Wire Photos -- Type 1 or 3?
 

I am sure this has been discussed before but are "wire photos" (those old, now commonly seen photos with some sort of descriptive sheet or other markings attached to or on the back, or cropping marks on the front) actually Type 3 photos (as defined by PSA) or Type 1?

A wirephoto literally is a photo made through the telephone wires, and is not Type I. However, I am assuming you are talking about photos that are not wirephotos, or least that include photos other than wirephotos. 'Wirephoto' is commonly used as a generic term, but in actuality, it is a specific type of photo. News photos is the correct generic term.

You judge photos on a case by case basis. Some are type 3s and some are type 1s. The majority are type 1s, or, as I put it, original.

An article on what are wirephotos and how to identify them: Photos Through the Telephone: A History and Guide to Wirephotos Photos