Slightly O/T - Beckett Grade of Authentic vs. Number Grade

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Posted By: David Davis

Hi,
I know I do not post in many threads, but hope that Leon will cut me some slack. If you view the link below,

http://cgi.ebay.com/06-The-Cup-Wayne-Gretzky-Mario-Lemieux-NHL-Shield-1-1_W0QQitemZ300020829443QQihZ020QQcategoryZ44900QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem

you will find that the card received a grade of Authentic. Why did this card not get a numerical grade? Isn't authenticating the item part of the grading process? When does a card get a number, vs, when it gets an Authentic grade. What would the bogus Wagner get from Beckett?

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

David,

That aint even VINTAGE hockey junk! Just giving you a hard time...

I think it didn't get a numerical grade because Beckett is just providing an opinion that the card is authentic. It's kind of like autographed cards, I don't think that they assign numerical grades to those either, they just want to let people know that, in the grading companies opinion, the autograph is authentic.

Holy crap, $10K for that thing? Can't people just buy a game used jersey of each of those players for that kind of cash?

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I ask you the question, why should the card get a numerical grade? It's not unlike a unique piece of memorabilia, and was presumably pulled straight from the pack. There isn't going to be a better (or worse) condition example.

If someone looking at one of my photos said, "You should get this graded by PSA," I would say, "Why?" If he said, "Then you would know if it's a PSA 4 or a PSA5," I would say "Why would I want to know that?"

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

That kind of reminds me of the story that was told on a recent thread regarding autographs... it was a funny story about an autograph authenticator that solicited to authenticate an autograph which someone just had signed at a card show... the response from the person who had just saw the autograph being signed would have been similar...

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Actually, I believe in the modern card area, it is not always needed for a good card to be graded to be sellable. For example, a Dwayne Wade #1/5 autographed card is certified by the company and pulled straight from the pack, so there isn't a need authenticate it. I don't know how minor wear would effect the value, as much of the value is due to the 1/5 rarity and autograph.

I've sold ungraded Hall of Famer autographed insert cards on ebay, a few with minor edge wear. Presumably a crease or surface wrinkle would have lowered the price a lot, but I don't recal light edge roughnes or minor corner ding having effect on the sale prices. My guess is that most were bidding on them as autographs.