MLB authentication
 

Does a MLB authentication add value ? Over or with any other company's authentication .

I feel it is the most reputable TPA out there as they have the MLB behind them. Plus, as an auditor, I trust Deloitte over PSA and JSA.

I see but do you think it adds value ? ( so if Deloitte told you a Ruth auto was real you would pay up ?) j/k

Just to make a correction to the above statement, they are not a third party authenticator, they are a first party witness, so it's a guarantee not an opinion. To answer your question, it absolutely commands a premium and adds value. Dependent on the player the value added can be substantial

Hope that helps

I have a Hank Aaron that has a MLB/ Steiner authentication .

I also got in person a Juan marical ball at the NYC all start fan fest . It was given the sticker right on the spot .

Is the sticker one of those "in the presence" holos, or just a regular one? Because if it's regular, it's no different than mailing in your ball 10 years later. Guesswork.

MLB holos are put on right out of the player's hand. Not much room for discussion.

It may just be me, but if I see a Hank Aaron ball with PSA or JSA, I'm going to use my own expertise or ask for help. If I see an Aaron ball with Steiner or MLB, I'm going to say "It's real." (Although, as discussed before, Steiner has in the past stickered items without seeing them signed, but I wouldn't hesitate with a living player.)

Yes Steiner/MLB holo is ironclad, that's guaranteed authentic. It will definitely command a premium on resale, how much is debatable but if a ball without that authenticity goes for, say, 125, the one with MLB/Steiner will get maybe $175

The only concern I have with MLB Authentication is that sometimes the certificates are vague as far as the specifics of items. Example: here's a selection of game-used baseballs offered for sale at Citi Field's Amazin' Memorabilia store, your choice, $50 each.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5813/2...3ca4f310_z.jpg
(Photo taken September 2, 2015. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)

The baseball at the top center of the pile, the one with the "Official Major League Baseball" inscription almost completely rubbed off, is identified in the MLB Authentication Database identifies the ball at top center as follows:

Hologram number HZ335057 was located in the MLB Authentication Database under GAME-USED BASEBALL.
Session Product Description:
Session Name: COL AT NYM
Session Date: August 11, 2015
Autographer:
Authenticator: AUTHENTICATORS, INC.
Additional Information: BATTER - DANIEL MURPHY, PITCHER - CHRISTOPHER RUSIN, BOTTOM OF 5, FOUL BALL

This is how it should be. You not only know it's real, but you know when and where it was used, who pitched it, who the batter was, and what happened.

However...

Here are three baseballs that were authenticated by MLB as having been used in Game 4 of the 2015 NLCS - the game where the Mets won the National League title. The Mets were asking $750 apiece for these.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5810/2...5e37181d_z.jpg
(Photo taken October 31, 2015. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)

You would think these balls, having been used in the post-season and having a significant asking price, would have at least the same level of annotation. Unfortunately, all three of these post-season game-used balls are identified in the MLB Authentication Database as follows:

Hologram number JB102946 was located in the MLB Authentication Database under GAME-USED BASEBALL.
Session Product Description:
Session Name: 2015 NLCS GAME 4 NYM @ CHC
Session Date: October 21, 2015
Autographer:
Authenticator: AUTHENTICATORS, INC.

That's right. You don't know the specifics - pitcher, batter, inning, result - because they weren't recorded. The hologram numbers on the baseballs are JB102930, JB102946, and JB102950 if you want to look them up yourself.

Maybe it's just me, but I would think MLB would do everything in their power to make sure all the baseballs used in the postseason, at least the ones they plan to sell to collectors for huge prices, have certificates that include as much information as possible.

For game used, the MLB authenticators are well known to very careful with hologramming and cataloging and go by what they first person observe at the game. A complaint is a game used item will be often be cataloged in the database as game issued (a game used item is also game issued), because the authenticator at the game didn't see it directly come off the player's back. This is just a side effect of them being so careful and writing down only what they first person observe, and their job not being to speculate or accept third person stories. Many of these items cataloged as game issued are later photo matched as game used.

MLB, UDA and Steiner autographs usually get a premium in price over later opinion JSA & PSA LOAs, because the first three are in person/at the time. UDA Mickey Mantle signed balls are the ones that get the big bucks.

Here are some pictures of the authentications of the Hank Aaron

Steiner holo

The autograph
 

The front

Juan marical hof 83

This one has a different authentication . I got it in person at the fanfest 2014 in NYC . And yes I gave mr. Marichal the ball and he signed it . Then he handed it to the guy in the laptop ( authenticator ) . Then to me 😬

The Aaron ball was a gift from my lovely wife . It comes up as private signing in 2002 .

From the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Fanfest in New York: as Mets star Howard Johnson signs a baseball for a fan, a MLB Authenticator applies an official MLB Authentication Hologram sticker to another ball Johnson just signed.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3701/9...c98e8170_z.jpg
(Photo taken July 15, 2013. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)

It's true, as you've noticed, that some MLB-authenticated balls have more specific details provided than do others. When you pay for them, just adjust value accordingly. Regardless of the amount of detail provided, they are what they say they are. I have seen Mariners MLB-authenticated balls list 2 or more batters (plays) for a single ball. On the other hand, I've seen Yankee balls that just say they were used in the game. Brock alerted me to the way the Yankees do things - perhaps the Red Sox as well? Like you, I was quite surprised.

I read an article once that described how people are hired by MLB to perform the job of authenticating balls at each stadium. It's amazing to me that the Yankees and Mets don't record ball-by-ball detail.

I've watched the process for the Mariners, both in person and carefully on game replays, and I've never seen a screw-up for any balls I've purchased;i.e-I usually could see the ball rolled out of play to the person who has the job of recording detail for these balls, and I never saw the ball continue to be used: The ball is taken out of play and tossed to a person sitting off in a special area who records the details on a ledger. For the Mariners, a sticker is put on the ball and the sticker number is also written on the ledger. The ball is then tossed into a bucket (or bag-I can't remember), which is sent to the team store (in the stadium) for sale after the 6th inning. Some items are put in MLB auctions, team auctions or kept by the team.

Potential buyers view the ledger, pick out balls they want to buy, then the salesman matches the number on the ledger sheet to a ball, then transfers the detail to another sheet of paper which is included with the ball. Same thing is done later for all the balls that aren't sold during the game.

The only 'mistake' I've noticed is that most of the time only the last play is recorded - the 'recorder' doesn't seem to always be recording everything that happens to every ball. Same for bats - I have a Nelson Cruz HR bat that the MLB only recorded info for the play where he cracked it, and not the previous two at bats.

I wouldn't mind picking up a few of those balls . @gary hey did you go to the fanfest ? It was awesome but definitely for the deeper pockets .