Do you grade tickets?

[smotan_02]

Curious on what people's opinion is on getting tickets graded? Personally I grade tickets to protect them, get a grade assigned, and also participate in the registry. Ive had many conversations with people about this and most think Im crazy for doing this.

[perezfan]

I personally do not see it, but that's just me. I am not a fan of grading in general, and don't have any desire to seek out someone's arbitrary opinion regarding the condition of my items...

As for protection, I think these things look a lot better in an acrylic screw-down holder (or something without a bar code). To me, the bar code is ugly and modern - and it clashes with the otherwise beautiful memorabilia contained within. I see it as a violation which sort of goes against the original reason for collecting these artifacts from a more innocent time. Just my 2 cents

[Rob D.]

I have a number of vintage tickets in my collection that are graded, and the slabs don't bother me, so I've left the tickets entombed. I can't imagine, however, ever paying to have a ticket or ticket stub graded. Do I really care whether someone at PSA thinks my Bob Feller no-hitter ticket stub is a 4? Or a 5? Or a 6?

I recently picked up the ticket below, which is a proof for the first baseball game in Cleveland Stadium (July 31, 1932). During the course of nearly 30 years of collecting, I've seen less than a handful of ticket stubs to this game and never a full ticket. So buying this proof was a big deal for me. The staining and dog-eared corners would make this a PSA beater. But the thing is, if it were in mint condition, I wouldn't value it any more (or have bid any higher). Having it slabbed would add nothing for me.

[smotan_02]

If you had every opening game to every Cleveland game would that change your mind? I guess thinking about it from the point of view as a set. If I had one 1955 Topps AA football card in Mint condition, I wouldnt grade it. If I had 100 in mint, well.....

[mr2686]

I have several tickets I was going to send in to get slabbed and graded mainly so that they would be protected when being matted in any one of my team projects, but i've come to the same conclusion as Perezfan that a good quality screwdown protector is actually nicer and looks better...and less money!!

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by smotan_02

If you had every opening game to every Cleveland game would that change your mind? I guess thinking about it from the point of view as a set. If I had one 1955 Topps AA football card in Mint condition, I wouldnt grade it. If I had 100 in mint, well.....

That's a question that's very on point, Scotty. One of my passions is collecting opening-day tickets (and stubs) from Cleveland. I have about 70 different and never have given even a passing thought to having them slabbed. That's not to say I can't see why someone else would; it's just not for me.

[sox1903wschamp]

Nice ticket Rob and great collection. I am not sure if a buck and a quarter is a good deal for the upper reserve in the midst of the great depression?

I am in the camp of not grading tickets. I suppose I would buy one graded if that is what is available such as this 1915 WS game 4 below that I lost out on recently. I purchased and own the below 1916 WS Game #1 ticket and love the writing on the back and have no desire to slab it but what is interesting is it has the same top 2 corners as the slabbed ticket but I am quite sure the writing on the back that I love would drop the grade to "poor" . And I just realized Ernie Shore won both of these games .

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

I have a number of vintage tickets in my collection that are graded, and the slabs don't bother me, so I've left the tickets entombed. I can't imagine, however, ever paying to have a ticket or ticket stub graded. Do I really care whether someone at PSA thinks my Bob Feller no-hitter ticket stub is a 4? Or a 5? Or a 6?

I recently picked up the ticket below, which is a proof for the first baseball game in Cleveland Stadium (July 31, 1932). During the course of nearly 30 years of collecting, I've seen less than a handful of ticket stubs to this game and never a full ticket. So buying this proof was a big deal for me. The staining and dog-eared corners would make this a PSA beater. But the thing is, if it were in mint condition, I wouldn't value it any more (or have bid any higher). Having it slabbed would add nothing for me.

Nice dialogue on ticket collecting by Rob here. He has got one terrific Cleveland Indians ticket collection, BTW...

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by perezfan

I personally do not see it, but that's just me. I am not a fan of grading in general, and don't have any desire to seek out someone's arbitrary opinion regarding the condition of my items...

As for protection, I think these things look a lot better in an acrylic screw-down holder (or something without a bar code). To me, the bar code is ugly and modern - and it clashes with the otherwise beautiful memorabilia contained within. I see it as a violation which sort of goes against the original reason for collecting these artifacts from a more innocent time. Just my 2 cents

I agree with Mark whole heartedly!

BTW, collecting baseball tickets has been a huge focus of mine for about 40 years. Most die hard baseball ticket collectors that I know in the hobby do not slab their tickets.

Why do I need someone to authenticate a ticket that has a date on it? To me this seems redundant and a waste of money. It seems to me that it is slabbing just for the sake of slabbing. I don't get it and don't suppose I ever will, FWIW...