Is PSA DNA photo slabbing worth it?

[Exhibitman]

I recently bought a Type I photo of Bronko Nagurski

https://sterlingsportsauctions.com/ItemImages/000042/42252a_med.jpeg

I already have this one, raw, from the same session:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/football/websize/Nagurski%201.jpeg

The slab is light and thin, similar to a clam shell package (I've never handled one before so that was interesting to me). So, I thought of having the three point stance one slabbed too, but when I saw the price on the slabbing of $50 I balked. Since I've seen photos from this session sell for upwards of $100 raw but not much more than that, I cannot see adding $50 to the cost. Leaves me with the question, do I bust the new one out of there or leave it?

More broadly, what is the Board's experience with slabbed photos that aren't rookie year Babe Ruth caliber? If there isn't any real added value to the slab, I would rather have it in a mylar sheet in my album with the other one.

[Shoeless Moe]

Photos (unlike cards) look stupid in holders, even Ruth ones.

[Bicem]

PSA letter is the way to go vs slab.

[thecatspajamas]

Depends on the collector buying it. If you're not looking to sell it any time soon, and it becomes a pain to store separate from its mate, you shouldn't feel obligated to keep it in the slab. Depending on how long you plan to keep it, cutting it out of the slab wouldn't be the wildest thing a collector has done to maintain uniformity of presentation for their collection.

As far as value goes, there is so much fluctuation on non-blue-chip photos, I think it would be tough to predict what effect it would have on the value. Much like the photo itself, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some collectors will place more value on a slabbed photo than others (especially if their own collection is uniformly maintained in slabs ;) )

[pherbener]

PSA letter is the way to go vs slab.

I agree with Jeff. I think the slab looks terrible. I display mine and keep the letters in a folder.

[Kawika]

In my opinion their holders are crap. Paid good money for this Paul Thompson photo of Fred McMullin. It was intact and un-dinged in the auction scan. This is how it arrived.

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellanybaseball/huge/McMullin.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellanybaseball/large/McMullin%20ptn1.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellanybaseball/large/McMullin%20ptn2.jpg

[Baseball Rarities]

In my opinion their holders are crap. Paid good money for this Paul Thompson photo of Fred McMullin. It was intact and un-dinged in the auction scan. This is how it arrived.

Ouch. Sorry to see that. For this reason, I do not think that PSA encapsulates the photos anymore. Instead, they just issue letters.

[perezfan]

Screw the slab. Do what YOU want (and what makes you happy).

[Hankphenom]

Photos (unlike cards) look stupid in holders, even Ruth ones.

Agree, but I've always thought that about cards, too, not sure that photos look any dumber. Understand it, just never liked it, for either. It's not the holder, actually, but all the writing, TPA graphics, etc. I love things nicely framed, but this isn't that.

[Lordstan]

I don't particularly care for the slabs and have cut some out if I need the space. The others I left in for now.

My opinion on the TPAs is the same for photos as it is for autographs. I would not pay for certification until I was selling the photos and only if the value of the photo would go up more than the cost of the cert. As you stated, the value of the photo does not support a $50 cert cost, but a couple thousand dollars photo probably does.

[icollectDCsports]

Agree with both Mark and Hank. Do what you prefer, of course, and folks have varying opinions on all of this. I just feel like there is a tendency to overslab in the hobby. I don't like the looks of the labels juxtaposed with otherwise beautiful, vintage items of any kind. Slabbing may make sense in some cases for authenticating and enhancing value if something's for sale but, in my opinion, no one should feel like any item is somehow incomplete as a part of their collection if it's not slabbed. And there are plenty of great options for protecting and displaying pretty much any item, so TPA slabbing is not necessary for that.

[RedsFan1941]

I just feel like there is a tendency to overslab in the hobby.

huge +1 to this. i can't forget the hall of fame rookie collector who cut apart a vintage piece just so a part of it with the player he needed for his collection could be slabbed by beckett. idiotic.

[Hankphenom]

Agree with both Mark and Hank. Do what you prefer, of course, and folks have varying opinions on all of this. I just feel like there is a tendency to overslab in the hobby. I don't like the looks of the labels juxtaposed with otherwise beautiful, vintage items of any kind. Slabbing may make sense in some cases for authenticating and enhancing value if something's for sale but, in my opinion, no one should feel like any item is somehow incomplete as a part of their collection if it's not slabbed. And there are plenty of great options for protecting and displaying pretty much any item, so TPA slabbing is not necessary for that.

I've been waiting for it to spread to publications, as it has to comic books, which is the height of absurdity, IMO.

[Lordstan]

I've been waiting for it to spread to publications, as it has to comic books, which is the height of absurdity, IMO.

If someone can make a buck, I am sure they will figure out a way to do it. Let's face it, the authentication and slabbing craze has been a masterstroke of marketing genius. The people at the TPAs have worked very hard to convince people that they NEED their item authenticated and slabbed for their protection. Marketing genius that would make Don Draper proud.

[gnaz01]

They don’t encapsulate any more, they just issue letters

[glynparson]

They are currently not slabbing photos, but they have developed a new holder that they will soon be using for photos. The new holder is much nicer than the old one. It should be available soon.

[RichardSimon]

Has anyone ever seen any statement regarding whether their holders, for any item, are acid free or not? The plastic sheets that I have seen advertised always seem to state, in bold letters, that the sheets are acid free.
Here is what I do if something arrives in my collection in a holder.