Exposing FRAUD And DECEPTION - A Must Watch! 18 18

[Charleybrown]

what I take away from Haspel's statement is that WATA's executive page is all fluff. They use people who have credibility in the industry and plaster them on a page that says executive team in big bold letters. A potential customer who is on the fence about sending their games in  sees a guy who started cgc and think "if he's part of the team im in good hands!"  When in fact he has no real role and by Haspel's own words he rarely does any work for wata if any at this point. This is disingenuous and makes me wonder what other shenanigans they would be up to. It appears they did the same thing with Dain using his good name for credibility even after he cut ties with the company.

[Domo Arigato]

On 9/6/2021 at 5:44 PM, wombat said:

Amazing the one and only way they could accomplish this was to declare he was part of the executive team. At best it is deceiving and fraudulent and at worst it is actually true. Your classic win/win. 

This I think does need to be addressed, although I don't think it's fraudulent.  WATA has not been very good about updating its website, and they either need to remove him as Chief Advisor......or just note that he used to be a Chief Advisor that assisted WATA in setting up their processes and designing their holder.  There are a lot of things that should be on their "to do" list that I would like to see get done......like grading PS3 (among other) games to start.  I imagine their current flood of submissions has something to do with a lot of this though.  They listed him as the Chief Advisor on the WATA website (which he apparently is no longer doing) and he did help and advise when they began by attending conventions with them and providing information on how to categorize games, as well as provide feedback on the holder and label.  But I will agree....this needs to be made clear on their website.  And, as far as I am aware, the rest of the team is still active in the company.

Excerpts from Haspel's statement:

I attended various conventions with Wata in order to help cross promote video game collecting to collectors from other collectable spaces.

I provided feedback to Wata when it designed its original holder and label. I also provided my opinion to Wata before its launch on how components of CIBs should be categorized and dealt with.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Domo Arigato

[Dark Knight]

I estimate the total value of these games based on current market value to be at least $500k

[Bronty]

On 9/7/2021 at 5:35 PM, Dark Knight said:

I estimate the total value of these games based on current market value to be at least $500k

Putting on my best Brulato accent…. What do you own, sonny? 😂 

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 9/7/2021 at 8:46 PM, Bronty said:

Putting on my best Brulato accent…. What do you own, sonny? 😂 

Classic 

[comicwiz]

On the heels of the $3.6M AF 15 sale, would it change your view of "new price records" if it was bought by fractional owner platforms like Rally Rd?

Below, Business Insider covering the beat:

Boosted by a record $2 million 'Super Mario Bros.' sale, the retro video game collector's market is being overrun by speculators looking to cash in
https://www.businessinsider.com/retro-gaming-market-being-overtaken-by-speculators-2021-9?fbclid=IwAR2pMUCn4tVoiEcF5v6JF75YBmIuO-Y38K6GGqH0-SNvgn_bSGGHQN8OSD0

[WolverineX]

On 9/10/2021 at 7:23 AM, comicwiz said:

On the heels of the $3.6M AF 15 sale, would it change your view of "new price records" if it was bought by fractional owner platforms like Rally Rd?

Below, Business Insider covering the beat:

Boosted by a record $2 million 'Super Mario Bros.' sale, the retro video game collector's market is being overrun by speculators looking to cash in
https://www.businessinsider.com/retro-gaming-market-being-overtaken-by-speculators-2021-9?fbclid=IwAR2pMUCn4tVoiEcF5v6JF75YBmIuO-Y38K6GGqH0-SNvgn_bSGGHQN8OSD0

Wonder what happened here???

https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/paintings/frank-frazetta-the-people-that-time-forgot-captive-princess-cover-painting-original-art-a/a/7246-91006.s?type=lotlink--bidnotice-tracked-dailystatus

[Dark Knight]

 

[comicwiz]

On 9/10/2021 at 12:17 PM, Dark Knight said:

 

Some interesting back and forth. I think it's interesting how contingent many of their views/opinions of the market are in terms of pop reports. The points which stuck out most for me is the belief the market is halfway there. They may have been immersed in video games for 20 years (more or less), but the one thing that shows is their lack of understanding populations in relation to the years a grader has been in existence. Particularly when you have two graders, going on three. "Known to exist" took decades to fetter out a perception vs reality even in comics, and never keeps the promise that those numbers will hold. I remember when OS used to use 5 "known to exist in high grade" for Action Comics #1. It's probably the one example that seemingly has reflected well to those words being published, but 15 out of the 74 total that have been graded is 1/5th the population in high grade. Even once noted (in OS) low distribution comics like Conan #3 or Vampirella #3 - how much of an impact has it had in the long term on the value on those issues? The 1500 number that used to be included in the OS on Star Wars 1, 35 cent price variant, was later dropped, and in retrospect has become somewhat meaningless when the census shows nearly one third of them are in 8.0 or better grade. For anyone who has been immersed in the graded segment of comics for even 5 years, there is an understanding that the population reflects only a certain grade threshold, and that it is not representative of what's really still out there.

A grader that hasn't been in business for longer than 3 years, with pops in the single digits will eventually leave those holding too confidently on those numbers with a lot to wonder about how it's going to look 10, 15 or 20 years from now. My involvement in other collecting categories, particularly ones with interest in multiple era's, particularly those represented by 70's, 80's and 90's collectibles, have starkly shown anyone who doesn't have concerns on the reliance on overseas production that began taking a greater hold in the mid-80's, and the very real possibility that there's a glut of product sitting out there, is either naive or wilfully blind. Comics like Action 1 and Star Wars 1 price test variant have endured, but it's taken decades of gradual price increases to get the stable footing they've gained. Whether they genuinely aren't aware, or are being insincere, the aspect of this which they don't seem to get is how those price resets in the high grade market (even if it's legitimately in "variants" or "rarity" of these sealed games) leads people to think it brings up values on all grades accordingly. It's the latter mindset and the seeming pitfall of getting in while the goings still good that contributes to bubble growth of this kind eventually bursting.

Edited September 10, 2021 by comicwiz

[Dark Knight]

I believe VGA is currently working on their pop reports and updating their website as we speak. Hopefully they'll have it up and running before the year's end. 

Because Collector's Universe has bought out WATA, I see WATA too creating one as well somewhere down the line. Might take longer, but hopefully it's in the works. I believe I heard something that only a select few popular games will be in the report and only sealed examples. Better than nothing I guess. Curious to see how or if it will affect the video game market moving forward. 

It's just a little odd though how the sealed video game market just exploded in value practically "overnight."  But it's not as crazy and surprising as those cryptopunk NFT's selling for millions of $$$ , which I still don't understand how something that is a digital print with a serial number can be worth so much. 

Edited September 10, 2021 by Dark Knight

[vodou]

On 8/24/2021 at 8:33 PM, iggy said:

Brutal.

Just brutal  

[vodou]

On 8/25/2021 at 6:14 AM, comicwiz said:

The fear that everything they have 'invested' in will tank is real, so it's not only a fight against the corrupt players and the system, it becomes more of a fight for the truth, and that truth and reality is sometimes too hard for people to bear when it means devaluing everything they've worked to build over their lifetime. Keeping the columns up becomes too important, even if it means they are complicit in the fraud and deception.

People, all of you, make sure to look in the mirror when you read this and nod your head along with.

Own your role in going along to get along, being complicit or talking yourself or others out of contemplating the breadth and depth of such matters as..."conspiracy theories".

Herd behavior and willful blindness...it's everywhere. Likewise: corruption. Everywhere. Everything in life, not just collectibles - everywhere. If you don't know who the mark is, you're the mark.

I can't go further without risking this post getting poofed and yet another demerit and timeout.

 

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

― Upton Sinclair, I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked

[vodou]

On 8/25/2021 at 1:04 PM, valiantman said:

No, I'm saying that if you had $10,000 in "play money" and you put a little into pop memorabilia this, a little into oil painting that, a little into Babe Ruth something else, and a few dozen other things you think are interesting, and you don't tie up all the money in a single item, then the single item can go to zero and you either lose a fraction of your $10,000 (because it's also in fractions of dozens of other things), or you lose the whole $10,000.

I have a friend who "bragged" that she had some money in bitcoin, when it went from $40,000 to $60,000.  I asked her how much, and she said $50.  There's an emotional response to "choosing correctly" regardless of the dollar amount.  If you get to "play" 100 different times for the same price as buying one item outright and possibly losing it all in one fell swoop, people will enjoy the playing 100 times and winning a few.  The dollar amount is the same, but the risk is lower (per item) and the odds of being right at least a few times (and getting that endorphin/adrenaline rush) are very high, at least a few times.  

When it's "play money", you have to consider the emotional value associated with the time within the game, not just the final score.  People call a team "their team" when they have been to one game in the stadium.

They get excitement from that single "investment" a decade ago, when they sat in the stadium and cheered on their team.  They get $0 back from that.  They don't consider it money lost.  Buying a fraction of a big item is like paying to go to a museum, look at an item that isn't yours, and then turn to the person next to you and say, "That's mine!  Just $50 worth, but it's mine!  That one right there!" and your emotions don't make you smile 0.01%.  You get a whole smile out of it.  It can go to zero.  It was play money anyway.  Or, it could double and you cash out.  Whatever.

So much static in here but really boils down to: "People" Are Stupid.

Yeah...we already knew that, but thanks  

If my 10k, "play money" isn't coming back as at least 15k and more like $25k then...it's a F A I L.

Again, for the Doubting Thomases, People Are Stupid.

And $50 doesn't become $75 unless you sell. Did your "braggy" friend actually SELL? Probably not. Hope she's enjoyed to elevator drop down to 30k, held on for dear life and loves 45k BTC today.

[vodou]

On 8/25/2021 at 1:40 PM, wombat said:

I don't think anyone would argue against diversifying your investments.

I would. And do.

Diversification is just the very best way to completely dilute one's return on a Truly Great Idea.

It's for those that lack Truly Great Ideas to begin with.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 9/11/2021 at 11:49 AM, vodou said:

I would. And do.

Diversification is just the very best way to completely dilute one's return on a Truly Great Idea.

It's for those that lack Truly Great Ideas to begin with.

Is there a link where I can sign up for your next seminar?

[Buzzetta]

And this is exactly what I thought might happen.  Anything that Heritage is involved in will lead to speculation that they are messing around behind the scenes.  This is a screen cap of a text I received on Thursday. 

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 9/11/2021 at 12:05 PM, Buzzetta said:

And this is exactly what I thought might happen.  Anything that Heritage is involved in will lead to speculation that they are messing around behind the scenes.  This is a screen cap of a text I received on Thursday. 

I'm not surprised by this kind of suspicion at all, if anything I'm surprised it's not more widespread.

I completely understand why a totally legit buyer would want to remain anonymous, but without that transparency it's impossible to be sure the sale was real.

[MetalPSI]

On 9/11/2021 at 9:49 AM, vodou said:

I would. And do.

Diversification is just the very best way to completely dilute one's return on a Truly Great Idea.

It's for those that lack Truly Great Ideas to begin with.

So you staying here or just visit reality for kicks?

[vodou]

On 8/25/2021 at 3:59 PM, Bronty said:

..., physically manipulating the collectible is much, much, much harder than comics or cards.    Darn near impossible.   When you open up a cardboard box, there is a stress line created at the back hinge.    A tell tale mark.     Simply swinging the box open creates a color breaking crease at that spot, and under magnification, a sort of a tiny valley in the cardboard.    Its not hard to tell if a box is unopened or not.    And, if unopened, you can't manipulate the contents at all.   You can't press it, you can't color touch it, you can't trim it.    Its more or less completely unalterable, apart from cleaning the shrinkwrap, which is accepted as not a big deal since its not really part of the item itself.

Kinematic analytic risk for fraudsters? Awesome! So happy to see this come up. Excellent point @Bronty!

[vodou]

On 9/11/2021 at 12:00 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Is there a link where I can sign up for your next seminar?

The Seminar is called Be a Leader, not a Follower.

That can't be taught.

Showing up for The Seminar to begin with proves that point (and strongly identifies where you've been and where you're going), tuition cost upfront is: everything you own.

This is a deal though, all the pain in one fell swoop instead of decades of losing, losing, losing, and wondering the entire time...why?! why me?!!