eBay Taps PSA As Exclusive Authenticator For Both Raw & Graded Trading Cards
PSA is now officially the sole provider of authentication services for both raw and graded trading cards sold through eBay's Authenticity Guarantee program, kicking Certified Collectibles Group (CGC) to the curb.
The move expands the continuing partnership between the two companies after eBay acquired Goldin Auctions from PSA parent company Collectors while selling off the eBay Vault to PSA earlier this year.
Liz Morton
Previously, PSA handled authentication for graded cards in the eBay Authenticity Guarantee program and CGC authenticated raw cards, but now the whole kit and caboodle are going to PSA.
It appears the final switchover occurred sometime in early September, with the Internet Archive Wayback Machine showing CGC was still listed in the FAQ on September 7 2024, but no longer shown as of September 10th.
That confirms reporting from Hobby News Daily in April, when a source told HND that PSA would be the only company used for all of the cards that fall under eBay's Authenticity Guarantee "later this year."
Hobby News Daily
The source told Hobby News Daily that PSA had staffed up to provide bicoastal coverage and that one of the reasons behind eBay's decision may have been PSA's success in catching more problem cards and enforcing the Authenticity Guarantee.
"As an aside, since we've been running the AG program for graded cards for eBay we've been catching a larger percentage that expected of both fake and significantly not as described items, which has been a great value add (I believe) to buyers of trading cards on eBay."
It appears CGC was given plenty of advanced notice, and time to work out a back up plan, as they recently inked a deal with eBay competitor Fanatics to establish a full-time authentication and grading operation on-site at Fanatics Collect’s facility in Tigard, Oregon, enabling collectors to seamlessly authenticate and grade their collectibles through CGC Cards and immediately sell or store them in the Fanatics Collect Vault.
This service will be available to any Fanatics Collect user who submits raw cards for grading and sale in a Weekly or Premier Auction, or the Buy Now marketplace or vaulting. As an authentication and grading partner, CGC Cards offers Fanatics Collect users access to preferred pricing of $9 per card.
In the coming weeks, the companies will also partner to launch an authentication-only service, which provides expert review and verification of card authenticity. The service will offer a lower-priced alternative to numerical grading and encapsulation, while still giving collectors the peace of mind that comes with knowing their purchases are genuine.
CGC Cards’ on-site authentication and grading eliminates transit time between Fanatics Collect and CGC Cards, allowing you to get your cards on the market and in front of thousands of potential buyers worldwide even quicker.
The increasingly close relationship with PSA could raise regulatory eyebrows as the Responsible Online Commerce Coalition continues their advocacy efforts urging the Federal Trade Commision to investigate eBay's anti-competitive consolidation and roll-ups, particularly in the trading card market with acquisitions of TCGPlayer and Goldin.
Liz Morton
What do you think of eBay moving all authentication for both graded and raw cards to PSA exclusively? Let us know in the comments below!
