GMTG Graded cards started grading alterations.

[kiblast]

As seen on GMTG's Facebook account, they started grading artist altered cards. It seems they started with this one:

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254417_217714324918279_100000391391691_705474_6817711_n.jpg

Now, apart the fact that the owner of GMTG Fb account (I don't think it's Mr. Chang himself) asks Terese about the adhesive she used during the process, but what's the point of grading altered cards? I just can't get it. Is like selling used condoms.
As a card alteration big fan, and a Terese Nielsen fan, I feel sad for what Mr Chang is (not) doing for the hobby,after taking over the market with his ridicolous prices, damaging players (and obviously the market and shop owners) all over the world.

// end of rant.

[Koby]

Seeing as the card attributes the credit to the artist, and the card is altered by the same artist (and is still credited properly on the card), this limits the grading of such cards to Artist-altered pieces.

This is a very small slice of the "altered" community.

I'm not sure who their actual market is, but if GMTG can find buyers, then more power to them. (this market is probably an even smaller slice of the collectors market)

[ivanpei]

Lol @ used condom reference. I think the purpose is to guarantee that the original artist did the alterations. It's the same with signatures cards, just making sure they aren't forged.

[Tha Gunslinga]

The whole point of alterations is to play them, right? Am I missing something here?

[sdematt]

I can understand Mint condition Beta being slabbed, but alters ARE meant to play with. This is such bull.

-Matt

[keys]

The whole point of alterations is to play them, right? Am I missing something here?

Some collectors care about altered art authentication, apparently. When it's done by the original artist it's like a glorified signature, and grading services have done those in the past.

[death]

The whole point of alterations is to play them, right? Am I missing something here?

Right. But not if someone paid $600-1k for it. I won't risk it since cards bend through shuffling. Same reason why some people won't play their Mint Beta duals I guess.

[keys]

Card is ugly regardless.

[ivanpei]

No way dude, that card is wicked cool. I'd part with big money to own that. I'm more of a player though, so since I can't play with it, sorta defeats the purpose.

[keys]

I'm not a huge fan of alters to begin with, but especially those that have the entire original art replaced with pop culture images or references are quite tacky, imo.

[thulnanth]

Hey All,

As far as I am aware, PSA/DNA is a service strictly for grading autographs. I've seen some horroble condition sportscards sent in to them w/autos, simply to verify the signature. I would put this card in that category - they don't really care about the alter, just the sig.

I actually never read the Facebook post, so I could be off on this, but that's my $0.02. :wink:

Take it easy,
Jared

[kiblast]

Right. But not if someone paid $600-1k for it. I won't risk it since cards bend through shuffling. Same reason why some people won't play their Mint Beta duals I guess.

If I paid Terese 3k to have a playset of one of's Fow altered just for me, I'd never put them in a stupid plastic case but play them to death...

And pro artists use a thin coating when they alter cards so they technically be played a lot without any shuffle crease possibility.

Anyway, the whole thing is awkward.

[kiblast]

Right. But not if someone paid $600-1k for it. I won't risk it since cards bend through shuffling. Same reason why some people won't play their Mint Beta duals I guess.

If I paid Terese 3k to have a playset of one of's Fow altered just for me, I'd never put them in a stupid plastic case but play them to death...

And pro artists use a thin coating when they alter cards so they technically be played a lot without any shuffle crease possibility.

Anyway, the whole thing is awkward.

[jamesh]

i don't really get this - are they grading the condition of the card as well as ensuring its authenticity in terms of the signature/alteration?

(because surely altering a card 'damages' it (degrades its condition))

[lordofthepit]

Is like selling used condoms.

Awesome.

[cyberjar]

i dont see the point in grading cards at all, so i can understand you :)

[socialite]

I stopped reading at D. Chang. Fail Fail Fail.

[dahcmai]

Is anyone really surprised? It's a cash grab. Yet another creative way to get money out of people. Albeit a stupid one, but you know someone will buy it. People used to think charging 25 cents to fill up your tire with air was dumb also. Charging for air? Yet, people paid it and now it's the norm.

Not to mention, there's a bunch of weird people out there who might actually want that. Some collectors are like that. They want proof it's from a certain person. Despite what most of the Magic community thinks, there's plenty of those oddball collectors left over.

I used to think grading cards at all was pretty stupid also. Ok, I still think graded cards are dumb.

[DeathwingZERO]

Graded cards matter when it's a matter of it being something you'll hardly ever see again. Mint Alpha Power, or Summer Magic stuff, for example. Card alterations though, they really shouldn't matter until the artist is dead, and something like that can't be reproduced professionally. Even then, those like Terese will usually alter anything if they money is right and they have the time. Hardly a good use of money grading something like that.

[Jak]

i don't really get this - are they grading the condition of the card as well as ensuring its authenticity in terms of the signature/alteration?

(because surely altering a card 'damages' it (degrades its condition))

It says "AUTO GRADE ONLY". I don't what that means exactly, but if my guess is right, it might answer your question.

[kiblast]

It says "AUTO GRADE ONLY". I don't what that means exactly, but if my guess is right, it might answer your question.

K, probably I got this, ''Auto only'' is ''Autograph only'' meaning they are actually grading the signature? That's actually possible since:



As far as I am aware, PSA/DNA is a service strictly for grading autographs. I've seen some horroble condition sportscards sent in to them w/autos, simply to verify the signature. I would put this card in that category - they don't really care about the alter, just the sig.



This, in all honestly, makes even less sense. Grading an autograph I can have for free (standing 2hours in queue), which has next to nothing in value, while above the autograph there is a beautifully done work obtainable only through big $$$ and time investment? And the stupid autograph is graded, but the work is not? And moreover, what's the point of grading an autograph thousands of people have on the same card, while the artwork is unique? Seriously, someone explain me this.

[dahcmai]

Some signatures are worth a ton of money. You may not think that Magic artists qualify, but occasionally a person gets fairly famous and their sig is worth a small fortune. I can see them grading that for authenticity.


George Washington signed a metric shitton of stuff, but having a single copy of his sig is worth quite a bit even still. Granted, that's a pretty extreme case and for the most part none of these artists will ever come close to that kind of notoriety, but you never know. Even Jessica Alba's sig is worth something now. Weird.