Authentic vs. graded

Many of our customers are familiar with our platinum blue labels used exclusively for “Authentic” and “Authentic-Altered” items. The question some have is why Authentic or Authentic-Altered vs. a numerical grade?

There are a few reasons why a submitter may choose to go the authentication only route and a few reasons where we, BGS, make the decision.

Let’s use the 1952 Topps Mantle card as our example. Now, we all would like to own a graded copy of this hobby icon. For me, somewhere around a 4 or better would suit me just fine.

Let’s say you find a copy in your grandmother’s basement. For the last 50+ years, the card has been through dampness, hot summers and cold winters. An occasional mouse nibbling and that flood you caused back when you were 9. Your treasure is left looking pretty rough. So rough in fact that you wonder if 0.25 is an actual grade.

You still want the card authenticated, especially if you ever decide to sell it. This would be a fine example of a card that should be encapsulated and labeled as Authentic.

On the other end, you purchase a nice, clean looking copy for a great price. The catch is that the seller as disclosed to you that the card looks so sharp because it has been trimmed. You think to yourself, for this price, that’s ok, the card has great eye appeal. Even though the card has been doctored, it is still an authentic card.

This card would be a great candidate for the BGS Authentic-Altered service.

Stepping away from the ’52 Mantle card for a moment, there are times where you just want to protect a card.

Take a thick jersey or patch card. Maybe it’s a signed rare piece of patch. Thick cards can be difficult to protect and having the card encapsulated ensures it is protected.

The card may already have several white corners just from being in the pack. You do not care what it grades, you simply want it in a holder. Authentic-only is perfect for this.

Finally, there is a time when BGS makes the decision Authentic vs. graded.

Our submission forms have a place where you can check that if a card in your submission is deemed to be altered or doctored and a numerical grade cannot be assigned to it, you want it encapsulated as Authentic-Altered.

Once the card has been examined by the BGS graders and signs of alterations are detected, we will then encapsulate the card as Authentic-Altered.

Before this service was available, all cards deemed to be altered were sent back to the customer raw, or unencapsulated.

If you still prefer to have an altered card returned to you raw, you can check that on the submission form instead.

- Andy Broome, BGS Grading

Have a Question?

Q: I see that you are going to be in the Tampa, FL area next month but it says "Submission Only” on your website. What does this mean? Can I not get my cards graded onsite?

A: This is a great question for those that plan to attend one of our shows. If a show is labeled as "Submission Only" this means that we will not be grading onsite. This will be an event that will allow people to drop their cards off to us and have us bring them back to Dallas for grading. The benefits to this is that you save on shipping the cards to us (we ship them back by armored courier at no cost to you), allow you to speak to a Beckett Grading representative in person about the order, possibly save on your grading fees as we often offer event discounts, and gives you the peace of mind that your cards were handed straight to a BGS employee.

We plan to have several submission only events this year around the country. Right now we are set to be in Florida, Pennsylvania (twice), and Oklahoma over the next few months doing submission only event. Please check the BGS Show schedule at www.beckett.com/grading. We hope you are able to make it out to one of these events or another card show we plan to attend.

Organizers of the Hawaii Trade Conference/Mainland Edition have announced an exclusive offer for hobby retailers. With each retailer registration purchased, businesses owners can register additional guests for just $199 per person. This is an affordable way to bring along a family member, employee or anyone else who assists in running your business and let them enjoy the benefits of the industry’s most important event for business growth and development. To register go to www.HawaiiTradeConference.com/registration.asp

Beckett Grading will be onsite accepting submissions during this event. Please check our show schedule for the submission times. You do not need to sign-up for the conference to drop cards off to Beckett Grading. Just come by during the drop off times listed. Its our first trip to the Tampa, Fl area and we hope you are able to visit us at this great event.