PSA photo authentication - a suggestion

[drcy]

Condition does matter with photographs, but not to the finite anal-retentive degree as it does in the baseball card. An ExMt 1910 photo may sell the name as a Nrmt-Mt example, because photography collectors aren't so concerned with microscopic wrinkles or barely seen nicks in the corner. It's baseball card collectors who worry about that.

The reason behind this is because there may be 20,000 1993 SP Derek Jeters or 1968 Topps Nolan Ryans and the only thing that separates them is the condition or very minor print variations. However, with a particular 1925 Babe Ruth photo, there may be only five or even one in existence. Photography collectors are concerned about condition and presentation, but don't worry about silly minor stuff like a minor ding to the corner or a little wrinkle on the edge. If you see a wonderful 1908 Ty Cobb photo, it may be the last time you see it for sale. You don't fret over a corner bump and minor wrinkles. A minor pencil mark on the back of a beautiful Abe Lincoln cabinet card doesn't prevent a photography collector from buying it.

This also explains why it's baseball collectors and sellers who slice a half a millimeter off the left side to try and get a better grade. A serious photograph collector wouldn't do that because a) a very slightly rough left edge doesn't matter aesthetically and b) sharpening the edge won't raise the resale vale because other photograph collectors won't care either.

So condition does matter with photographs and they can be assigned a grade Poor to Mint. But the Gem Mint 10, Nrmt-Mt 8.5, Beckett Mint 9.5 corners and 8.5 gloss, Set Registry average grade 9.32145612115666 nonsense is the baseball card hobby not the photography hobby.

You have to understand one thing: As far as condition goes, photography collectors are sane and graded baseball card collectors are insane. PSA label number collectors need an intervention and some form of psychiatric medication. Because sane people don't spend hours of their free time with a microscope searching pieces of cardboard for wrinkles and edge dings invisible to the naked eye.