David Thorn's Auction House, Small Traditions, is a Criminal Trimming & Fraud Racket

[3124508 on COMC]

DAVID LAWRENCE THORN, OWNER OF SMALL TRADITIONS, LLC

Trimming cards for sale through Small Traditions (smalltraditions.com), on eBay as user smalltraditions, and on consignment through Mile High Card Company, PWCC, and Heritage Auctions.

First and foremost, let's review the close relationship between Small Traditions and PSA, who is responsible for authenticating, grading, and deeming unaltered all of the cards that will be showcased in this thread.

Many will recall discussing this 2014 letter that Small Traditions sent to its customers regarding grade bumps from PSA:

Originally Posted by Email Sent by Small Traditions to Customers in 2014

Greetings from Small Traditions,

We are pleased to report that our recently concluded Inaugural Premium Holiday Auction succeeded beyond our best expectations. Please read about the record-breaking auction results in our blog entry here. As a thank you to our many consignors and customers, we are excited to extend the following free grading and review offers, the latter of which is extremely time sensitive, so please call 303.832.1975 or write info@smalltraditions ASAP, and we'll be in touch as soon as we can.

High-End Consignments Wanted for Free In-Person Reviews at PSA Invitational Event in Las Vegas

A benefit of its high volume of monthly card submissions to PSA, Small Traditions is a regular attendee at PSA’s Invitational events in Las Vegas. At these events, high volume submitters like Small Traditions are able to meet with PSA’s graders in order to discuss discrepancies with cards that appear to be under-graded. What most collectors don’t realize about the grading process is that PSA’s graders will often judge cards over-conservatively, erring on the side of caution rather than grading too liberally and thereby flooding the hobby with higher-graded cards that barely meet PSA’s stringent grading standards. The truth is, however, that grading is a very subjective process, and cards that appear to be 8s and 8.5s to one grader one day may appear to be 9s and even 10s to another grader another day. This is the reality of third-party grading, and it’s no secret, at least not anymore. Most dealers would rather buy a high-end PSA 8 NM-MT Mickey Mantle card and review or re-grade it themselves in order to make a profit, rather than telling the card’s owner that it might be under-graded, but not at Small Traditions, where the company works to maximize consignor sales in order to maximize its 15% (buyers premium) stake in the consignment partnership, and that means maximizing card grades.

The PSA Invitational event is one of the best opportunities of the year to realize successful reviews, when an under-graded card can be discussed in person and “bumped” to the next grading level, and Small Traditions founder Dave Thorn is currently seeking high-end cards graded PSA 9 Mint and below, which their owners feel have been under-graded, for presentation to the PSA grading staff at the next PSA Invitational, from January 15th to 17th in Las Vegas. This offer is extremely limited and time sensitive, and the deal is of course contingent on granting Small Traditions the privilege of auctioning any cards that are successfully reviewed to a higher grade. Please call 303.832.1975 or write info@smalltraditions.com as soon as possible for more information.

Consignments Wanted & Free Grading with PSA and BGS on Items Valued Over $100

Unique within the industry, Small Traditions also offers free grading with PSA and BGS on cards valued above $100 and free authentication with PSA/DNA and JSA on autographs valued above $200. Most of the items in the Inaugural Premium Holiday Auction, in fact, were graded by Small Traditions at no cost to its consignors. The company is currently seeking consignments for its January, February and March Monthly Masterpieces Plus Auctions, and it will be returning to its exclusive 100-Lot Premium Auction format in April to mark the beginning of the 2014 MLB season. Please call 303.832.1975 or write info@smalltraditions.com for more information.

Thanks, as always, for supporting Small Traditions, and happy New Year!

Best Regards,

Dave Thorn

And, in more recent times, Small Traditions serves as the sponsor of PSA's monthly Sweepstakes, where a card from Small Traditions is given away monthly if one subscribes to PSA's mailing list.

Link: https://www.psacard.com/sweepstakes
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200112...om/sweepstakes





Before I continue, I'd like to preface a few things. First, this by far the most brazen and unsophisticated trimming operation I've called out to date. David frequently and repeatedly purchased, trimmed, graded, and sold altered cards in a matter of two to three months. Second, Small Traditions is not a auction house in the traditional sense. The majority of the cards in Small Tradition's auctions are owned by Dave or Small Traditions and are not consigned. In addition, the overwhelming majority of this subset of cards has been trimmed. Small Traditions likes to pretend that it has a lot of consignors, but as we will see in this thread, this is not the case. The small number of actual consignors it has are effectively used as pawns to launder altered cards through a supposedly legitimate business entity.

This fraud consists of at least three intertwined schemes, which are the following:

1.) David Lawrence Thorn using his eBay ID, smalltraditions (l***i on eBay old FB, i***o on VP and eBay new FB) to purchase items on the list below to trim, grade via PSA, and sell via Small Traditions, on eBay under ID smalltraditions, and on consignment through Mile High Card Company, PWCC, and Heritage Auctions. Per my findings, these trimmed items have been graded anywhere between a PSA 3 and a PSA 10 and have had prices realized of anywhere from $10 to over $15,000. Many of the items on the following list are targeted for sale to PSA Master Set Registry Collectors.

-Exhibits Cards
-Postcards
-Premiums (National Chicle, Goudey, etc.)
-Numerically Graded Photographs/Photo Pack Cards
-Team Issues
-Food Issues
-Derek Jeter Cards & Other Modern
-Boxing, Soccer, Golf, Olympic, and Foreign Releases (1900-present)
-Minor League Issues
-Oddball and Regional Sets
-Decals, Transfers & Tattoos
-Matchbooks
-Stickers
-Hang Tags
-Non-Standard Size Vintage Topps Inserts (Giants, Embossed, and similar)
-Select Other Vintage and Pre-War Sets (1963 Fleer, 1914 Cracker Jack, 1941 Double Play, etc.)


2.) David Lawrence Thorn using his prior work experience as a creative writing teacher and as head writer at Mile High Card Company to fabricate the provenance of his trimmed items through the creation of fake "finds", fake collection breaks, and fake consignors. In actuality, these items were things he purchased individually on his smalltraditions eBay account, and in most cases, also trimmed.


3.) David Lawrence Thorn and Small Traditions engaging in bizarre shilling, market manipulation, and/or house-bidding practices.


Now, as is customary, on to the trimmed cards and items. I'm only posting a select few in this OP, most of which seek to provide evidence for claims 2.) and 3.). Obviously, implicit in these cards is evidence for claim 1.). There will be many more coming in the following days and weeks.


Up first we have a card in the totally fake "K-15 Koufax! Collection" that Small Traditions broke up and sold. In actuality, it is just a composition of mostly trimmed Sandy Koufax oddball cards that David purchased individually on eBay to alter. Yet, he still adversities it on his website (note that the other two collections showcased do appear to be legitimate):



Here is one of the trimmed cards in the so-called "K-15 Koufax! Collection":

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...kie-1907702353
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=37821
https://web.archive.org/web/20200106...entoryid=37821






Next is the fake San Diego 50's and 60's unused postcard find that yielded a PSA 9 and two PSA 10 1953 Dormand Bat on Shoulder Mantle postcards. Again, there was no find. Each was purchased on eBay by smalltraditions before being trimmed, graded by PSA, and sold.


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...tle-1908771747
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=37262
https://web.archive.org/web/20200106...entoryid=37262



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...and-1919787474
https://web.archive.org/web/20200106...entoryid=38102
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=38102



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...eba-1909757377
https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...ription-071515



Next, here's two of the trimmed cards from the fake "Yankee Clipper Collection". It's like the "K-15 Koufax! Collection" except for it being Joe DiMaggio slabs instead of Sandy Koufax ones.


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...joe-1943149026
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=40683




https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=40490



Here's a trimmed 1951 Exhibits Mantle (dozens more trimmed Exhibits cards to come) that was "proudly offered on behalf of our consignor as a part of our Cost-Free Grading program". That consignor, of course, is David Lawrence Thorn.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200106...Pg=256&page=47
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...951-1908148402
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=38108



Next on to claim 3.), which is will be something that law enforcement will have to fully untangle themselves. Below I present two instances of bizarre activity in Small Traditions auctions. First is a PSA 6 1948 American Association Babe Ruth that was purchased by smalltraditions from PWCC 2/7/2017. It was then featured as Lot #1 in the February 2017 Small Traditions auction and it ended for $1,036 on 2/26/17. However, it was then cracked out, trimmed, and regraded a PSA 6, and sold by smalltraditions on eBay on 4/9/17. The only way that timeline works out is if David Thorn won his own auction for his own card on 2/26.

https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/1421223
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=31812
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...uth-1862807602


Next, here's a 1985 Merchante Campeonato Baloncesto Jordan PSA 8 that was sold by Small Traditions on 4/30/17. The card already looks small, and in my opinion is already probably trimmed. However, that wasn't good enough as the card was trimmed more and sold, still as a PSA 8, by smalltraditions on eBay on 5/31/17. I can't say whether the original PSA 8 was consigned or was Dave's card. At best, Dave was purchasing cards in his own auction to trim. At worst, he was again winning his own card to trim.

https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=31935
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...ael-1870336577



I'll finish up the thread with a bunch of Jeter cards trimmed by Dave and Small Traditions because I know that all this vintage is a snooze for some.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200112...0&mPg=5&page=3
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...uss-1926722008
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=40290


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...num-1970581520
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-Fleer-...-/362858761112


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...est-1965075494
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=42982


https://web.archive.org/web/20200109...204037&page=21
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...age-1969085035
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=45570







That's all for now, however per Small Traditions auction rules, if you purchased an altered card from them, you can return it to them and they will "work with both our customer and the grading service of the item in question to fully refund our customer and to help the grading service keep the markets for the products it grades and authenticates as clean and trusted as possible".

https://web.archive.org/web/20200112...com/rules.aspx





Much, much more to come.


Edit 1:

22% of the PSA population of this Mickey Mantle decal is accounted for as trimmed in this post solely thanks to Small Traditions. This includes one with a value gain of almost $1,500.


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1859618178
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...key-1856464902
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1859121395
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...key-1856055183
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1859641489
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...key-1862795681
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1859519853
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=31967
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1855854191
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=32410
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...cal-1861112788
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...key-1863817143
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...hof-1859114722
https://smalltraditions.com/LotDetai...entoryid=31407

[AlexHunter]

wow thats thorough...

[KhalDrogo]

Looks like a real upstanding character. Hope he has fun in prison.

[coltsnsox07]

You sir, are doing yeoman's work! I hope there are some serious repercussions coming..

[shortstopguy12]

I am always mind boggled when I read these threads.. How the hell do you piece this all together? Well done sir, well done.

[3124508 on COMC]

*Blatant not blatent. Not fixing that one. It's in the image.

[pspa123]

"Winter Premium Auction Starts Feb. 16"

You may want to reconsider that one Dave.

[coltsnsox07]

I emailed this thread to small traditions.
I was just looking at their stuff in the Feb auction, forget it now.

[ThoseBackPages]

[ejharrington]

Thank you for everything you are doing to expose criminal activity.

[Scottish Punk]

Nice work. We might need to start a thread of large dealers and auction houses who aren't trimming their way with PSA for profits. It will be a short list.

[corndog]

The list of outright thieves operating as "dealers" is growing.

Once again, fantastic detective work 312!

[CaptSpaulding]

Originally Posted by pspa123

"Winter Premium Auction Starts Feb. 16"

You may want to reconsider that one Dave.

Yeah I think he needs to hire a certain lawyer and focus on trying to stay out of prison. He can get back to the auction business at a later date.

[Soxfanguy]

Thank you for exposing this

Hopefully this guy is stopped soon

Honestly I think you guys have done so much you guys should win the Pulitzer Prize for reporting for exposing this. It’s like the movie Spotlight

[ThoseBackPages]

put him behind the bars

[whoshotjr]

I remembered this name from somewhere.

A few years back they sold a then 2 pop PSA 10 1986 Topps Sandberg for $2400, it is (or was) a notoriously hard card. However, what struck me as odd is that it had an obvious stain on the back. Not big, but enough to knock it down to 9 imo, especially for a card that is usually scrutinized.

Then I started to look into Sandberg and there were 2 more 10's in another bulk sub, but not sure who the submitter was. I think one of those looked suspect, looked like too much chipping for a 10.

Then I got distracted by life, but I think I have the info saved somewhere.





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[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

Nice work. We might need to start a thread of large dealers and auction houses who aren't trimming their way with PSA for profits. It will be a short list.

Josh (jewcer2k5) should be #1.

[alpine]

A sincere Thanks for all of your efforts & hard work. It is really irritating to have cards considered MINSIZREQ by PSA when you have such blatant, trimmed cards being graded by PSA.

I had 2 MINSIZREQ that I know of in Jewcer's submissions. I measured prior to submission a 1968 Bench & a 1971 Ryan, & they were fine. Thanks again.

[pspa123]

Kinda gives a new meaning to the word Small in his company name. Maybe it was ironic all along. The fake provenance is a nice touch too.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by pspa123

Kinda gives a new meaning to the word Small in his company name. Maybe it was ironic all along. The fake provenance is a nice touch too.

What are/is Small Traditions?
Small traditions are the little wonders in our American lives that persist from one generation to the next. They are the material illuminations of our parents’ and grandparents’ dreams, imagined and realized and then passed on to us as reminders of who and where we come from, what we are, why we exist. Paintings and pictures, handwritten letters, a cherished toy, a coin, a comic, a carte de visite, a Topps baseball card, an advertisement for soda pop. Garage sale inventory to some, treasured art to others, Small traditions are the threads that give the fabric of our popular American culture its endless color. Small Traditions LLC is an online sports and Americana collectibles auction company founded in 2010 after previously operating on eBay since 1999.

.....

[Neal]

Wow. SMH

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[auburn35]

Wow, nice work on this one.

Would be interesting to see how the attendance records on those PSA Invitational Events, matched up with the various dealers that have been outed.

[imbluestreak23]

I would like to re-iterate a point I've made, do NOT buy new lighthouse holders of cards 15+ years or older (or younger depending on hobby significance) that are highly graded (modern) or likely graded at all (vintage).

Just don't do it.

[wyguy11]

F


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[Keyser Soze]

3124- was Small Traditions given the opportunity to comment on your findings? Just curious if/how they responded. Greed is one hell of a drug. Effing trash.