AJ Johnson (eBay: ajohnson39, MySlabs) Knowingly Selling Trimmed PSA 4.5 Leaf Jackie

3124508 on COMC · 03-03-2021, 12:51 PM

I identified this card as trimmed when it was for sale by ajohnson39 on eBay and MySlabs in August of 2019. See here: https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1407680

The card was removed for sale from eBay and MySlabs at that time and this individual was provided the evidence that the card is trimmed.

This same individual has now relisted the card on both eBay and MySlabs as shown below for $55,000-$70,000. Buyer beware of this fraud.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233914680440 (copy/paste into browser for link to work)
https://myslabs.com/slab/view/158634/

Original post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

Just the weekly thread for an altered 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson. This one was sold raw by bakersfield.cards on January 31, 2016 for $1,000. The next sale I can find is as a trimmed PSA 4.5 sold by PWCC for $4,000 on September 28, 2017. I do not believe the card exchanged hands between these dates. The card most recently publicly sold for $17,500 in July. As seen below, the left edge has been significantly hacked by the PWCC trimming machine. Buyer beware.

https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/1554404

Current listings:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/233664044026
https://myslabs.com/slab/view/55044/

(Ignore the yellow noise in the gif- not sure why that's there.)

PSA Cert #: 27581063

superdan49 · 03-03-2021, 02:11 PM

I forwarded the thread to the Myslabs admin.

ngs428 · 03-03-2021, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superdan49

I forwarded the thread to the Myslabs admin.

I see it no longer exists on My Slabs. Thanks Matthew for pulling it!

ucLAkers · 03-03-2021, 04:57 PM

Thank you both...

Pink Pussycat · 03-03-2021, 07:11 PM

Great job once again, 312....

Your awesome detective work probably kept some unknowing collector from getting reamed.

seanbros55 · 03-03-2021, 07:13 PM

Cleaning up the hobby, one slugrake at a time...

callou2131 · 03-03-2021, 07:19 PM

Buy it, engrave "trimmed" on the case. return it. Wish it was that easy....

pspa123 · 03-04-2021, 11:41 AM

Seller has been banned from Net 54, after he did not post any explanation.

aro13 · 03-04-2021, 11:54 AM

Assuming the seller sent the card back to PSA requesting a refund - and PSA said it was fine and unaltered - what is the seller supposed to do? List it saying that based on before and after pictures it is altered but PSA says it is fine?

To me this is on PSA - buy back the card and get it out of circulation.

pspa123 · 03-04-2021, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aro13

Assuming the seller sent the card back to PSA requesting a refund - and PSA said it was fine and unaltered - what is the seller supposed to do? List it saying that based on before and after pictures it is altered but PSA says it is fine?

To me this is on PSA - buy back the card and get it out of circulation.

In a word, disclose. It's at least a material fact.

5CentWaxPack · 03-04-2021, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pspa123

Seller has been banned from Net 54, after he did not post any explanation.

Guess he put a price tag on his integrity. Higher than most in this hobby, I have to say. GL with the sale. Hope it was worth it.

Sure there just has to be another place he can post, even if into a void, and call his new home.

Bowman1951 · 03-04-2021, 04:46 PM

This can't fall off the front page.

pspa123 · 03-04-2021, 04:50 PM

AJ is back, he has offered an explanation.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=297903

auburn35 · 03-04-2021, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pspa123

AJ is back, he has offered an explanation.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=297903

Thanks for the link. Will be interesting to see how the "new" PSA handles these objectively altered cards.

mjwoop · 03-04-2021, 05:14 PM

So is this potentially opening the door for people to identify/locate altered cards, buy them off the record at a discount, field offers for them as if they're unaltered, and then file claims against PSA for the unaltered value? If so, I bet PSA isn't liking the sound of that.

pip · 03-10-2021, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjwoop

So is this potentially opening the door for people to identify/locate altered cards, buy them off the record at a discount, field offers for them as if they're unaltered, and then file claims against PSA for the unaltered value? If so, I bet PSA isn't liking the sound of that.

Nope. The OP in the Net54 thread is sitting on a losing proposition and will probably end up with his submission privileges to PSA permanently suspended.

Keyser Soze · 03-10-2021, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

Nope. The OP in the Net54 thread is sitting on a losing proposition and will probably end up with his submission privileges to PSA permanently suspended.

I don't think he cares. I don't think he trimmed the card or knew it was trimmed. He was the unfortunate bastard that was left holding the hot potato when it was "outed" by BODA. He bought it from a guy who bought it from PWCC, who surely orchestrated the "improvements" to the card.

3124508 on COMC · 03-10-2021, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyser Soze

I don't think he cares. I don't think he trimmed the card or knew it was trimmed. He was the unfortunate bastard that was left holding the hot potato when it was "outed" by BODA. He bought it from a guy who bought it from PWCC, who surely orchestrated the "improvements" to the card.

The person he purchased it from offered him a refund for it 6 months ago when the original thread was posted.

pip · 03-10-2021, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

The person he purchased it from offered him a refund for it 6 months ago when the original thread was posted.

And he seems to think that the longer he sits on it and publicizes it, the more he will get out of the deal. He's wrong. He'd have to file and win a civil suit to get back more than his original purchase price. His actions are just pissing off PSA and probably alienating potential customers who want the card but don't realize it is trimmed. He's doing all the wrong things. This will not end well for him.

Uwfootball1 · 03-10-2021, 04:43 PM

Man fascinating thread to read here + net 54 really interested to see what the result is!

CaptSpaulding · 03-10-2021, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

The person he purchased it from offered him a refund for it 6 months ago when the original thread was posted.

According to AJ, "Besides why would I return it, so the seller could resale to some other unsuspecting collector?" Guess he was taking one for the team.

I know the person who sold the card to AJ. I could be wrong but I do not believe that he would have tried to push the card onto someone after learning the card was suspected of having been altered.

Wiseguy917 · 03-10-2021, 04:58 PM

PSA, best in breed......

CaptSpaulding · 03-10-2021, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

And he seems to think that the longer he sits on it and publicizes it, the more he will get out of the deal. He's wrong. He'd have to file and win a civil suit to get back more than his original purchase price. His actions are just pissing off PSA and probably alienating potential customers who want the card but don't realize it is trimmed. He's doing all the wrong things. This will not end well for him.

Maybe with new ownership the outcome will be different but this is not a game that PSA usually loses. 6 months is typically not material in our hobby but it is now and the 6 months between when he could have simply washed his hands of it and now are night and day.

His posts on 54, which PSA has read, have not helped his cause at all.

Pink Pussycat · 03-10-2021, 07:55 PM

PSA brings it upon themselves with their incompetence at detecting alteration.

Frankly I'm surprised that there aren't many more of these disputes made public. PSA keeps all of this under the radar so their ineptitude is invisible to a vast majority of collectors.

That said, I do not agree with how the owner of the altered card is "playing the system". Seems like a greedy and unethical move.... Ironically, I suppose that he and PSA deserve each other.

pspa123 · 03-10-2021, 08:57 PM

Buying, albeit without knowledge, a trimmed card should not be a path to tripling your money especially where the seller agreed promptly to take it back. Something offensive about it IMO.

03-03-2021, 02:11 PM	#2
superdan49 BODA Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 4,272	I forwarded the thread to the Myslabs admin. __________________ Cardboard Detective Emeritus superdan49@protonmail.com — Anonymous Tip-line

03-03-2021, 04:57 PM	#4
ucLAkers Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: CaliZona Posts: 8,606 mintrobmint Totally Sucks	Thank you both... __________________ If you collect Vee & Friends you need medical assistance as theres a chance you have Blow Pop syndrom-18

03-03-2021, 07:19 PM	#7
callou2131 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Centreville, Md Posts: 8,477	Buy it, engrave "trimmed" on the case. return it. Wish it was that easy.... __________________ Sent using US Airways Wifi

03-04-2021, 11:41 AM	#8
pspa123 Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 3,743	Seller has been banned from Net 54, after he did not post any explanation. __________________ "We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity." Opening narration, The Outer Limits.

03-04-2021, 11:54 AM	#9
aro13 Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 972	Seller Assuming the seller sent the card back to PSA requesting a refund - and PSA said it was fine and unaltered - what is the seller supposed to do? List it saying that based on before and after pictures it is altered but PSA says it is fine? To me this is on PSA - buy back the card and get it out of circulation.

03-03-2021, 07:11 PM	#5
Pink Pussycat Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 595	Great job once again, 312.... Your awesome detective work probably kept some unknowing collector from getting reamed.

03-03-2021, 07:13 PM	#6
seanbros55 Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: From the 508 to the 707 Posts: 5,398	Cleaning up the hobby, one slugrake at a time...

03-04-2021, 04:46 PM	#12
Bowman1951 Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Boston 'Burbs Posts: 4,717 djblitz Bowman1951	This can't fall off the front page. __________________ I am the head promoter of one of the most successful Saturday monthly card shows in New England. https://flippincardshow.com/

03-04-2021, 04:50 PM	#13
pspa123 Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 3,743	AJ is back, he has offered an explanation. https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=297903 __________________ "We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity." Opening narration, The Outer Limits.

03-04-2021, 05:14 PM	#15
mjwoop Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,754	So is this potentially opening the door for people to identify/locate altered cards, buy them off the record at a discount, field offers for them as if they're unaltered, and then file claims against PSA for the unaltered value? If so, I bet PSA isn't liking the sound of that.

03-10-2021, 04:43 PM	#20
Uwfootball1 Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Canada Posts: 911 Uwfootball1 Uwfootball1	Man fascinating thread to read here + net 54 really interested to see what the result is! __________________ B.J. Ryan Supercollector List of B.J. Ryan needs: http://goo.gl/iAXKi3 List of other set needs: https://bit.ly/3gJfLKT 322/494 currently

03-10-2021, 04:58 PM	#22
Wiseguy917 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 3,558	PSA, best in breed...... __________________ PSA is like a 70s Porn Star...They don’t care if it’s trimmed or not. Being nice is something stupid people do to hedge their bets

03-10-2021, 07:55 PM	#24
Pink Pussycat Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 595	PSA brings it upon themselves with their incompetence at detecting alteration. Frankly I'm surprised that there aren't many more of these disputes made public. PSA keeps all of this under the radar so their ineptitude is invisible to a vast majority of collectors. That said, I do not agree with how the owner of the altered card is "playing the system". Seems like a greedy and unethical move.... Ironically, I suppose that he and PSA deserve each other.

03-10-2021, 08:57 PM	#25
pspa123 Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 3,743	Buying, albeit without knowledge, a trimmed card should not be a path to tripling your money especially where the seller agreed promptly to take it back. Something offensive about it IMO. __________________ "We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity." Opening narration, The Outer Limits.