Trimmers: Triple sSs Sportscards, triplesssinc, Mike Skerbe, Mark Skerbe, Rich Davis

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by ken161

The crux of the matter is whether these thousands and thousands of altered cards are "getting past the goalie" because of corruption or because PSA cannot detect alterations. I think most people would probably agree it's a combination of both. I certainly would not argue that there is corruption at many levels of PSA, but I think the bigger problem is that the card doctors have become so skilled that the cards they submit whiz right past the hapless PSA graders.

A good example would be the handiwork of sSs Sportscards. I'm far from an expert, but many of their doctored cards look fine to me in their holders. Too good to be true perhaps, but not obviously chopped. It's only when BODA has painstakingly tracked down the pre-doctored card and posted before and after images, that the nefarious deeds of sSs Sportcards and their ilk become obvious.

I could be wrong, and as you say, corruption/greased palms/kickbacks could be the engine driving this mess. Regardless, I am done with grading. Even a brand new company with good intentions would eventually be compromised. Too much easy money to be had. I'm more than happy collecting raw 1948-1975 sets in EX to NM condition and modern in NMMT. If that means I've got a few doctored cards in my 3-ring binders, so be it. I'll probably have fewer than if I had a mountain of slabs.

Never get cheated.

I strongly agree with this!

Even Joe Orlando admits no human can detect all alterations, it's a lot worse than what he's admitting to.

Clearly there are many ways to work the grading system.

[ken161]

Amazingly, sSs Sportscards continues to be prolific sellers of vintage cards on eBay. Several thousand dollars in sales in just the past week, according to their feedback. A PSA9 1950 Bowman common for $900. A PSA10 1964 common for $450. Many of the sales apparently had no back scans. I wonder why?

Do these guys not have a conscience? They've been caught red-handed screwing collectors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Perhaps more importantly, how could any rational person buy a card from these crooks? Even if there is no proof of doctoring on these most recent cards, just on principle how could anyone feed money to such an odious operation??? A 1950 Bowman common from outed trimmers for $900 Can people really be this stupid?


sSs Sportscards feedback:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...p2046732.m1684

[cking]

Originally Posted by ken161

just on principle how could anyone feed money to such an odious operation???

The same way members on this very site continue to send cards to PWCC for consignment

They are helping to give money to someone that has screwed so many people over and they just dont care

And why? All so they can line their own pockets from the consignment sale.

They are no better then PWCC in my opinion.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by ken161

Amazingly, sSs Sportscards continues to be prolific sellers of vintage cards on eBay. Several thousand dollars in sales in just the past week, according to their feedback. A PSA9 1950 Bowman common for $900. A PSA10 1964 common for $450. Many of the sales apparently had no back scans. I wonder why?

Do these guys not have a conscience? They've been caught red-handed screwing collectors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Perhaps more importantly, how could any rational person buy a card from these crooks? Even if there is no proof of doctoring on these most recent cards, just on principle how could anyone feed money to such an odious operation??? A 1950 Bowman common from outed trimmers for $900 Can people really be this stupid?


sSs Sportscards feedback:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...p2046732.m1684

Did they stop adding images of card backs since they were called out here, or have they never had back scans???

[pspa123]

Originally Posted by ken161

Amazingly, sSs Sportscards continues to be prolific sellers of vintage cards on eBay. Several thousand dollars in sales in just the past week, according to their feedback. A PSA9 1950 Bowman common for $900. A PSA10 1964 common for $450. Many of the sales apparently had no back scans. I wonder why?

Do these guys not have a conscience? They've been caught red-handed screwing collectors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Perhaps more importantly, how could any rational person buy a card from these crooks? Even if there is no proof of doctoring on these most recent cards, just on principle how could anyone feed money to such an odious operation??? A 1950 Bowman common from outed trimmers for $900 Can people really be this stupid?


sSs Sportscards feedback:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...p2046732.m1684

As I understand it, they are also prolific consignors of high grade cards to several major auction houses.

[ken161]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Did they stop adding images of card backs since they were called out here, or have they never had back scans???

I believe reverse scans have traditionally been the exception rather than the rule at sSs Sportscards.

I noticed another outed card doctor was fond of unfocused photographs as opposed to crisp scans, when selecting cards to purchase and then alter. Too cute by half, as BODA outed them anyway.

[ken161]

A 1964 Topps Willie Mays in PSA9 sold for a cool $3K on 11/20. Apparently, no back image available with the listing. Life is good.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...p2046732.m1684

[ken161]

sSs Sportscards continues to sell high grade slabbed cards on eBay, despite ironclad evidence of selling trimmed cards.

Just a few days ago, they sold a 1960 Topps Elston Howard in PSA9 for $500, complete with lighthouse slab, plenty of elbow room in the holder, razor-sharp corners, and no back scan. Sounds like a good investment. I mean what could possibly go wrong? I'm sure the twin pillars of hobby integrity have turned over a new leaf and are now only selling legit stuff.



https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...p2046732.m1684

[pip]

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...lete=1&LH_Sold

It's rather curious when you look at "sold" items. Some cards have back scans and others do not. I wonder why.

It's as if Triple SSS has created a handy roadmap through all of the landmines.

[pip]

Has Mark Skerbe moved on?

https://opencorporates.com/companies...0593230/events

[kooky4cards]

Originally Posted by pip

https://www.ebay.com/sch/triplesssin...lete=1&LH_Sold

It's rather curious when you look at "sold" items. Some cards have back scans and others do not. I wonder why.

It's as if Triple SSS has created a handy roadmap through all of the landmines.

Any idea if these guys are associated with other dealers and/or volume ebay sellers located throughout the midwest, particularly in MI, IL, OH, and IA?

[pip]

Originally Posted by kooky4cards

Any idea if these guys are associated with other dealers and/or volume ebay sellers located throughout the midwest, particularly in MI, IL, OH, and IA?

Don't know. Ask BODA. They might know. Do you suspect a particular vender or new ebay account is now selling their handiwork?

[kooky4cards]

Originally Posted by pip

Don't know. Ask BODA. They might know. Do you suspect a particular vender or new ebay account is now selling their handiwork?

Without dropping any names, there's a particular Ebay seller that seems to be listing a number of raw altered vintage cards. I searched and they don't have their ebay ID listed on any blowout profile, but I suspect they probably lurk in the forums. It appears they have a pattern of showing only front scans of the altered cards, as well as failing to mention the alterations.

Makes me wonder if that Ebay account is affiliated with one of the known card doctors selling altered slabbed cards, possibly selling the ones they couldn't sneak past a TPG (or ones they knew would be rejected, but may fool a novice collector in raw form).

[corndog]

PSA Cert #25818385

1966 Topps Mickey Mantle #50

Value gain of $2,409.35

PSA Set Registry: none found

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID y***o (crodneynow) from Ebay seller probstein123 as a SGC 7 for $390.65 on February 09, 2016.

Same card was sold by Ebay seller triplesssinc (Mike and Mark Skerbe) as a PSA 8 for $2,800.00 on November 10, 2016.

Yellow circles are print, fiber, stain, or chipping identifiers.
Red boxes identify trimmed top and left edges.

[corndog]

PSA Cert #42022541

1966 Topps Brooks Robinson #390

Value gain of $26,031.70

PSA Set Registry: Skarb Brooks

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID y***o (crodneynow) from Ebay seller handsomef as a PSA 8 for $117.50 on October 07, 2017.

Same card was sold by Memory Lane Auctions as a PSA 10 for $26,149.20 on October 10, 2020.

Yellow circles are print, fiber, stain, or chipping identifiers.
Red box identifies trimmed left edge.

[MoreToppsPlease]

I would’ve felt sorry for whomever Skarb Brooks is before BODA became a thing, but no more. Great find, although all vintage 10s have been shown by BODA to be likely molested.

It’s easy to expect a few more ‘magical’ ‘66 Brooks in the coming years.

[pip]

That's a surprisingly uneven "bowed" cut on the left edge of the PSA 10 1966 Brooks Robinson. How could that have fooled anyone? Doesn't anyone look at the actual card anymore?

[salthill]

Originally Posted by pip

That's a surprisingly uneven "bowed" cut on the left edge of the PSA 10 1966 Brooks Robinson. How could that have fooled anyone? Doesn't anyone look at the actual card anymore?

That caught my eye too. On first glance i thought the 8 was the after photo and the 10 the before.

[ken161]

Nicely centered EX-EXMT 1966 Topps Brooks Robinson cards abound on eBay for $50 or less. Never get cheated.

[corndog]

PSA # 27333489

When researching certification numbers in the PSA Database, at the bottom of each cert number is a sample card that has the security features highlighted along with the certification number.
This same card is featured on every search.

This is the above referenced area:



I researched that particular card and cert number that is used as a sample and discovered that it was sold by Ebay seller and known card doctors triplesssinc.

Here is the PSA Cert link and if you scroll down the link you will see the exact same card featured above:
https://www.psacard.com/cert/27333489



I researched further and found that the card was purchased by the Skerbe brothers as a PSA 6 on April 24, 2017 here:



And sold as a PSA 8 on August 15, 2017 here:



Due to the poor images from the initial purchase, I cannot confirm any alterations, only that they are the same card (see yellow circle reference points).

I did create two parallel yellow lines alongside the back right edge to highlight the oddly trimmed card edge. I turned the image on it's side for better viewing.

[ken161]

Amazingly, sSs Sportscards is still going to the National. Never get cheated.

https://www.nsccshow.com/assets/admi...%205-21-21.pdf

[tconte]

Lol. Even the sample card is in question.

You just can't make this stuff up. Someone is not only getting rich from this but also
a good laugh.

[MoreToppsPlease]

That’s not the first sample/promo card that BODA has outed. This makes one think that a very high percentage of high-grade, high-end cards are altered.

[pip]

Originally Posted by tconte

Lol. Even the sample card is in question.

You just can't make this stuff up. Someone is not only getting rich from this but also
a good laugh.

As you may recall, PSA/Collectors Universe used the 1970 Topps Joe Namath (Gem Mint 10) from Triple sSs in a major advertising promotion and that one came back to bite them too. One of these days, PSA might learn that the riskiest cards to profile are often the very ones that come from its own list of recommended "authorized" dealers.

[auburn35]

Timer set for the change in samples

Although having a PSA example from a known card trimmer, is a good reference.