@craig44 said:
those are some good cliff's notes Mike!!
is there a topic more polarizing than MBA right now?
Because the humor in this can’t be missed. While you’ve been sounding the alarm about them, they’ve been ascending the ranks of popularity like a K-Pop band.
@craig44 said:
those are some good cliff's notes Mike!!
is there a topic more polarizing than MBA right now?
Because the humor in this can’t be missed. While you’ve been sounding the alarm about them, they’ve been ascending the ranks of popularity like a K-Pop band.
it will crash and burn. you wait and see. it has happened with both of their previous businesses.
maybe not this year, or the next, but eventually those chickens will come home to roost.
@craig44 said:
those are some good cliff's notes Mike!!
is there a topic more polarizing than MBA right now?
Because the humor in this can’t be missed. While you’ve been sounding the alarm about them, they’ve been ascending the ranks of popularity like a K-Pop band.
it will crash and burn. you wait and see. it has happened with both of their previous businesses.
maybe not this year, or the next, but eventually those chickens will come home to roost.
You may be right. I may be crazy.
In times past, your so-called bad actors evolved via whatever methods they used to provide the industry an alternative to the methods of 3rd party grading. In the meantime, PSA no longer commands the market as they used to. There are plenty of people who will insist on having results in hand much quicker than the others can provide. We’ll see how long it lasts before MBA gets overwhelmed and begins to impose the same stall tactics out of necessity. I believe ultimately they will need to figure out how to cope with demand. I doubt they’re concerned about holding bags or roosting chickens. I’d guess they might need to hire more bad actors.
@craig44 said:
those are some good cliff's notes Mike!!
is there a topic more polarizing than MBA right now?
David - I think a healthy hobby board should spend a fair amount of time considering something like MBA - especially while it's evolving and gaining attention.
Polarizing? Sure. But I've learned quite a bit from this discussion and, disagreements aside, I think it's been enlightening.
What seems to have emerged is that the meaning of at least some MBA stickers has changed over time—particularly Gold, which appears to have gone from an eye-appeal designation to representing a potential grading bump in an MBA holder.
Hope I got this right? 😎
Actually that's not entirely correct.
Gold was not strictly an "eye-appeal designation."
It represented cards with "truly exceptional" attributes other than and including eye appeal.
Silver is an "eye-appeal designation."
Gold doesn't represent a "potential grading bum in an MBA holder."
Instead, it "must achieve a 0.5 technical grade increase, or higher"
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
What seems to have emerged is that the meaning of at least some MBA stickers has changed over time—particularly Gold, which appears to have gone from an eye-appeal designation to representing a potential grading bump in an MBA holder.
Hope I got this right? 😎
Actually that's not entirely correct.
Gold was not strictly an "eye-appeal designation."
It represented cards with "truly exceptional" attributes other than and including eye appeal.
Silver is an "eye-appeal designation."
Gold doesn't represent a "potential grading bum in an MBA holder."
Instead, it "must achieve a 0.5 technical grade increase, or higher"
I think that is a fairly accurate summation of silver and gold. As you stated silver means superior eye appeal, and originally gold meant top 5% and then was changed to a card that is undergrad by at least a half point. This is just purely a guess on my part but I think the reason they did that was there were a lot of varying opinions regarding how do they know a specific card is in the top 5% without seeing every example. PWCC used to have stickers they put on cards that in their summation they felt were top 5%, top 15%, and top 30%. With MBA grading cards and assessing them I think to cover themselves they removed the top 5% because legally what if somebody asked how they could assess a card as top 5% without seeing every example of a card.
What I find interesting is a silver label usually warrant an increase in price when being sold as we have seen in private sales and auction houses. The gold is technically supposed to represent either .5 increase or full point increase on the card. What I am seeing in sales is some cards are seeing a 30% increase, some cards you’re seeing a 50% increase, and some cards are seeing a 2X increase over comps. Time will be the best judge of all the stickers, but at the present moment, sellers are seeing an large increase in pricing.
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
I really don't think MBA's overall goal is to complete. I think the hope is to generate enough interest so that CU will want to offer a buyout.
Do collectors really need a "Silver eye appeal sticker" assuming 99.999% likely have eyes and even highly enjoy assessing that for themselves (that is part of the collecting experience ) Maybe the GOLD sticker as that is a finer level of expertise it seems?.. HANG ON
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
I really don't think MBA's overall goal is to complete. I think the hope is to generate enough interest so that CU will want to offer a buyout.
I think more likely, merging or buyout with fanatics.
Not sure of the company structure, but fanaticscollect partners with MBA.
PWCC breakers network also partners with MBA.
PWCC and MBA buildings are right next door to each other, I have read.
MBA is authenticating modern cards from breaks for a few bucks, then the card owner can vault the card in PWCCs vault or auction the card on fanaticscollect.
Seems like these companies are tied together and building an ecosystem to be a serious player.
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
I really don't think MBA's overall goal is to complete. I think the hope is to generate enough interest so that CU will want to offer a buyout.
I think more likely, merging or buyout with fanatics.
Not sure of the company structure, but fanaticscollect partners with MBA.
PWCC breakers network also partners with MBA.
PWCC and MBA buildings are right next door to each other, I have read.
MBA is authenticating modern cards from breaks for a few bucks, then the card owner can vault the card in PWCCs vault or auction the card on fanaticscollect.
Seems like these companies are tied together and building an ecosystem to be a serious player.
Good info, thank you!
Successful coin BST transactions with Gerard and segoja.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
The information provided by the flip and my eyes is that the grader determined it was cut short left to right and top to bottom and done so unevenly at the factory and that the resulting assigned grade is ‘excellent’.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
“Miscut in all directions at the factory to produce great corners and centering at the factory but irregular shaped borders at the factory. Did I mention it totally happened at the factory?”
…was probably never going to fit on the flip.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
The information provided by the flip and my eyes is that the grader determined it was cut short left to right and top to bottom and done so unevenly at the factory and that the resulting assigned grade is ‘excellent’.
"Exlent" huh? WTF? Is that a brand of stool softener or laxative ?
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972) Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
The information provided by the flip and my eyes is that the grader determined it was cut short left to right and top to bottom and done so unevenly at the factory and that the resulting assigned grade is ‘excellent’.
"Exlent" huh? WTF? Is that a brand of stool softener ?
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
I really don't think MBA's overall goal is to complete. I think the hope is to generate enough interest so that CU will want to offer a buyout.
I think more likely, merging or buyout with fanatics.
Not sure of the company structure, but fanaticscollect partners with MBA.
PWCC breakers network also partners with MBA.
PWCC and MBA buildings are right next door to each other, I have read.
MBA is authenticating modern cards from breaks for a few bucks, then the card owner can vault the card in PWCCs vault or auction the card on fanaticscollect.
Seems like these companies are tied together and building an ecosystem to be a serious player.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave"......
Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
@smallstocks said:
Can someone please explain to me what about this card is being certified gold! (Heritage always puts an exclamation mark after it).
If you look up the cert number on MBAs website it will tell you.
If I understand it right, MBA is giving the card a 3, and the auto grade a 5.
But MBA doesn't authenticate autos, so they don't have dual grading, so I guess MBA is giving the card a straight single grade of 3.
Its confusing since PSAs Authentic is strictly for the auto, I believe, while MBA seems to be grading the card.
@smallstocks said:
Can someone please explain to me what about this card is being certified gold! (Heritage always puts an exclamation mark after it).
If you look up the cert number on MBAs website it will tell you.
If I understand it right, MBA is giving the card a 3, and the auto grade a 5.
But MBA doesn't authenticate autos, so they don't have dual grading, so I guess MBA is giving the card a straight single grade of 3.
Its confusing since PSAs Authentic is strictly for the auto, I believe, while MBA seems to be grading the card.
I think that is authentic card and authentic auto.
@smallstocks said:
Can someone please explain to me what about this card is being certified gold! (Heritage always puts an exclamation mark after it).
If you look up the cert number on MBAs website it will tell you.
If I understand it right, MBA is giving the card a 3, and the auto grade a 5.
But MBA doesn't authenticate autos, so they don't have dual grading, so I guess MBA is giving the card a straight single grade of 3.
Its confusing since PSAs Authentic is strictly for the auto, I believe, while MBA seems to be grading the card.
I think that is authentic card and authentic auto.
You're right. I was thinking based on the cert number that it was slabbed before PSA changed policy and started using the "Trading Card" designation.
So PSAs label listing the card year/make means the card is authentic and the word "Authentic" is for the auto being authentic. But if the card got an actual number grade, there would be 2 grades listed on the label?
In every case the item is strictly graded authentic, there will only be a single grade listed on the label for the auto?
For example, PSAs label will never list a dual grade of Authentic/10? Just a single grade of 10?
@Stone193 said:
Deduct a point - sticker has a TILT. 😎
I'm starting a new company, Vandelay Industries Grading (VIG). At Vandelay Industries Grading, we understand the market's need for grading MBA stickers. We offer the following:
$39.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $100 or less.
$59.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $500 or less.
$109.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $1000 or less.
$259.99 Covers authentication on cards worth $10,000 or less.
Once we have decided the grade of the MBA sticker, we will attach either an Emerald, Sapphire, or Ruby diamond-shaped sticker on the PSA case. If it is determined that the MBA sticker is fake, you will be given a credit towards your next purchase.
@Stone193 said:
Deduct a point - sticker has a TILT. 😎
I'm starting a new company, Vandelay Industries Grading (VIG). At Vandelay Industries Grading, we understand the market's need for grading MBA stickers. We offer the following:
$39.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $100 or less.
$59.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $500 or less.
$109.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $1000 or less.
$259.99 Covers authentication on cards worth $10,000 or less.
Once we have decided the grade of the MBA sticker, we will attach either an Emerald, Sapphire, or Ruby diamond-shaped sticker on the PSA case. If it is determined that the MBA sticker is fake, you will be given a credit towards your next purchase.
In 1957, Topps ruined what would have been Aaron's most beautiful card...by reversing the negative. Topps still did not know Aaron batted right handed as late as 1964. Take a close look at this League Leader card from that year...
@Stone193 said:
Deduct a point - sticker has a TILT. 😎
I'm starting a new company, Vandelay Industries Grading (VIG). At Vandelay Industries Grading, we understand the market's need for grading MBA stickers. We offer the following:
$39.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $100 or less.
$59.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $500 or less.
$109.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $1000 or less.
$259.99 Covers authentication on cards worth $10,000 or less.
Once we have decided the grade of the MBA sticker, we will attach either an Emerald, Sapphire, or Ruby diamond-shaped sticker on the PSA case. If it is determined that the MBA sticker is fake, you will be given a credit towards your next purchase.
I look forward to your business!
Ladies and Gentleman - VIG's first graded sticker!
Comments
those are some good cliff's notes Mike!!
is there a topic more polarizing than MBA right now?
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
^ in the world or in vintage sportscards?
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
MBA is a smoldering topic…ready at any moment to erupt into a wildfire.
just in sportscards. there are lots of topics that would create a lot more hubub than MBA if we were allowed to talk politics!!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Because the humor in this can’t be missed. While you’ve been sounding the alarm about them, they’ve been ascending the ranks of popularity like a K-Pop band.
it will crash and burn. you wait and see. it has happened with both of their previous businesses.
maybe not this year, or the next, but eventually those chickens will come home to roost.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
You may be right. I may be crazy.
In times past, your so-called bad actors evolved via whatever methods they used to provide the industry an alternative to the methods of 3rd party grading. In the meantime, PSA no longer commands the market as they used to. There are plenty of people who will insist on having results in hand much quicker than the others can provide. We’ll see how long it lasts before MBA gets overwhelmed and begins to impose the same stall tactics out of necessity. I believe ultimately they will need to figure out how to cope with demand. I doubt they’re concerned about holding bags or roosting chickens. I’d guess they might need to hire more bad actors.
Maybe they can hire Vegas Dave as their Director of Public Relations.
David - I think a healthy hobby board should spend a fair amount of time considering something like MBA - especially while it's evolving and gaining attention.
Polarizing? Sure. But I've learned quite a bit from this discussion and, disagreements aside, I think it's been enlightening.
That's kind of what we're here for.
Actually that's not entirely correct.
Gold was not strictly an "eye-appeal designation."
It represented cards with "truly exceptional" attributes other than and including eye appeal.
Silver is an "eye-appeal designation."
Gold doesn't represent a "potential grading bum in an MBA holder."
Instead, it "must achieve a 0.5 technical grade increase, or higher"
I am 100% for any grading company that wants to compete in this market. There seems to be plenty of room for a lot more than currently exist.
It'll be up to them to gain the respect of the collectors. I'd like to see 6 or 8 grading companies that all have impeccable reputations that all command top dollar instead of the several that currently do that.
I think that is a fairly accurate summation of silver and gold. As you stated silver means superior eye appeal, and originally gold meant top 5% and then was changed to a card that is undergrad by at least a half point. This is just purely a guess on my part but I think the reason they did that was there were a lot of varying opinions regarding how do they know a specific card is in the top 5% without seeing every example. PWCC used to have stickers they put on cards that in their summation they felt were top 5%, top 15%, and top 30%. With MBA grading cards and assessing them I think to cover themselves they removed the top 5% because legally what if somebody asked how they could assess a card as top 5% without seeing every example of a card.
What I find interesting is a silver label usually warrant an increase in price when being sold as we have seen in private sales and auction houses. The gold is technically supposed to represent either .5 increase or full point increase on the card. What I am seeing in sales is some cards are seeing a 30% increase, some cards you’re seeing a 50% increase, and some cards are seeing a 2X increase over comps. Time will be the best judge of all the stickers, but at the present moment, sellers are seeing an large increase in pricing.
Brent's just hoping to buil> @BBBrkrr said:
I really don't think MBA's overall goal is to complete. I think the hope is to generate enough interest so that CU will want to offer a buyout.
^ Then they need to go after TCG not Sports and certainly not vintage sports. Now trying to get the eye of Fanatics that's a whole 'nother story.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Do collectors really need a "Silver eye appeal sticker" assuming 99.999% likely have eyes and even highly enjoy assessing that for themselves (that is part of the collecting experience
) Maybe the GOLD sticker as that is a finer level of expertise it seems?.. HANG ON 
I think more likely, merging or buyout with fanatics.
Not sure of the company structure, but fanaticscollect partners with MBA.
PWCC breakers network also partners with MBA.
PWCC and MBA buildings are right next door to each other, I have read.
MBA is authenticating modern cards from breaks for a few bucks, then the card owner can vault the card in PWCCs vault or auction the card on fanaticscollect.
Seems like these companies are tied together and building an ecosystem to be a serious player.
Good info, thank you!
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
The term ‘Manufacturing Miscut’ being used on flips is brand new to me:
https://ebay.io/m/LFCQfU
The information provided by the flip and my eyes is that the grader determined it was cut short left to right and top to bottom and done so unevenly at the factory and that the resulting assigned grade is ‘excellent’.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
That is a new one. There are cards that are factory-cut short. Very interesting…
I haven’t checked on the website, to be fair.
So, it could also mean “Mother F’R is Miscut.”
Though I feel like maybe the terms Miscut and Trimmed are being used interchangeably.
Conserved is a good one, too.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
I always thought this was what a miscut card was:
So, still full size. But, miscut.
However,
“Miscut in all directions at the factory to produce great corners and centering at the factory but irregular shaped borders at the factory. Did I mention it totally happened at the factory?”
…was probably never going to fit on the flip.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
Like this one?
A's World Championships-1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989
A ‘68 mini!
It would be fun if PSA started adding stickers and you could send a MBA card to PSA and they would sticker it “Trimmed”.
"Exlent" huh? WTF? Is that a brand of stool softener or laxative ?
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
oh my word, what a mickey mouse outfit...
Exlent.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Just another holder with a label inside. Ancient PSA labels look like they were created in a 5th grade classroom.
am i the only one who chortled at this
exlent post
Can someone please explain to me what about this card is being certified gold! (Heritage always puts an exclamation mark after it).
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
"Oh what a tangled web we weave"......
If you look up the cert number on MBAs website it will tell you.
If I understand it right, MBA is giving the card a 3, and the auto grade a 5.
But MBA doesn't authenticate autos, so they don't have dual grading, so I guess MBA is giving the card a straight single grade of 3.
Its confusing since PSAs Authentic is strictly for the auto, I believe, while MBA seems to be grading the card.
Dude paid for sticker and got a sticker
And the sticker as usual is on crooked.
Crooked is as crooked does I suppose
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
That 68 Mays is rough and the auto is faded as well as not complete. Not sure what they were thinking on that one.
^ They are in business to sell stickers, so they sell stickers!
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
I think that is authentic card and authentic auto.
The sticker application reminds me of Ken Rosenthal’s bow tie.
You're right. I was thinking based on the cert number that it was slabbed before PSA changed policy and started using the "Trading Card" designation.
So PSAs label listing the card year/make means the card is authentic and the word "Authentic" is for the auto being authentic. But if the card got an actual number grade, there would be 2 grades listed on the label?
In every case the item is strictly graded authentic, there will only be a single grade listed on the label for the auto?
For example, PSAs label will never list a dual grade of Authentic/10? Just a single grade of 10?
Deduct a point - sticker has a TILT. 😎
I'm starting a new company, Vandelay Industries Grading (VIG). At Vandelay Industries Grading, we understand the market's need for grading MBA stickers. We offer the following:
$39.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $100 or less.
$59.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $500 or less.
$109.95 Covers authentication on cards worth $1000 or less.
$259.99 Covers authentication on cards worth $10,000 or less.
Once we have decided the grade of the MBA sticker, we will attach either an Emerald, Sapphire, or Ruby diamond-shaped sticker on the PSA case. If it is determined that the MBA sticker is fake, you will be given a credit towards your next purchase.
I look forward to your business!
“ and you want to be my latex salesman.”
Back from PSA with a new holder...and back from MBA with a diamond
Wow Monte - that's a sweet card; along with Aaron one of my favorites.
Centering couldn't be better.
In 1957, Topps ruined what would have been Aaron's most beautiful card...by reversing the negative. Topps still did not know Aaron batted right handed as late as 1964. Take a close look at this League Leader card from that year...
Are we talking about the sticker or the card? The sticker is about 52/48 L/R.
What about a sticker for over-graded cards?
10 all day long.
PSA 6.9 Chaz
Ladies and Gentleman - VIG's first graded sticker!
Graded: GEM Ruby
You'll be able to see your card from space! 😎
Hey Mike! That’s my card! Calling the moderator!
Monte, I think you should feel absolutely privileged. What an honor! 😎