15x magnifier. He asked me to start a thread for him, and I agreed, but I am just the messenger here, and all editorial comments are his and his alone. Below you will read this anonymous source's descriptions of the alterations to the card, as well as a series of photos detailing these alterations:

[These] images show a number of alterations and demonstrate that a simple black light source can reveal many of the so-called advanced alteration techniques used by many card doctors. In reality, their work is very amateurish and should immediately have been detected.

I firmed believe that PSA could detect and reject 99.9% of all altered cards with a black light, a jeweler's loupe, and a ruler. In my view, they choose not to. Why? Let's hope the FBI finds out.

This particular card is interesting because it has some coloring added near a print spot (in the yellow background), and a foreign substance added to two corners (a tiny amount to the upper left and quite a bit more to the lower right) and to the left edge of the card (it looks like some sort of clay or chalk-like filler).

I believe the card has also been trimmed on at least one edge.

All of the altered areas luminesce when placed under the UV source/black light although they can also be observed in normal light under magnification. The magnification shown is about 15 times. There are comparisons between the card in natural light and in UV light.

My hope is that this better educates other collectors as to what is being done to many (perhaps even most or all), higher value sports cards sold[.]

[KhalDrogo]

PWCC strikes again! When will they be in prison?

[Wiseguy917]

PSA a scammer?!?!? Shocker to who? If people choose to have ostrich syndrome that’s on them. Myself and many others have been scream fraud wayyyyyyyy before these trimming scandals came to light.

[Wiseguy917]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

PWCC strikes again! When will they be in prison?

PWCC or did you mean PSA???

[3124508 on COMC]

Looks like a typical PSA altered card to me. The PWCC specialities are bleached pre-war cards with corners rounded off like a Di Vinci sculpture.

[Wiseguy917]

You graders who blame PWCC and Probstein are like people being abused and blame everything and everyone else besides the people abusing you. Y’all need help. Like serious help.

[superdan49]

Originally Posted by Wiseguy917

You graders who blame PWCC and Probstein are like people being abused and blame everything and everyone else besides the people abusing you. Y’all need help. Like serious help.

"Anatomy of a Typical Altered PWCC Card" was the title provided by the anonymous source. Hence my use of quotes.

[pip]

Is that yet another fake rough cut I see on the left edge? Doesn't anyone over at PSA own a black light? The author of the analysis above is right. If PSA took some very simple steps, collectors would be protected. How much longer can a company that claims to be the "gold standard" be held blameless?

On a related subject, I wonder what percent of PWCC cards in the 5k and up range would fail a black light test. More than half? 75% 90%

[Wiseguy917]

Originally Posted by superdan49

"Anatomy of a Typical Altered PWCC Card" was the title provided by the anonymous source. Hence my use of quotes.

In no way was my post calling you out. You are the beacon of light on this PSA criminal activity. Hobbyist around the globe should be thanking you for all your work.

[Wiseguy917]

Originally Posted by pip

Is that yet another fake rough cut I see on the left edge? Doesn't anyone over at PSA own a black light? The author of the analysis above is right. If PSA took some very simple steps, collectors would be protected. How much longer can a company that claims to be the "gold standard" be held blameless?

On a related subject, I wonder what percent of PWCC cards in the 5k and up range would fail a black light test. More than half? 75% 90%

LMAO you really think PSA “missed it”?????? Don’t be so naive. They’re criminals and they’re conning you and every other grader.

[ThoseBackPages]

OH MY!

[pip]

Originally Posted by Wiseguy917

LMAO you really think PSA “missed it”?????? Don’t be so naive. They’re criminals and they’re conning you and every other grader.

That's a fair point. If PSA really wanted to detect stuff like this, they would. It is possible that they see the alterations and ignore them if the cards are from "valued" dealers and top PSA set registry collectors.

[ThoseBackPages]

someones gonna need to call a medical doctor, as it'll be over 4 hours until he's flaccid

[superdan49]

Originally Posted by pip

Is that yet another fake rough cut I see on the left edge? Doesn't anyone over at PSA own a black light? The author of the analysis above is right. If PSA took some very simple steps, collectors would be protected. How much longer can a company that claims to be the "gold standard" be held blameless?

On a related subject, I wonder what percent of PWCC cards in the 5k and up range would fail a black light test. More than half? 75% 90%

I never collected this set, so I don't know if a rough cut is a feature on some '57 Topps hockey cards. But we've found altered cards from Gary Moser and Johnny Adams Jr. creating fake rough cuts on other sets.

Also, I did search for a "before" photo of this specific card on VCP, but did not find one.

[Bluemarlin528]

Originally Posted by Wiseguy917

PWCC or did you mean PSA???

One in the same.

[Rjcollings1973]

Originally Posted by Wiseguy917

LMAO you really think PSA “missed it”?????? Don’t be so naive. They’re criminals and they’re conning you and every other grader.

So is my 2018 topps update gold Acuna psa 10 that I pulled and submitted myself a con? Should I send it to the BGS ex employee and see if he can get a black label for me. Or completely disregard the psa 10 label and send it to gma?

Why is it so hard for you to accept some people collect in different ways than you do? Is it do it your way or we are all idiots? Do you not see the benefit of third part graders? And if they get most of them correct does the trimmed/altered cards make them all a “con”? Would you rather all cards be ungraded? Just seems like these guys are doing a great job of finding theses problem cards, and your hatred of grading and saying they are all a con is only feeding the argument against calling out these cards.

[auburn35]

Very interesting thread. This is just another example of how simple (inexpensive) technology can be easily utilized to improve the grading process.

Someone should post this and the video corndog shared today on the collectors universe forum. See how long the thread lasts.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by auburn35

Very interesting thread. This is just another example of how simple (inexpensive) technology can be easily utilized to improve the grading process.

Someone should post this and the video corndog shared today on the collectors universe forum. See how long the thread lasts.

i dont think it would last long on a privately owned TPG's forum

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by Rjcollings1973

So is my 2018 topps update gold Acuna psa 10 that I pulled and submitted myself a con? Should I send it to the BGS ex employee and see if he can get a black label for me. Or completely disregard the psa 10 label and send it to gma?

Why is it so hard for you to accept some people collect in different ways than you do? Is it do it your way or we are all idiots? Do you not see the benefit of third part graders? And if they get most of them correct does the trimmed/altered cards make them all a “con”? Would you rather all cards be ungraded? Just seems like these guys are doing a great job of finding theses problem cards, and your hatred of grading and saying they are all a con is only feeding the argument against calling out these cards.

dont mind him, he sells PSA on eBay (or has since stopped)

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by Rjcollings1973

So is my 2018 topps update gold Acuna psa 10 that I pulled and submitted myself a con? Should I send it to the BGS ex employee and see if he can get a black label for me. Or completely disregard the psa 10 label and send it to gma?

Why is it so hard for you to accept some people collect in different ways than you do? Is it do it your way or we are all idiots? Do you not see the benefit of third part graders? And if they get most of them correct does the trimmed/altered cards make them all a “con”? Would you rather all cards be ungraded? Just seems like these guys are doing a great job of finding theses problem cards, and your hatred of grading and saying they are all a con is only feeding the argument against calling out these cards.

There's a legitimate argument for not exposing these altered cards?

[Wiseguy917]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

dont mind him, he sells PSA on eBay (or has since stopped)

Find a PSA card I sold on eBay. Go ahead, I challenge you to find more then let’s say 3 since I’ve bought some through the decades I’ve collected. We’ll wait here patiently......turd.

[Wiseguy917]

Originally Posted by Rjcollings1973

So is my 2018 topps update gold Acuna psa 10 that I pulled and submitted myself a con? Should I send it to the BGS ex employee and see if he can get a black label for me. Or completely disregard the psa 10 label and send it to gma?

Why is it so hard for you to accept some people collect in different ways than you do? Is it do it your way or we are all idiots? Do you not see the benefit of third part graders? And if they get most of them correct does the trimmed/altered cards make them all a “con”? Would you rather all cards be ungraded? Just seems like these guys are doing a great job of finding theses problem cards, and your hatred of grading and saying they are all a con is only feeding the argument against calling out these cards.

Your card is a 10. The trimmed card is a 10. The card bought in a garage sale that’s been sitting in the bottom of a box for 30 years is a 10. 10’s for everyone. It’s like an Oprah episode!!!!!!

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by Wiseguy917

Find a PSA card I sold on eBay. Go ahead, I challenge you to find more then let’s say 3 since I’ve bought some through the decades I’ve collected. We’ll wait here patiently......turd.

you've bragged about it.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by Rjcollings1973

So is my 2018 topps update gold Acuna psa 10 that I pulled and submitted myself a con? Should I send it to the BGS ex employee and see if he can get a black label for me. Or completely disregard the psa 10 label and send it to gma?



Why is it so hard for you to accept some people collect in different ways than you do? Is it do it your way or we are all idiots? Do you not see the benefit of third part graders? And if they get most of them correct does the trimmed/altered cards make them all a “con”? Would you rather all cards be ungraded? Just seems like these guys are doing a great job of finding theses problem cards, and your hatred of grading and saying they are all a con is only feeding the argument against calling out these cards.

Grading is what it is...broken and corrupt, and probably beyond meaningful repair. It’s not going to change a whole lot moving forward.

This doesn’t mean it should go away, it just means it shouldn’t be taken very seriously...or as seriously as it’s taken today. That is, of course, the idea is to line the pockets of criminals with cash.

[Soxfanguy]

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