Getting a custom autograph card authenticated?

[DnJcards]

Hey, so i did some custom work for a guy and in exchange i got the following autographs. I don't PC any of these guys so i wanted to house them in custom cards and sell them to recoup my money from the project (Will be mainly head shots and no NHL logos present on the cards so it's not copyrighting or anything). My question is once i finish them should i send them in the get authenticated?? Would that boost the value knowing they are legit autographs and will they be stuck in those horrible cases or can they just write out a certificate of authenticity, or is that just a waste of time and money? Also, if i do get them done, who should i send them to????

Thanks in advance.

[centrehice]

Is the cost in the $10.00-$15.00 range per card for authentication like it is if you were to buy say a 5 card package for grading?

That's not too bad if so.

[Fred Bear]

PSA offers authentication and the scale slides based on the name with most being $20. Rocket Richard will cost you $25.

The difference can be made up in sale value on a Richard, but it depends on what you need/expect. Some Neely on-card autos fall in the $20-30 (or less) range. $20 for authentication plus your other costs may add up fast on something like that...

[centrehice]

Fred:

It's funny, I have a friends Baseball here, and it has autos of 13 greats on it. As soon as I mentioned Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays, the priced jumped from $65.00 authentication, to over $100.

I asked if the 3 had been George Brett, Reggie Jackson, and Ken Griffey Jr., - "Oh that price would have stayed at $65.00" Lol

If you have something that has Babe Ruth's alleged autograph on it, it's already over $200.00 to authenticate. So when you have DAED - Rocket Richard, it's automatically $5.00 more - LoooooL.

RACKET !!!

[RGM81]

I've seen enough Maurice Richard autos in my day to vouch for that one. Does that count? Hmmm maybe one day it will. LOL

[30ranfordfan]

Yeah, I know I bought a lot of IP autos last year.... think I paid about $10 for the lot. There was a Ranford in it (which is how I found it in my search) but the two bigger names were Gretzky & Hull. Figured I could send the Gretzky to PSA and then I had something decent to trade or sell later.

For $50 ?? Forget it. I have ZERO faith in a system that grades or authenticates.... and the final value of your item affects the price.


Not into Comics at all, but a friend of mine is. That sounded like the most crooked scam out there. Same company that is the major publisher for price guides is also the one that does all the grading. They publish what an 8.5, 8.9, 9, 9.2, etc is all worth. For most vintage stuff, the cost of grading is based on the final grade and the worth of the book. How does that make any sense, and seem (even a little) legit ??

[Gallinator]

Slight correction there, 30ranfordfan (as comics are my first love even before hockey cards) - Overstreet does the price guide and CGC does the grading...but the point that the cost of grading is on a sliding scale to the value of the book is well-taken. They started as a flat-rate service, but once CGC decided to go that route (back in 2001/2002?) I became firmly anti-slabbing (for comics - cards are a different matter). Same reason I hate auction houses - everyone's looking to make a buck rather than get fair compensation for a desired service.

[HammerHawks]

I would be willing to buy them off of you as they are...the Habs only though, no need for the Neely.

[30ranfordfan]

Thanks for the correction!

I don't know much about the business, only what I was told. What you're describing here actually makes much more sense.


The sliding scale - be that for PSA doing autos, or CGC doing grading, it makes no sense to me. Well, it makes perfect sense in that by doing it, they can make more cash.... it just seems so shady. Heck, charging more for a Gretzky auto than other hockey players - that's not even as bad (nor make me question the legitimacy) as the comic thing. If I give this a 9.8, instead of 9.6, I will charge you more??!?! Just wow.

Slight correction there, 30ranfordfan (as comics are my first love even before hockey cards) - Overstreet does the price guide and CGC does the grading...but the point that the cost of grading is on a sliding scale to the value of the book is well-taken. They started as a flat-rate service, but once CGC decided to go that route (back in 2001/2002?) I became firmly anti-slabbing (for comics - cards are a different matter). Same reason I hate auction houses - everyone's looking to make a buck rather than get fair compensation for a desired service.

[DnJcards]

Thanks for all the info guys, so it seems that it would just be a waste of time to send them off to PSA to get authenticated? Would they sell easier if they were or should i just scrap the idea all together.

And of course your word means something Richard, I was actually going to message you the day i got them in for your opinion but they seem pretty legit so i didnt bother.