Nick Vanni & BNC Authenticators 1991 Desert Shield BGS Set Scam at Heritage Auctions

[3124508 on COMC]

Among an impressive number of trimmed and recolored cards that Heritage is selling in its May 6-8 Spring Sports Catalog Auction (stay tuned for those) is the #1 BGS registry set of 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards:

https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...ription-071515




The first problem here is that many of the cards in this set, including the BGS 9.5 Chipper Jones RC, have a fake Desert Shield stamp.
See below for some of those, although this is by no means an exhaustive list of even the cards in the set that are pictured. I had to try to locate previous sales of suspect cards due to the inability to clearly see the stamps in the photo provided by Heritage. Note that all these counterfeits appear to originate from bristolcollectibles (Brian Deer). The cheap ones were sold via his eBay account and the expensive ones went to PWCC and Probstein.





The second problem here is that the owner/consignor of this set is someone by the name of Nick Vanni who also happens to be the co-founder of a business called BNC Authenticators, which SOLELY authenticates 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards.

This is their website: https://bncauthenticators.com/



Here Nick is in November and December of last year promoting his business on the Hobby Talk YouTube channel. In the videos he discusses wanting to get his set up to a minimum of a BGS 9 for every card, which he expects will take a few years. The first video also displays the fake Chipper in the Heritage lot.

https://youtu.be/TO9YjIj6yVc
https://youtu.be/9Ia4StXU8Fo

So what is there to take away from this? First, I don't think BNC Authenticators is qualified to authenticate Desert Shield cards when their co-founder's set is full of counterfeit copies. And second, it certainly seems suspicious that Nick has had a change of heart and decided to sell his set now that BO has started to call out fake copies of this card. And it just so happens that the very first fake card in that thread is three BGS cert numbers away from Nick's fake Chipper.

[cp312]

doing god's work out here

[rjp087]

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

And it just so happens that the very first fake card in that thread is three BGS cert numbers away from Nick's fake Chipper.

The most damning bit of evidence perhaps?

[The Accountant]

Wow. Way to connect the dots. Definitely odd this surfaces just as the fakes are getting caught.

[MoreToppsPlease]

The authentication and grading biz proves, yet again, to be quite the racket.

When will Topps start their own authentication and grading services? Collectors can’t trust anything from third parties.

[tier1dc]

the bible verse on the front page is a nice touch.

and the youtube interview with a discussion on 'how to spot fake Desert Shield Cards'

https://youtu.be/TO9YjIj6yVc?t=1192

stellar stuff.

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

The authentication and grading biz proves, yet again, to be quite the racket.

When will Topps start their own authentication and grading services? Collectors can’t trust anything from third parties.

Unless they slab them right out of the factory what makes you think Topps would be any better at this than the current players?

[notfast]

Beckett has a set registry?

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by pspa123

Unless they slab them right out of the factory what makes you think Topps would be any better at this than the current players?

I tend to strongly think the manufacturer would tend to know more about their own products than a third party...especially given the tens of thousands of different sets produced each year...

...and I do STRONGLY agree the best and perhaps ONLY way to avoid inevitable corruption and incompetence is to slab right at the factory. There are SO many advantages.

The fewer third parties the hobby has the better, and grading companies are the most easily replaced. But with that said, there needs to be a few truly independent parties like Blowout.

[Alwayslefty]

This cracks me up. These threads are absolutely damning to 3rd party grading companies. Yet most of us have at least some cased cards. I have a few, and I regret anyone of them for my PC.

Think about providing a verification service that logistically you can’t handle and can easily or is willingly defrauded and making money coming and going. I can’t help but thinking Dr Evil is behind the card industry and somewhere in the basement of PSA MiniMe is ceasing cards with a magic 8ball...

Lefty

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

I tend to strongly think the manufacturer would tend to know more about their own products than a third party...especially given the tens of thousands of different sets produced each year...

...and I do STRONGLY agree the best and perhaps ONLY way to avoid inevitable corruption and incompetence is to slab right at the factory. There are SO many advantages.

The fewer third parties the hobby has the better, and grading companies are the most easily replaced. But with that said, there needs to be a few truly independent parties like Blowout.

Slabbing at the factory is an interesting idea but radically changes the economics of producing cards. I would not think at all that Topps employees could detect trimming better than trained third party graders. Don't see it.

[Tigerfan]

As both the seller and one of the three person panel authenticators at BNC, I am respectfully addressing this post. Any interested party should contact Beckett Grading Services and BNC Authenticators concerning authenticity. Heritage Auction House also provides quality pictures and an accurate description of the graded set. The links to the videos on YouTube explain in depth the history, value, and the process of collecting the cards in the set. They highlight the rarity of the high graded set and the exceptional journey of acquiring the valuable 1991 Topps Desert Shield set. My personal contact is Nvanni82@icloud.com and I would be delighted to answer any questions or provide further information on this set.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by Tigerfan

As both the seller and one of the three person panel authenticators at BNC, I am respectfully addressing this post. Any interested party should contact Beckett Grading Services and BNC Authenticators concerning authenticity. Heritage Auction House also provides quality pictures and an accurate description of the graded set. The links to the videos on YouTube explain in depth the history, value, and the process of collecting the cards in the set. They highlight the rarity of the high graded set and the exceptional journey of acquiring the valuable 1991 Topps Desert Shield set. My personal contact is Nvanni82@icloud.com and I would be delighted to answer any questions or provide further information on this set.

Feel free to address the authenticity here. Consider this my contact to BNC Authenticators concerning authenticity.

[whitesoxfan3579]

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by pspa123

Slabbing at the factory is an interesting idea but radically changes the economics of producing cards. I would not think at all that Topps employees could detect trimming better than trained third party graders. Don't see it.

I’m not suggesting that Topps accept submissions, I’m suggesting that Topps begin offering a made-to-order online slab option, including them as box toppers, etc. moving forward.

Topps has already distributed third-party slabs in the past, we know they’ve distributed “uncirculated” cards many times.

Of course slabbing is easy profit for Topps. And hobbyists get what they want with little or no delay, at a fraction of the cost.

The only reason why Topps wouldn’t get into this business is if someone is paying them not to.

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

Feel free to address the authenticity here. Consider this my contact to BNC Authenticators concerning authenticity.

Response by misdirection, wasn't it? Address elephant in room please. You're speaking to a (mostly lol) intelligent audience.

[cking]

So they are willing to discuss it.............just not here.

So basically they can say later on down the line that they were willing to talk about it but no one would speak to them.

Funny they are only willing to talk about it on a platform of their choosing.

If you are innocent...state your case and back it up with some evidence.

If you refuse to do so then that is a huge red flag.

Speak up....dont be scared.

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by cking

So they are willing to discuss it.............just not here.

So basically they can say later on down the line that they were willing to talk about it but no one would speak to them.

Funny they are only willing to talk about it on a platform of their choosing.

If you are innocent...state your case and back it up with some evidence.

If you refuse to do so then that is a huge red flag.

Speak up....dont be scared.

This isn't rocket science, is it? If you deny the claim that the pictured cards have fake stamps, say so, and dispute the evidence. Don't tell us about the rarity of the set
blah blah.

Or say nothing at all but don't insult our intelligence.

Keep in mind the poster making the claim has spent a very long time studying how to spot fake stamps and is extremely scrupulous about his level of certainty before posting.

[whitesoxfan3579]

Originally Posted by cking

So they are willing to discuss it.............just not here.

So basically they can say later on down the line that they were willing to talk about it but no one would speak to them.

Funny they are only willing to talk about it on a platform of their choosing.

If you are innocent...state your case and back it up with some evidence.

If you refuse to do so then that is a huge red flag.

Speak up....dont be scared.

Very well written!

[rcmb3220]

So is this guy crooked or incompetent? It’s a question that’s as old as time.

[pip]

Originally Posted by Tigerfan

As both the seller and one of the three person panel authenticators at BNC, I am respectfully addressing this post. Any interested party should contact Beckett Grading Services and BNC Authenticators concerning authenticity. Heritage Auction House also provides quality pictures and an accurate description of the graded set. The links to the videos on YouTube explain in depth the history, value, and the process of collecting the cards in the set. They highlight the rarity of the high graded set and the exceptional journey of acquiring the valuable 1991 Topps Desert Shield set. My personal contact is Nvanni82@icloud.com and I would be delighted to answer any questions or provide further information on this set.

Care to address the actual subject at hand here by providing practical answers? Right now, it certainly appears that you are part of the ongoing problem with fake Desert Shield cards.

[CaptSpaulding]

Originally Posted by rcmb3220

So is this guy crooked or incompetent? It’s a question that’s as old as time.

Between the timing of his sale and his incredibly weak post I know which one I go with.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by pspa123

Response by misdirection, wasn't it? Address elephant in room please. You're speaking to a (mostly lol) intelligent audience.

I’d have to contact BNC Authenticators for comment on the authenticity. Nick is the co-founder of that business, but must not be authorized to give a statement on their behalf.

[pip]

Anyone else have the feeling that we just moved past following the mules and are now in contact with one of the distributors/traffickers?

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by pip

Anyone else have the feeling that we just moved past following the mules and are now in contact with one of the distributors/traffickers?

No. This guy bought all these off the secondary market.