Exposing VGA (Video Game Grading Authority)

[Kiddo]

I quoted Kiddo because he did seem to be objecting to the concept.

I'm speaking as someone who feels there's a lot more ethical implications involved in the method of trying to "expose" a company involving the very creation of a counterfeit product than what most others are trying to argue.

I'm not arguing whether it's theoretically possible because I don't really care for new/sealed games, so that wouldn't be my field of expertise anyway. I'm just explaining why I'd believe anyone who feared either God or society wouldn't want to do something like that even if it was perfectly within his ability, and thus I don't think it'd be reasonable to essentially "dare" someone to go for it.

I'll go as far as to say myself that I do have something that I'm curious about whether VGA would grade or not (That would possibly look bad for them if they did), but am held back by said ethics as well as lack of a will to pay the money to get the grades. (It's not a new/sealed game, though, so it's not quite the same argument.)

[Bojay1997]

The thing with Comic Books, Baseball cards, etc. These are items that do not come sealed in shrinkwrap (So unless VGA unshrinked the game and tested the cardboards age....but that wont happen) and are put through tests to determine the age of the paper used. 99% impossible to fake and make it seem real. Thats why a company like CGC is needed, to preserve the rare and fragile paper products as well as having a team of actual scientists helping out with the grading. Now thats a 100% legit company. VGA have scientists? doubt it.

I'm sorry, but where did you get your information about CGC? I spent some time at their booth at ComicCon San Diego a few years back and I can say with certainty that they aren't "scientists" and they don't do testing of paper. They are basically just people that have examined a number of comics and know what to look for to detect a fake. That's no different than VGA or any other grading service. Heck, it's no different than what many experienced collectors do. While I agree that VGA could be more transparent, I disagree that other grading organizations have a superior process. In the end, all of them just look at a bunch of the same thing and develop expertise in determining when something comes in that doesn't match the others.

[Parodius Duh!]

I'm sorry, but where did you get your information about CGC? I spent some time at their booth at ComicCon San Diego a few years back and I can say with certainty that they aren't "scientists" and they don't do testing of paper. They are basically just people that have examined a number of comics and know what to look for to detect a fake. That's no different than VGA or any other grading service. Heck, it's no different than what many experienced collectors do. While I agree that VGA could be more transparent, I disagree that other grading organizations have a superior process. In the end, all of them just look at a bunch of the same thing and develop expertise in determining when something comes in that doesn't match the others.

I dont mean that every employee there is a scientist. If they need to test a paper product to ensure its legitimacy, they usually call in paper specialists to scientifically date the comic. This happened with a copy of Amazing Spiderman #1 a local comic book shop I worked part time for sent in. The CGC sent them an email stating that it would take a bit longer because they need to "scientifically authenticate the manufacture date of the paper used" because the issue the shop sent in to CGC had perfectly white pages still, so they were weary of it being a fake or just an original cover stapled around reproduced pages....which wasnt the case, it came back graded 100% legit 6.0....The majority though you are right, its just people who have been grading and collecting comics for 30+ years and really know their shit, but if it comes down to them needing to authenticate the age of an issue, they will do so by having a paper specialist come in. What Im getting at is CGC and PSA will bring in the proper people to accurately date an item if their hired graders can not come to a conclusion on it.

[Tanooki]

Maybe the VGA people don't care about fakes, they're just interesting in grading the item.

I think there's a truth within a stretch there. If you could slide a fake by the VGA and got it graded I bet some of the owners if not a lot wouldn't notice either and therefore wouldn't care once it's slabbed, stickered and noted in the system.

[Buyatari]

I dont mean that every employee there is a scientist. If they need to test a paper product to ensure its legitimacy, they usually call in paper specialists to scientifically date the comic. This happened with a copy of Amazing Spiderman #1 a local comic book shop I worked part time for sent in. The CGC sent them an email stating that it would take a bit longer because they need to "scientifically authenticate the manufacture date of the paper used" because the issue the shop sent in to CGC had perfectly white pages still, so they were weary of it being a fake or just an original cover stapled around reproduced pages....which wasnt the case, it came back graded 100% legit 6.0....The majority though you are right, its just people who have been grading and collecting comics for 30+ years and really know their shit, but if it comes down to them needing to authenticate the age of an issue, they will do so by having a paper specialist come in. What Im getting at is CGC and PSA will bring in the proper people to accurately date an item if their hired graders can not come to a conclusion on it.

I wonder what they did to the paper to authenticate it? Other than look at it under magnification and UV light etc I don't think they test the paper as this would damage the book.

[Buyatari]

What Im getting at is CGC and PSA will bring in the proper people to accurately date an item if their hired graders can not come to a conclusion on it.

VGA does this as well.

I don't want to throw out any names but 4-5 other guys I know have at one time or another been contacted to help them with items or contact names.

Mind you as far as I know you these people are all either past industry professionals or long time collectors and not plastic scientists. Still if VGA has questions they aren't afraid to reach out and ask for outside opinions before making a final call. The Megaman sketch (which took longer than a year) posted in this thread is an example of an item that wouldn't be authenticated without such providence.

[TheRedEye]

So to sum this thread up: Sometimes when people don't understand something, they assume the worst.

[skaar]

So to sum this thread up: Sometimes when people don't understand something, they assume the worst.

[badinsults]

Followup video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M40Er...ature=youtu.be

[JakeM]

So to sum this thread up: Sometimes when people don't understand something, they assume the worst.

When someone doesnt understand what theyre doing, they do the worst job.

[ProjectCamaro]

So to sum this thread up: Sometimes when people don't understand something, they assume the worst.

All I've hear throughout this thread is:

Wah wah, you're a stupid head for not feeling the way I do.

Oh yeah, well you're a doo doo face.

[Griking]

At which point Buyatari will, as I previously stated, say you're a liar because he is still completely full of shit.

Actually I'd like to see someone do that as well. It would actually be pretty damning.

[Griking]

Committing fraud at the expense of VGA makes oneself look worse than they will.

There would be no fraud unless the person tried to actual sell the bootleg as an original.

and as for why someone would do this rather than make tons of copies and sell them... some people are actually honorable believe it or not