TPGs Getting More Lax Because Of Sticker Cos?

I just had a horrifying thought. I was thinking about the thread about the new sticker company that's supposed to specialize in moderns and it occurred to me (in a horrifying manner, I must say),

Do you think the TPGs are getting more lax in their grading because they know the sticker companies will really separate the wheat from the chaff?

I've been noticing really spotty coins from TPGs a lot more often.

And why not? If a TPG has a solid reputation, they can let a few more 67s squeak through as 69s now because in the future, CAC or WINGS or whatever will really sort the 69s from the remainder. And in the mean time, the submitters are happy because they're getting coins that are regularly graded higher.

I was reading Ron Drzewucki's post about grading coins and how the typical coin gets about 20 seconds in front of a professional grader. Now, I'm no professional, but if it's an important coin to me I'll spend at least a few minutes looking over it, and sometimes I'll go back to it later after the initial blinding impression has worn off. When I grade, I grade in artificial and natural light, with a jeweler's loupe, and I use high res photographs, and with my eye and my arm out stretched, I give the coin a going over. And I'm no fantastic grader, I'm sure even though I do it a lot every day. So each coin gets a couple of minutes of my attention. But 20 seconds? Really? That does explain a lot... I guess the ol' 80/20 rule is just feeling like 60 40 these days. Or maybe I'm just noticing more, or maybe I'm just more jaded.

And don't get me wrong, I have a HUGE appreciation for all that the grading companies have done and continue to do. They're so important, and the coins that count that need to be authenticated - forget graded - they do a massive service to our hobby.


And this idea of mine I hope is wrong surely seems like short term thinking; of course the market will correct. And then of course, if people are getting the grade they want, they're not resubmitting and throwing off the pop numbers. But if the grades are flat wrong, that throws the pop numbers off....

I'm blabbing now. Anyway, I just had the thought and see I'd pose the idea to get other people's thoughts. Hopefully there's something I'm missing. Or maybe it's just some bizarre perception and I really am not seeing the bigger picture.