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Ticket collectors: Authentic or a Numerical Grade for Tickets in Low Technical Grades?

Specifically, for tickets that you think might grade a 1 or 2 or so, do you prefer getting an actual grade, or is getting it rated "Authentic" the better choice? What do you prefer?

I understand the line of thinking that a grade (of any number) is more information, and more information is usually better. On the other hand, do you really want a bunch of 1 or 1.5 or 2 grades staring at you on your tickets?

Personally, when buying tickets, all I really care about is that the ticket is real and then the overall look of the ticket. (Meaning, when I look at the ticket, do I feel happy about owning/looking at it....or do I wince at its mere sight because of unsightly creases or writing or whatever?)

I'm thinking about sending in some tickets to PSA later this year, and was just curious as to what other ticket collectors think.

Comments

  • mexpo75mexpo75 Posts: 1,912 ✭✭✭

    My personal opinion is that if I think the ticket is in great condition, I want it graded. If not, authentic is fine with me.

    PackManInNC
  • Thanks for the reply, mexpo75. I think you're right. If a ticket's in really nice shape, it should probably always get a numerical grade. Otherwise, it appears to be a toss-up between a numerical grade or authentic.

    Does anyone know if PSA allows you to select a minimum grade on a ticket submission? For example, could I submit a bunch of tickets and request that all tickets be graded as long as they achieve a minimum grade of 3, and for those that do not, they can be slabbed as "authentic" instead? Or do you have to choose between solely graded or solely "authentic"?

  • akuracy503akuracy503 Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭

    I think you'll be disappointed with the way tickets are graded. Since tickets are much thinner stock and most times stubs are torn you are up for some big surprises when numerical grades come into play. If you've got stubs that are torn cleanly with perforations intact you might be ok. Wrinkles, edges, corners grade them as if they were a card.

    I prefer getting my ticket stubs holdered as authentic. Presents really well and most ticket collectors don't blink twice about a grade in my experience.

    No minimum grade stipulations submissions. If it were already holdered and was under review then yes just like a card.

    CU Ancient Members badge member.

    Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums

  • akuracy503akuracy503 Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭

    You can check my instagram @Goudey77 for some examples of graded vs authentic tickets. I'll be posting more tickets on my profile soon.

    CU Ancient Members badge member.

    Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums

  • Thanks for the input, akuracy503. I've reviewed PSA's ticket grading guidelines page, and you're right in that it's basically the same standards as grading a card. As such, when sending in my tickets, I'm going to request a grade only if I think it's got a shot at mid-grade or higher, say 4 or higher. Otherwise, I'll just go the "Authentic" route.

    Naturally, I probably don't have many tickets that'll even get a 4. It's kinda funny, but collecting tickets (even from the 1970s through 1990s, as I do) is like collecting cards from the 1950s and 1960s. So many people didn't save their tickets, and for those who did, many didn't pay much attention to their condition. But instead of flipping the cards and sticking them in bike spokes, many of the tickets that have survived were folded in half, jammed into someone's pocket, sat on for a few hours, and also got a mustard stain from the concession area after picking up the hot dog and then searching the pocket to recall where their seat was! Tough to find top condition tickets, and of course the supply for any particular game was also limited to the stadium/arena capacity. Collecting tickets is a fun endeavor.

    Lastly, you've gotta lotta neat things on your Instagram page. I'm not a Mantle collector, but that 1963 monster home run ticket is awesome.

  • FlewbieFlewbie Posts: 51
    edited April 24, 2019 8:35AM

    Slightly off topic, what storage boxes do you use to store your PSA slabbed tickets? I'm getting a few slabbed and just curious to see if there are some, for example, BCW branded boxes, that are great to use for PSA slabbed tickets. Definitely doesn't need to be BCW brand, just using for an example.

    ** EDIT I'm most interested in the regular size ticket slabs, not the jumbo ticket slabs.

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