Question about "Authentic, Auto 10" grades
 

Apologies in advance if this is a stupid question.

I have been looking at some PSA-graded, autographed cards. The cards are graded "Authentic, Auto 10". I understand that this means that the autograph is graded as a 10, while the card is Authentic.

Does this definitionally mean that the card has been altered? Or could it be the case that the submitter only asked for "authentication" of the card without a numerical grade? If the latter, why would someone do that instead of just getting a numerical grade?

Thanks.

The card just was not considered for grading. It does not mean it was altered or anything else.

Not everyone wants a card graded, they are just authenticating the autograph. Plus it cost less just to authenticate the autograph.

Thanks -- but if the submitter only wants the autograph graded, isn't the card labeled "Trading Card" and Auto 10?

Some people hate the "trading card" label of just going through the PSA/DNA auto submission. So they submit under dual-grading, where you can select the type of card grading or authentication that you prefer. Normally if the card is in nice condition, the submitter will choose to get the card graded as well.

Assume the card is Poor or Altered, and anything above that is a bonus.

Copy that. Thanks for the advice.

So back to the Authentic vs Trading Card grade. Is it assumed altered if Authentic?

It's possible. PSA reserves the right to put just AUTHENTIC on the label for space reasons even if the card is ALTERED. But as has been proven over the last 20 years, that they're terrible at detecting altered cards. So my premise was that if you consider it ALTERED, and it's not, congrats.

I see tons of cards like this that don't look altered to me. And far fewer dual graded ones. I think people just don't want to spend the extra money for a number grade if the value of the card is mostly in the autograph.

It’s usually a stupid decision to do a dual grade on autos to be honest. More than not with vintage and fairly often with modern.

If you think logically the value unless the card is in excellent condition lies in the auto. As long as the card is authentic it is fine and an auto on the players rc or whatever. The long term collectors remember that a signature devalued the worth of the card, so often we would select the worst examples in our collection to be signed.

Modern buyers want a 10 card with a 10 signature. If the card grades low and the signature grades high, the sale price tends to come in lower than a Auth card with a 9/10 sig. this is just what collectors want.

It’s wasted investment to grade a poor condition card to just lower the sale value. As for the comment as to labeling it “trading card”, well that’s exactly the way to find a fake that seems to be the worry here. “Trading card” is usually reserved for replica, non-licensed and reprint cards or fantasy created items that were signed.

Disagree somewhat. For ~10 years (and before PSA even had dual grading), it was much cheaper to submit for bulk auto authentication on cards by just getting them into Blue flip Trading card slabs. Some are definitely counterfeits or customs, but the majority are likely real cards that were just submitted in a different category. Raiderguy still submits thousands like this annually in his bulk PSA submission.

Agree, that’s why I used usually, however those slabs should always be taken with a grain of salt. I am hesitant whenI can’t see them in person.

So many abuses have happened under the psa grades using the general public’s lack of understanding against them. Much like the Topps RPA fake auto scandals of years ago PSA slabbed up and took no blame for.