LAMINATED AUTOGRAPHED GOV. from early 1940,s;WHAT IF ANY VALUE?

[travrosty]

Most collectors would rather spend the going rate on a piece not laminated.

The exceptions being an extremely rare autograph or a popular expensive autograph like Ruth that someone might pay a lesser amount so they can own one, if the going rate of 2500 or 3000 would have been way out of their price range. They can grab an affordable (laminated) one for 500 bucks and have a Ruth in their collection when they otherwise would have not been able to afford one.

[Exhibitman]

What is the theory behind the price differential, assuming the laminated example is of unquestionable authenticity?

[RichardSimon]

Collectors just don't like lamination, kinda like how they would hate scotch tape over an autograph.

[chaddurbin]

maybe i'm a noob and my thinking is flawed...but i think i would rather pay 15-20% for a laminated piece than a full price one. it's not like i will touch and feel the signatures often, plus the lamination offers a bit of protection. it's almost on par with a sig inside a PSA/DNA or JSA case.

i don't like scotch tape over sigs...

[packs]

I wouldn't want a laminated piece. But I am surprised more people didn't do this. There are tons of index card collectors. With all the people shellacking their baseballs I'm surprised more people didn't laminate their cards.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by packs

I wouldn't want a laminated piece. But I am surprised more people didn't do this. There are tons of index card collectors. With all the people shellacking their baseballs I'm surprised more people didn't laminate their cards.

I think part of the reason is anybody could go to the hardware store and buy a can of shellac, but not everybody had access to a laminating machine.

Scotch Tape = Poor Man's Laminating

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by packs

I wouldn't want a laminated piece. But I am surprised more people didn't do this. There are tons of index card collectors. With all the people shellacking their baseballs I'm surprised more people didn't laminate their cards.

I think that laminating is a procedure that requires some equipment. Shellacking a baseball is easy. Putting scotch tape over an autograph is easier still. I have had a number of collections offered to me with scotch tape over all or many of the signatures. Makes me wanna cry. Scotch tape can be removed with a hair dryer but leaves an ugly stain.
I was just offered a Cy Young B&W plak with tape stains vertically running down the right and left sides of the card, virtually from top to bottom. Ugh.

[gashouse34]

Scotch Tape vs Laminate???...How about both together!!! I bought a large collection a few years ago that was from around 1947. Each sheet was laminated and some had tape over them also. I paid very little for them and I know they aren't worth much but I will say the laminate preserves the autographs well My personal opinion is that I would much rather have a laminated auto than one that has been traced over! But yet LOA's are issued with traced over auto's? I had heard that there was a big boom during the 80's where a bunch of people laminated valuable items such as autographs etc. Was also told that the laminate could be removed by a professional but would be costly and not entirely effective...probably not worth it. I mean, what's the difference between having something in a plastic tomb or having it in a plastic permanent sheet