We're an eBay affiliate and may be compensated on purchases made through clicks.

Quick Opinion vs COA

It's more than obvious that "Quick Opinions" are becoming a trend.
Kinda like fast food and convenience stores.

It's quick and it's cheap and we can get quick service in a quick time

The problem with "Quick" is that it excludes "Quality" sometimes.

But people are accepting a "quick opinion" as the final rock solid verdict these days.
This is simply a big error for buyers and sellers using this service.

A quick opinion is a "guide" to help steer the person in the right direction.
It simply means that it could be real or could not be real.
More than likely it's good or more than likely it's bad.
It is NOT a rock solid verdict and should in NO WAY be associated as the same as an in hand personal examination by the authenticator and a signed certificate.
These are 2 different animals and should be treated in the manner they are intended.

A quick opinion is cheap and it's easy....
Maybe it should be called "Cheap Opinion" LOL

1 member likes this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Xwiesy on September 23, 2018 at 4:01am

How is it useful if it isnt final?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Abcd on September 23, 2018 at 4:03am

Let me put it another way. I think it’s fair to say that 80%+ of all autographs sold over the internet are fake etc. Nearly all of these don’t need a full COA service. A QO will weed out the vast majority of these. So a QO would be useful in 80% of cases. I would call that a useful service.

If you see it from an experienced buyer’s perspective, then it’s not a valuable service, as an experienced buyer is capable of weeding.

Most people don’t know what they a buying, so they don’t see the obvious, like you and me. To recap QO is not all about authentication. S full COA, on-the-other-hand IS about authentication.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on September 23, 2018 at 7:37pm

PSA’s QO is certainly not useful in 80% of cases, probably more like 20%. And I know from hearing the opinions of others over time that many members on this site feel the same way about PSA’s QO. I think it’s usually a waste of $10 even for the inexperienced collector.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Xwiesy on September 23, 2018 at 4:02am

Oh we told you it was probably real, you bought it, but now that we take amcloser look, we were wrong.

Isn't that "useful"?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Abcd on September 23, 2018 at 4:07am

Please read my comments. It's intended to weed out the 80% obvious fakes for newbies. It's not intended to be a COA of sorts. It's NOT indented to be an sophisticated authentication service. It's useful 80% of the time. It's useful to the less experience and less so for the seasoned buyer. What other options are there for the casual buyer?

You are criticising a product that is not aimed at you.

You see an autograph on eBay for, say, $200. You have no idea whether it is fake or not. What is your best option (were talking about newbies here) Most spend mega bucks on waste paper. That's not a good option.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on September 23, 2018 at 7:41pm

And it’s unfortunately also not a good option when QO renders a “Likely Not Genuine” verdict on an item that is in fact genuine...and that happens often I believe.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Xwiesy on September 23, 2018 at 4:10am

Wow, so a quick opinion is merely a way to weed out obvious forgeries.

Can you show me where it says that anywhere?

If you tell someone, hey, that is likely real...you are just telling them, man that is not an obvious forgery?

Christ.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Abcd on September 23, 2018 at 4:23am

It has its faults, I agree. What are the other options?

What do you think would happed if there were no authentication services?

What would you suggest as the answer?

What should casual buyers do before splashing the cash?

Do you think that a QO would be useful to a casual buyer?

This service is aimed at the casual buyer. The full service is another matter.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Xwiesy on September 23, 2018 at 4:15am

Let me tell you, even the "full service" is just a quick opinion, they get those wrong all the time. Thousands of dollars wasted by consumers not only on items but these LOA's that are supposed to add value but in the end will not help because most of these guys are outed as having made hundreds of mistakes.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by goodcat on September 23, 2018 at 5:17am

Jeepers Xweisey

I'm not sure Abcd can explain the same thing over and over in any other way.

I also did not mean to imply the QO is not useful. I only wanted to point out the differences between the two and was really directed at the novice's as an added piece of advice.

I can't explain it any better than Steve, Abcd and others have who obviously understand the differences.

To call an in hand examination the same as a QO is not correct. Sometimes a scan can hide certain details that an "in hand" exam can reveal. I'm sure you must have read on here many times that an opinion could not be given from the scan presented and would need to be seen in hand.... Yes?

Everyone makes mistakes no matter what the profession. I don't comprehend why you don't comprehend any of this.

Why is it you expect perfection in this hobby?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Abcd on September 23, 2018 at 5:38am

Agree, totally.

It is what it is. It's 10 bucks. It's quick. It's an opinion.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on September 23, 2018 at 7:46pm

Again, it’s not a good option when they make a TON of mistakes. Why? Because since they know they are only getting $10 for the service, they barely give it the time of day. Plus, as others have asked, what was the name of that high school kid that rendered my QO?