Tracking a PSA Certified Item

[Exhibitman]

So answering the OP question, you can look up the card by cert # on the PSA web site to confirm the cert # matches the slab cert # for the item [e.g., a Mantle signed card on the site should be a Mantle signed card in the slab]. It does not tell you when it was slabbed, who sent it in, etc., nor does it mean that the item is necessarily the item that was sent in. There was a scandal a few years ago over a dealer cracking cases and putting in lower grade cards then sealing and selling them. I suppose the same could be done to a signed item in a slab if a crook was so inclined. If you question the item itself, best to pass on it but if all you are looking to do is confirm that the item listed for the cert # matches the item you are looking to buy, then the site will give you that. As for the ink, as far as I know, it is just a streak and it fluoresces under a special wave length of black light. Pretty much useless for your purposes.

[isaac2004]

Thanks all, I was just interested in the origin of the item, since the seller had no clue.

What do you mean acid free?

[Baseball Fan]

Is it OK that, even though I don't care about PSA/DNA, that I love having my checks tombed by them because it looks attractive and I feel it protects them better than in my top loaders?

Because that's why I use PSA. I consider them my personal framer.

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fan

Is it OK that, even though I don't care about PSA/DNA, that I love having my checks tombed by them because it looks attractive and I feel it protects them better than in my top loaders?

Because that's why I use PSA. I consider them my personal framer.

Why wouldn't it be OK? Though that could get to be a pricey service with bigger names, that's your prerogative in your hobby.

And you can always crack them out rather easily. Just PLEASE don't ask them to put a sticker on anything. That's nasty looking (and while people here love to slam TPAs for doing that, it is again at the prerogative of the collector/dealer/hobbyist who sent it in and specifically requested and paid them to do so).

[Baseball Fan]

Originally Posted by mighty bombjack

Why wouldn't it be OK? Though that could get to be a pricey service with bigger names, that's your prerogative in your hobby.

And you can always crack them out rather easily. Just PLEASE don't ask them to put a sticker on anything. That's nasty looking (and while people here love to slam TPAs for doing that, it is again at the prerogative of the collector/dealer/hobbyist who sent it in and specifically requested and paid them to do so).

You are right. It could get pricey. For checks, I wait until they have the 12.50 authentication and slab special for any check valued at $250 or lower and clear out a lot of ones I got during the year. My Cobb and Jackie Robinson are not slabbed due to what you just said, but probably some day.

Agree with the sticker, by the way.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fan

Is it OK that, even though I don't care about PSA/DNA, that I love having my checks tombed by them because it looks attractive and I feel it protects them better than in my top loaders?

Because that's why I use PSA. I consider them my personal framer.

I feel the same way about their plastic slabs for postcards. In fact, I don't understand why the postcard printers didn't originally put an extra border all the way around them, with a red and white label on one end for the recipient to add notes. Not only would it make ALL postcards look so much better - it would be practical as well. You could then laminate the entire thing with some sort of rubber-like laminate so that they would be perpetually protected AND unbendable. Anyone know what it takes to get a patent?

Scott <=== dumbly continues to just put his in top-loaders

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by isaac2004

Thanks all, I was just interested in the origin of the item, since the seller had no clue.

What do you mean acid free?

Paper and plastic contain acid which can damage your item over time.
Does PSA use de-acidified plastic for their tombs??

[travrosty]

only their hairdresser knows for sure.


i wouldn't encase my collectible in a tomb for any amount of money. why are we entombing our collectibles. you can't hold it, you cant feel it, you cant inspect it.

its just under plastic, to what end? i dont like it.

i bust them out. i dont care how much the original person spent having it encased. they lost that money, not me. i once bought a james jeffries signed index card for 320, encased in psa plastic, i busted it out, and later sold it for about the same 320 unauthenticated. and the market had gone down slightly due to recession. i didnt lose any money, but the person who sold it to me spent 150 dollars to get it plasticized. they lost.

[Baseball Fan]

Originally Posted by travrosty

only their hairdresser knows for sure.


i wouldn't encase my collectible in a tomb for any amount of money. why are we entombing our collectibles. you can't hold it, you cant feel it, you cant inspect it.

its just under plastic, to what end? i dont like it.

i bust them out. i dont care how much the original person spent having it encased. they lost that money, not me. i once bought a james jeffries signed index card for 320, encased in psa plastic, i busted it out, and later sold it for about the same 320 unauthenticated. and the market had gone down slightly due to recession. i didnt lose any money, but the person who sold it to me spent 150 dollars to get it plasticized. they lost.

Well, this is where we differ. At least on checks.

1. You can certainly still hold it. It's just now in a cool looking(to me) protective case.

2. I don't want myself, or anybody else, feeling my checks on a regular basis anyway.

[Baseball Fan]

Originally Posted by travrosty

i dont care how much the original person spent having it encased. they lost that money, not me. i once bought a james jeffries signed index card for 320, encased in psa plastic, i busted it out, and later sold it for about the same 320 unauthenticated. and the market had gone down slightly due to recession. i didnt lose any money, but the person who sold it to me spent 150 dollars to get it plasticized. they lost.

For me, I'm not in it for the money. So no matter what the value is in a tomb or not in a tomb doesn't matter to me. It's about what looks good (in my opinion) on display in my self-made museum of autographs.

Having checks "framed" in a PSA tomb looks so much better than in my top loaders. There is a touch of professionalism that really makes the check come to life.

I'm willing to pay a small fee for somebody to provide that service to me.

[travrosty]

in a tomb is stupid, you cant hold it, feel it. why not put it behind 4 feet of plastic and enjoy it that way? doesnt make any sense. holding history in your hand is fun. holding a piece of plastic stinks.

[Baseball Fan]

Originally Posted by travrosty

in a tomb is stupid, you cant hold it, feel it. why not put it behind 4 feet of plastic and enjoy it that way? doesnt make any sense. holding history in your hand is fun. holding a piece of plastic stinks.

I can appreciate what appears to be your strong desire to feel a collectable in your hand. But when it comes to my collection, I do not want me or anybody else 'feeling' my graph. You are just going to have to imagine what holding a signed Mantle or Williams baseball feels like, because I'm not ever going to let you fondle my balls once they are encased.

I've been to plenty of museums, including the Baseball Hall of Fame, and I've been quite content looking at all the historical pieces behind glass without having to actually wear Ruth's jersey or swing Pete Rose's bat.

Again, just my take. I'll pick tomb for my checks and enjoy the heck out of being able to handle them in my own way.

[Exhibitman]

I agree w/Baseball Fan, and that is also why I tend to send things to SGC rather than PSA. I like the aesthetics of their holder for display purposes. Plus they do a really nice job on custom items. Here are a few that I am very pleased with:

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fan

For me, I'm not in it for the money. So no matter what the value is in a tomb or not in a tomb doesn't matter to me. It's about what looks good (in my opinion) on display in my self-made museum of autographs.

Having checks "framed" in a PSA tomb looks so much better than in my top loaders. There is a touch of professionalism that really makes the check come to life.

I'm willing to pay a small fee for somebody to provide that service to me.

Nicely stated. Enjoy your hobby the way you want to enjoy it.

And feel free to show some of your favorites here; I for one would like to see them.

[johnmh71]

Originally Posted by mighty bombjack

Nicely stated. Enjoy your hobby the way you want to enjoy it.

And feel free to show some of your favorites here; I for one would like to see them.

I'll second that.