Would you want to see PSA drop "authentic" designation?

[InDaGreen]

I was just kicking this around while I did an eBay search, but I hate seeing modern cards marked as "authentic." This Gretzky from The Cup is what set me off. For good or bad, it immediately makes me wonder what's wrong with it.

Would you want PSA to pick a fixed year and just say every card submitted from that point on gets a grade or returned unslabbed?

Are there downsides or perspectives I'm missing?

[mjohnatgt]

I don't. I want them to be better at detecting alterations, and mark more things AUTHENTIC ALTERED instead.
Just expect that any modern card with AUTHENTIC is either cut short by the factory, or would not get a grade that would make it more valuable than raw.

[jtq81]

I like the "Authentic" designation for the thicker, patch cards I submit. They aren't given high grades from my experience. I just want the card authenticated and encapsulated.

[inaka]

I definitely like the AUTHENTIC option.

For cards I collect, I like consistency. Here's a collection I have of autographed Rickey Henderson Granny Goose cards:



I honestly don't really care about the card grade, but wanted them slabbed/protected, and I like that they are listed as AUTHENTIC AUTO 10 across the board, instead of maybe PSA 6 AUTO 10, PSA 8 AUTO 10, and PSA 7 AUTO 10.

Again, just my preference, or same may say an OCD-like tendency, but I like AUTHENTIC AUTO 10 on all of them to make up this mini consistent "set".

[kluke84]

I've never subbed a card for an authentic. The argument is it is easier to sell than an expected 7 (or worse). At the least a card like this should have added an auto grade. A shame they did not. Looks like a 10 auto.

[Cracktoast]

I still want the option of having nothing but the set, year, player name and parallel if it is one. My PC cards I could care less of the grade or authentic designation. Obviously I would want the submission price to be significantly lower since it would skip grading and go right to encapsulation.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by Cracktoast

Obviously I would want the submission price to be significantly lower since it would skip grading and go right to encapsulation.

Step 1 of grading is the authentication of the card. So no, it wouldn't skip grading and go straight to encapsulation. It would still go to grading, because that's the same person who authenticates. Research and ID doesn't verify authenticity.

[dgioulakis]

Originally Posted by InDaGreen

I was just kicking this around while I did an eBay search, but I hate seeing modern cards marked as "authentic." This Gretzky from The Cup is what set me off. For good or bad, it immediately makes me wonder what's wrong with it.

Would you want PSA to pick a fixed year and just say every card submitted from that point on gets a grade or returned unslabbed?

Are there downsides or perspectives I'm missing?

I absolutely hate this authentic tag for anything modern. Looking at that Gretzky, like yourself, all I think about is what's wrong with the card and would never consider buying it. Furthermore, it was absolutely necessary for PSA to re-introduce the blue labels for auto-grade only cards. eBay is littered with listings of cards people trying to pass-off Auto 10's as Gem MT cards. I wish they would crack down on these seller's accounts; it's so tiresome to weed through. And I will never understand why anyone pays for cards to go through the lengthy and expensive PSA process just to go ungraded. If you don't want to see a low grade, why grade at all? Just order some custom slabs and make your own label.

[PostBaloney]

Started this convo on a FB group.

I don't mind the "Authentic" at all, its the 30 different variations of "Trading Card", "Reprint Card" "Auto grade", "\Card Grade", blue label, red label, black label, etc, etc. etc.


Currently it costs $25/ea bulk rate to get an autographed card Dual graded, auto graded only, card grade + authentic, or just authenticated with the actual year/set name which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

There should be a cheaper option to get a card authenticated WITHOUT the annoying "Trading Card" designation. There is a special right now for $18.99 with the Trading Card designation, so to get the year/date added it costs an extra $7 a pop. No sense


They could very, very easily do away with "Trading Card" completely and make everything much simpler. (They already have to verify the card is legit or they now put "Reprint Card") So they are already spending time verifying card is real so go ahead and put the year/maker.


Then they need to narrow it down to 3-4 label variations at MOST. Currently with all the different colors and options there is at least a dozen different PSA auto labels. They are making it was too complicated and confusing and this coming from somebody who has graded 200+ autos this year in all different formats.