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Opinions please!!!

I love autographs - but not just collecting them. I have a very particular taste for seeing a wonderful photo of the person and a great sig cut in a cutout of the matting under the picture all framed. I think it looks great, its nice to put up on a wall, and makes the whole item for unique and valuable.

So here is my question - I recently bought two autographs certified and slabbed by one of the major companies (PSA or beckett, I forget who). But I can't place a slabbed piece into a framed photo as you'd then be looking at glass and then plastic with matting around it - it would look odd.

Is it so terrible to simply take it out of the slab and use the cut? Is that heresy? On one hand, I paid for the relative assurance that its legit and can still keep the documentation that came with it as evidence it was once slabbed and certified. On the other hand, its ruining a cert and that can't be undone.

I'd love to hear everyones thoughts and opinion!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel S. on October 17, 2018 at 7:31am

Doesn’t PSA/DNA just charge an LOA upgrade fee of $10 to have encapsulation removed and an LOA issued?

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Permalink Reply by Evan on October 17, 2018 at 7:57am

Do they? I didn't know. Link?

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on October 17, 2018 at 8:55am

I think you have to pay for the letter upgrade when submitting the signature. I believe the item would have to be submitted a second time at full price plus the additional $10 for the letter. I may be wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel S. on February 5, 2019 at 4:30pm

Followed up with PSA DNA on this very issue today since it was applicable to me. They only charge a reholder fee ($10-$30) for previously authenticated items, not the full authentication fee. Whew! It seemed a bit absurd to charge the full fee in this situation.......but oligopoly pricing models often lead to absurd conclusions.

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on October 17, 2018 at 8:00am

Here is what I have done in the past. First, I take a picture/scan of the signature in the slab. I then remove the signature from the slab and keep the identifying label. Mat the piece and keep the label with the piece. Never had anyone question it signature's authenticity because it was removed.

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Permalink Reply by Evan on October 17, 2018 at 8:45am

Good suggestion - and glad to know I'm not the only one interested in doing this!

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on October 17, 2018 at 8:48am

I've done this a number of times. Without hesitation or reservation.

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Permalink Reply by Evan on October 17, 2018 at 8:57am

Great. You gave me the confidence to go ahead and do it then! :) I assumed everyone would reply with a big "NOOO!!!"

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on October 17, 2018 at 9:03am

It's your piece, do as you will. An authentic autograph is just that; authentic. Slabbed or not. Others may think otherwise but I am not of that opinion. That would be technicality over truth.

I have found slabbed autographs at prices virtually at the cost of the athentication service price alone. Crazy!