In a surprising development, Industrial Inspection & Consulting has made waves by introducing a new service offering CT scans for sealed packs of trading cards at the price of $75. Initially created to showcase the precision of their CT scanning technology, this service has ignited a fervent discussion within the collecting community.
The company grabbed attention recently by CT scanning a sealed pack of Pokémon cards, highlighting the capabilities of their technology. Despite indicating initially that they had no plans to venture into card scanning services, Industrial Inspection pivoted their strategy and included trading cards in their CT scanning services this week.
For a fee of $75, Industrial Inspection offers to CT scan sealed packs of trading cards and provides the necessary viewing program to analyze their contents. There are also plans to expand the service to include sealed boxes in the upcoming weeks.
The collecting community has had a mixed reaction to this new technology. While some express skepticism about the widespread adoption of the service, suggesting its relevance may be limited to high-end products, others are intrigued by the possibilities it presents. There are concerns raised about the ability of collectors to interpret the scans effectively without prior experience.
Keith Irwin, the general manager of Industrial Inspection, revealed that the company received an overwhelming ten requests to scan packs within two hours of posting their initial case study on YouTube. Subsequently, traffic to their website surged by an astonishing 17,000 percent.
Acknowledging the growing interest, Irwin commented, “We started to get a lot of interest. Not just from individuals and collectors, but also from auction houses. It seems like everybody is mad, but also everybody wants to be involved. And if we don’t offer this service, somebody else will.”
While Irwin refrained from sharing further details due to non-disclosure agreements, he hinted that most inquiries revolved around the technology’s capabilities. Speculation suggests that group breakers could potentially use this technology to identify and keep the best boxes, while others consider its use for authenticating sealed vintage boxes.
The introduction of this card scanning service has sparked significant debate within the collecting community. Many were previously unaware that X-ray technology could be utilized in this manner, leading to ethical and moral considerations being brought to the forefront.
Despite the divided opinions, Industrial Inspection and Irwin argue that offering the service to all collectors, not just high-end ones, is essential. Irwin emphasized, “Our goal is to make this service accessible to all. We want to be the good guys in something that isn’t going away. If we don’t provide this service, others will, potentially in less ethical ways.”
The ethical implications of this service have triggered a range of questions. While collaboration with auction houses and authenticators could be viewed positively, there are concerns about limiting access for individual collectors who wish to verify their collections independently. Distinguishing between positive and negative applications of the technology remains a challenge.
Although there is uncertainty about how major trading card manufacturers are responding to this development, with requests for comment from Panini America, Topps, and Upper Deck remaining unanswered, the potential impact on the secondary market, especially for high-end products, is noteworthy.
Looking ahead, Industrial Inspection may flourish without the card scanning service, but the revenue potential it presents cannot be overlooked. One possible solution discussed is utilizing dosimeter stickers that change color upon exposure to radiation, signaling if a box has undergone scanning.
For now, Industrial Inspection intends to pursue scanning packs and, eventually, boxes, catering to the collectors who desire to inspect encapsulated sealed packs before opening them. However, the company recognizes that the ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding this service will persist as collectors express their concerns.
In a reflective statement on their website, Industrial Inspection acknowledges the Pandora’s box they have opened, with Irwin recognizin…
