[drc]

The photos posted at the start of this thread were original and/or vintage. If the others are like those, the poster doesn't need to get LOAs. However, if he wishes to consign them to some them for auction, I can understand that. If you have 30 original Ruth photos, a lot of good auction houses would be interested.

Over the years a lot of collectors have asked me about press photos on eBay. They're very interested in a particular one on eBay, but aren't photo collectors and don't know how you can tell if a photo is new or old, original or reprint. So I can understand how a PSA LOA can add $$ to final auction price.

Though I agree with Scott's points about if you're knowledgeable you don't have to pay extra for a LOA and can find hidden deals. And a lot of the knowledge required to identify press photos isn't rocket science, just having done your homework.

There are many areas of collecting I'm not knowledgeable about (I know, hard to believe), so I'm not suggesting I would never buy an item because it came with a third party opinion. If I was buying a Ming vase, I most definitely would like a third party opinion from an expert in that field.

I always use Ming vases as the example as they're expensive, rare and I nothing about them. For a long while I assumed Ming was the sound you they made when you taped them with your fingernail . . . But I'm going to get some books and by next year I'll be mocking all your ignorance about Ming vases.