[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Because how do you know that any of them are actually signed by them anymore? That's the problem. The PSA 10 on the flip is supposed to give you that confidence, but it's a lie. At least on that card, since it's pre-1998, requires PSA/DNA to confirm the auto is authentic (or at least as PSA can come close).

On this 2001 Pujols auto, which has a nonstandard auto for the year when the card was released, PSA didn't even evaluate the auto. But their PSA 10 grade would make a buyer think that since the card originally came autographed, that it has the original autograph. PSA AUTH ALTERED AUTO 10 would be more accurate, presuming the Pujols auto was even done by him.

Someone earlier asked why the serial number would have been wiped and redone. One reason would be so that it couldn't have been as easily traced by serial number to previous cards pictured on the internet. Some very high value Trout autographs were exposed as wiped and resigned based on photo matches to previous sales. Once they've been wiped and re-signed, which does constitute alteration no matter how much you whine, PSA ignores the auto when giving the card grade. That's just a terrible business practice for the "world's leader in sports authentication." It's incompetent.

To test the proposition being floated by our contrarian, do you think a PSA AUTH ALTERED AUTO 10 would sell for the same price as a PSA 10? Something tells me no.