Originally posted by: B.A.

I'm going to shift gears a bit here and go ahead and talk about some of the things I'm personally not keen on with VGA. These will probably be by and large ignored because they aren't about money, thus not sensational enough, but here goes.

- Although they don't disclose their criteria for grading, most people who pay attention know what they look for. I think it's crazy how they value the condition of the wrap over even the game box. An example of what I mean is there was a SMB2 that had a noticeably smushed in corner, yet had no scuffs/tears in the shrinkwrap and was given a gold grade. They put WAY too much emphasis on the condition of the outer plastic IMO. Does it really matter if the wrap has a scuff if the game itself is perfect? Not so much to me.

- Qualified grading. This is my biggest gripe with VGA. Qualified is riddled with flaws. Trying to call something new but open is just asking for problems. If you read the manual is it still new? How about if you write in the manual? People have admitted to putting together mint components (frankensteining) to get a qualified grade, that shouldn't work. The label for qualified grades should be much more noticeable so that listings on ebay will be obvious.

- Grading of prototypes, NWC's and the like. Now don't get that confused with authentication, I think there is real value in an authentication service. I'm talking about assigning an 85+/gold, 85/silver, what have you grade to a prototype. What difference does it make the condition of something like that? These also obviously aren't new, the comeback is they were never available in packaging, that still flies in the face of their prior stance of only grading new items. They will give it a "NG" for no grade, but from what I understand that is only by request.

I like grading of new sealed games for those who want it, it's by and large the extra stuff they get into that I'm not a fan.

Originally posted by: B.A.

I'm going to shift gears a bit here and go ahead and talk about some of the things I'm personally not keen on with VGA. These will probably be by and large ignored because they aren't about money, thus not sensational enough, but here goes.

- Although they don't disclose their criteria for grading, most people who pay attention know what they look for. I think it's crazy how they value the condition of the wrap over even the game box. An example of what I mean is there was a SMB2 that had a noticeably smushed in corner, yet had no scuffs/tears in the shrinkwrap and was given a gold grade. They put WAY too much emphasis on the condition of the outer plastic IMO. Does it really matter if the wrap has a scuff if the game itself is perfect? Not so much to me.

- Qualified grading. This is my biggest gripe with VGA. Qualified is riddled with flaws. Trying to call something new but open is just asking for problems. If you read the manual is it still new? How about if you write in the manual? People have admitted to putting together mint components (frankensteining) to get a qualified grade, that shouldn't work. The label for qualified grades should be much more noticeable so that listings on ebay will be obvious.

- Grading of prototypes, NWC's and the like. Now don't get that confused with authentication, I think there is real value in an authentication service. I'm talking about assigning an 85+/gold, 85/silver, what have you grade to a prototype. What difference does it make the condition of something like that? These also obviously aren't new, the comeback is they were never available in packaging, that still flies in the face of their prior stance of only grading new items. They will give it a "NG" for no grade, but from what I understand that is only by request.

I like grading of new sealed games for those who want it, it's by and large the extra stuff they get into that I'm not a fan.

Originally posted by: B.A.

- Grading of prototypes, NWC's and the like. Now don't get that confused with authentication, I think there is real value in an authentication service. I'm talking about assigning an 85+/gold, 85/silver, what have you grade to a prototype. What difference does it make the condition of something like that? These also obviously aren't new, the comeback is they were never available in packaging, that still flies in the face of their prior stance of only grading new items. They will give it a "NG" for no grade, but from what I understand that is only by request.

I like grading of new sealed games for those who want it, it's by and large the extra stuff they get into that I'm not a fan.

Originally posted by: MrMark0673


Just to speak on this part, I agree fully.  I was the first person to Authenticate a proto, and I specifically asked that they not grade it.  I wanted to set a precident for protos to not be valued on condition, but on authentication.  To my knowledge, there has not been a single prototype with a numerical grade, and having worked closely with Chad on the process, I'm doubtful that there ever will be.
 

Originally posted by: tracker465

So if someone slabs a prototype to authenticate it, but they don't have the tools necessary to dump it, I guess that means that although the game is authenticated and physically preserved, the data is not preserved unless someone else has the balls to break it out of the case.  Not such a good situation, imo.

I'm not trying to rag on you Mark, and I know you and Matt back your things up.  But I could definitely see some non collector in the future sometime doing something like that, to help with a sale, and then being stuck in the predicament like I mentioned previously.

 

Originally posted by: buyatari2

The data alone from an unreleased prototype is worth more than the physical prototype once that data has been released.

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Once the data is out there, it can be obtained for free, so I still think the physical copy holds more value.

All of my items are backed up, and none are shared after a sale.  Hell, for my Marble Madness sale, I was asked to not post additional pictures, music, video, or even information about the game after the sale.  Two years later, my lips have been sealed, and the ROM will never see a release.

It's a good thing I backed up the data too, because I've had a buyer require I send the ROM to a VGA'd proto to complete the sale.  Without it, I'd have a paperweight.
 

Originally posted by: buyatari2

Collecting prototypes in VGA cases is very strange to me and I never saw the attraction.

Originally posted by: MrMark0673


Yeah, not for me at all either.  The only appeal is that the buyer has peace of mind from a 3rd party stating the game is real.  To my knowledge, every single VGA'd proto I've sold was later opened.  The buyer was just happy to have VGA give it the thumbs up, so they bought knowing it wasn't a fake.