PSA stickers on balls frustration

[markf31]

So I've finally, sorta, maybe narrowed my current autograph focus down to signed vintage baseballs, and I am considering any balls pre-1980 to be vintage. So maybe I use the term vintage a little loosely but that's beside the point.

The only way to determine what year(s) a particular ball was made, when comparing balls from the same commissioner, is by examining the company stamp/logo on the ball, and guess where PSA just LOVES to place their "discretely located" stickers...right on the company logo/stamp. There are many autographed balls that spark my interest, but I can’t determine an accurate age of the ball because of the sticker.

This is proving to be quite frustrating as I try to pursue my interest.

[RichardSimon]

Another beef to add to the list about PSA.

[mighty bombjack]

That is so stupid. I hope people read these threads and resist the urge to have PSA/DNA put their ugly ass sticker on auto'd items.

[HOFAUTOS]

That's what happens when the submitter chooses the sticker to be placed on the item versus the LOA.

[markf31]

That's what happens when the submitter chooses the sticker to be placed on the item versus the LOA.

They still have the option with the letter to have a sticker put on it unfortunately.

[travrosty]

putting a sticker on autographed pieces was just a bad idea to start with.

anything applied to an item can be taken off regardless what they say about it being tamperproof. all it does it wreck a piece and makes it look like a billboard advertisement.

[BrandonG]

I could take a look at some of the baseballs for you and help date them.

[Gary Dunaier]

Too late for this baseball...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6746711249_68316b2e6a_z.jpg
(Photo taken January 22, 2012. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/6746711249/in/set-72157628991530075).)

[Fuddjcal]

Too late for this baseball...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6746711249_68316b2e6a_z.jpg
(Photo taken January 22, 2012. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/6746711249/in/set-72157628991530075).)

probably one of the stupidest thing I ever saw. I stumbled into a signing with Willie Davis a few years back before he passed. I had him sign a ball and shook his hand, then they asked if I wanted a PSA authentication? ($7 @ that time)...NOW WTF would I want a stupid authentication sticker, when I just saw the man sign the ball if front of my own eyes????:confused:too F'ing stupid for reason

[jerseygary]

There was a beautiful Van Mungo signed picture (I think it was a magazine page, been a while) that I really wanted to buy. I'm not into autographs but this was a real nice one. The only drawback was PSA put their lousy sticker right on the front and it wasn't even "tastefully" done, the damn thing was crooked!

I went back and found it:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAN-LINGLE-MUNGO-PSA-DNA-SIGNED-30-S-PHOTO-AUTOGRAPH-/360471227749?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53edc26d65

Sold for $42. I would have paid more for it becauuse of the great pose and rich photography had it not been wrecked by PSA. Someone should be held responsible for ruining a real nice piece with that stupid sticker!

[markf31]

There was a beautiful Van Mungo signed picture (I think it was a magazine page, been a while) that I really wanted to buy. I'm not into autographs but this was a real nice one. The only drawback was PSA put their lousy sticker right on the front and it wasn't even "tastefully" done, the damn thing was crooked!

I went back and found it:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAN-LINGLE-MUNGO-PSA-DNA-SIGNED-30-S-PHOTO-AUTOGRAPH-/360471227749?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53edc26d65

Sold for $42. I would have paid more for it becauuse of the great pose and rich photography had it not been wrecked by PSA. Someone should be held responsible for ruining a real nice piece with that stupid sticker!

I've removed more than a couple such stickers from pieces I have purchased if I haven't been able to hide them under framing or matting.

[jerseygary]

I always heard bad things about the ink coming up when the stickers are removed. Since it is a magazine page I was gambling that the sticker would remove ink, or if not, leave a nasty residue. I would think that it wouldn't be too bad removing a sticker from a photograph or ball but a 70 year-old magazine is another story. Just seemed too much of pain to have to go through when it shouldn't have been there in the first place.

[alexautographs]

Regrettably, they apparently vandalize everything they handle with their stickers - too bad.

[Scott Garner]

I personally think this is one of the worst ideas/trends to ever hit our hobby.
I hate 'em and mostly refuse to own any in my personal collection. To me it defaces the collectible, FWIW... :(

[RichardSimon]

Defaces is a kind word for what that sticker does to your collectible, I was thinking more like F---- up.
And good to see you back here Bill P.

[mighty bombjack]

I too concur that these are ugly, and I won't purchase an item with one of them. In most cases, I think it is more appropriate to castigate the owner who asked and paid PSA to do this to an item. One does not have to use a TPA (though I understand why they do), and one does not have to request a sticker (I don't get at all why people do). So, in most cases, I blame the submitter for defacing the item.

In this case, however, I do blame PSA for the placement on a stamp. Poor choice on their part.