Autograph Grading Process

Provided that the autograph is genuine, the autographed item moves onward to PSA Grading. See "Grading Guide" below for PSA guidelines on Autograph Grading. For complete details on our Autograph Grading Standards, click below.

Autograph Grading Guide
Autograph Grading Standards

Autograph Grading Guide

The Difference between Autographed Baseball Grading and Autograph Grading

Unlike our Autographed Baseball Grading system, here, the autograph itself is the only element of the item that receives a grade. For example, a Babe Ruth signed baseball would receive two individual grades for the condition of the autograph and baseball, and one overall grade. Under the PSA Autograph Grading service, a Babe Ruth signed photograph would receive one grade - a grade reflecting the condition of the autograph only. With all of the various objects that autographs can be found upon, it would be virtually impossible to assign a grade to each object.

Why Signed Baseballs Cannot be Submitted under this Service

Signed baseballs cannot be submitted under the Autograph Only Grading Service. The reason behind this decision is based on the following: First, most collectors of baseballs care about the condition of both the autograph and the baseball, almost equally as much in many cases. While collectors also care about the condition of photos, letters, contracts, checks, jerseys, bats and so on, the emphasis usually falls on the autograph as long as the item retains solid display appeal.

For example, you may have a vintage photograph that contains surface wrinkles, small tears in the borders, etc., causing the technical grade to suffer dramatically. On the other hand, as long as that photo can be framed and displayed in an attractive way, the technically flaws are of little relevance. In addition, for consistency on our PSA Autographed Baseball Set Registry, it is imperative that all signed baseballs are graded under one standard and one system.

The Significance of Autograph Location

The location of the autograph may have either a positive or negative effect on the autograph grade. For example, if you had a signed photo where the signature was poorly placed (perhaps in a dark area on the photo, causing little to no contrast in the autograph/photo), that factor might prevent the autograph from reaching higher grades. It really comes down to the eye-appeal of the autograph; the presentation quality of the piece. While the approach to grading autographs is intended to be as objective as possible, determining the eye-appeal quality might be the most subjective part of the grading process.

The Issue of Restoration/Enhancement

At PSA, once our experts have determined that an autograph has been enhanced or restored in any way, we cannot assign a grade to it. While the autographs can be authenticated by PSA/DNA in some cases, the intentional alteration of the autograph precludes it from receiving a numerical grade. Please keep in mind that this is not an uncommon issue in the marketplace. At PSA, we have seen everything from crude amateur retracing to professional enhancement - the type of enhancement that may be extremely difficult to locate for the average hobbyist.

In addition, please note that restoration or enhancement to the item itself will not preclude the autograph from receiving a grade under the PSA system. Restoration is considered by many in the industry to be acceptable as long as the seller discloses any known restoration to that piece. It is often done by professionals to repair defects such as tears, creasing, staining, etc to photos and the like. It is also done to replace parts of items like seals on documents, fabric on jerseys and chips on wood-based collectibles like bats or various display pieces. Restoration of the item, in some cases, may affect the market value but it will not affect the PSA autograph grade.

Additional Writing

The existence of additional writing, by someone other than the primary signer, will not be factored into the autograph grade. For example, it is not uncommon to see a vintage signed photo, etc., with additional notations placed on the item by the person who obtained it. It may simply be dated by another person or contain a notation about the event (Yankees versus Red Sox - Ruth hits two homers) or (The Sultan of Swat). Once again, the existence of additional writing may hinder the market value of an autographed item but it will have no bearing on the grade of the autograph present.

Personalized versus Non-personalized Autographs (Including Notations)

PSA will not view this issue as a factor in the grading process. So, in reality, you could have a scenario where a "To Bob, Sincerely, Babe Ruth" autograph grades a "10" and just a "Babe Ruth" autograph also grades a "10". Some collectors prefer non-personalized autographs and some are indifferent about them but this issue has no relevance to the PSA grading process. PSA is focused strictly on condition, not content.

When it comes to grading an autograph that features a salutation, inscription or notation, PSA will approach it as a whole with an emphasis on the actual signature and eye-appeal. For example, let's say that a photo was signed "To Johnny, Merry Christmas, Babe Ruth." If the "Babe Ruth" portion is extremely strong but the inscription exhibits more flaws, the autograph still has a chance of reaching a relatively high-grade since more weight is given to the signature itself than the inscription. This approach would include noted statistical and non-statistical achievements (such as HOF, MVP, statistical totals, etc.) as well.

The Issue of Cancellation Stamps

When it comes to autographed collectibles like signed checks or First Day Covers, this is a highly relevant subject. Many signed items may be affected by the existence of a stamp that touches or intrudes on some portion of the autograph. This is very common on cancelled checks. While this would not prevent an autographed check from reaching PSA Mint 9 status, it would prevent the autograph from achieving a grade of Gem Mint 10. The severity of the intrusion or boldness of the stamp will also influence the grade. The grade, as always, will center on the eye-appeal of the autograph.

Vintage versus Modern Grading Approach

When it comes to analyzing the grade of an autograph, the standards will be applied to both vintage and modern signatures with very little variance between the eras. Due to the evolution of writing instruments, etc. there may be some vintage autographs that will need to be evaluated in context. While there will be no overall plan to apply less stringent standards to vintage autographs in comparison to modern examples, there may be exceptions to the rule when an exception is justified based on pertinent factors. Generally speaking, however, a vintage autograph will need to be just as strong as a modern one in order to achieve the same grade.

The Issue of a Grading Guarantee

Due to the inherent problems associated with autograph preservation, PSA cannot guarantee the assigned grade for the life of the item. As many collectors know, deterioration of autographs, such as fading, etc., may occur over time through handling and exposure. In some cases, the mere aging process may take hold and inflict condition problems on the autograph. Sometimes, the damage to the condition of an autograph may be visibly delayed and, for his reason, PSA cannot guarantee the grade for life.

PSA can guarantee the grade of the item at the time of the authentication and, with the help of the image detailed on the letter and proper storage methods, your item can be preserved in such a way that will enable the PSA grade to live concurrently with the item. With the proper precautions, the vast majority of autographs can be preserved in their respective/current condition.

Autograph Grading Standards

The Overall Approach

As a general reminder, the basis of autograph grading really comes down to the degree of strength and weakness within the signature, with an emphasis on eye-appeal and presentation.

GEM-MT 10: Gem Mint. A PSA Gem Mint 10 autograph is a virtually perfect autograph. Attributes include bold writing with the absence of skipping or retracing by the original signer or otherwise. In addition, the autograph must be strong and clear for that particular signer. For example, if a genuine Mickey Mantle autograph is bold but seems rushed or slightly uncharacteristic in formation (though genuine) it may not receive a Gem Mint 10 grade. A PSA Gem Mint 10 autograph must not only be aesthetically beautiful in terms of placement but it must also be representative of the common/traditional autograph patterns of that person.

MINT 9: Mint. A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition autograph that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: A very light skip (almost unrecognizable to the naked eye), a slight acceptable variance in boldness of the autograph (still very bold and clearly readable - even at arms length - but perhaps not quite as bold as an autograph that would qualify for a PSA Gem Mint 10) or a some other aesthetic issue such as undesirable location if the location of the autograph hinders the eye-appeal of the autograph, slightly, in some way.

NM-MT 8: Near Mint-Mint. A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end autograph that may appear to qualify as a Mint 9 at first glance but upon closer inspection, the autograph may exhibit one or more of the following: A slightly more noticeable skip in the autograph (though still very minor in nature) slightly inferior boldness of the autograph or very slight fading (the autograph must still be completely legible and intact), or some other aesthetic issue such as undesirable location if the location of the autograph hinders the eye-appeal of the autograph, slightly, in some way. For example, a very light bleed on one of the letters may be acceptable if minor or some very minor unevenness to the signature if the uneven nature of the autograph is limited to a small area - no greater than approximately 20% of the signature. A very light retrace, by the original signer, may be acceptable.

NM 7: Near Mint. A PSA Near Mint 7 is a very strong autograph that may suffer from one or more of the following: The signature, while still entirely visible to the naked eye, may exhibit some minor degree of even fading to the entire signature. A minor blemish or the existence of wear on the actual autograph may be acceptable within the NM 7 grade. Slightly more significant skipping or bleeding may be present, however, still insignificant to the overall presentation. Any other aesthetic flaw that may hinder the eye-appeal may be allowable. For example, an autograph that extends more noticeably into an undesirable area of a photo such as a darkened background. In addition, a very slight retrace, by the original signer, may be acceptable.

EX-MT 6: Excellent-Mint. A PSA EX-MT 6 is a very presentable autograph that may suffer from one or more of the following: The signature, though entirely legible to the naked eye, may exhibit some degree of even fading to the entire signature - more so than would be acceptable for a PSA NM 7. A minor blemish to one of more of the letters may be acceptable if the balance of the autograph is considerably strong for the grade. Slightly more advanced degrees of skipping or bleeding may be present in comparison to the allowable tolerance for a PSA NM 7. In addition, a very slight retrace, by the original signer, may be acceptable. The location of the autograph may also be a more significant issue within this grade if the display quality is hindered in a more dramatic way.

EX 5: Excellent. With PSA EX 5 autographs; aging is becoming evident. The autograph, by this stage, has lost the luster of a bold autograph but it can still be deciphered with the naked eye. Smudging in a limited area of the autograph may be present along with more advanced stages of fading or skipping with possible blemishes in a few minor areas. The presentation of a PSA EX 5 autograph is still clear but the defects have begun to affect the eye-appeal in a more obvious way. In addition, a more significant retrace, though still limited to approximately 25% or less of the signature, by the original signer, may be acceptable.

VG-EX 4: Very Good-Excellent. A PSA VG-EX 4 is an autograph that may be subject to noticeable areas of advanced fading where some letters within the signature can only be deciphered under close scrutiny. Major eye-appeal issues have begun to set in, however, the autograph must still be approximately 75% visible to the naked eye. Advanced degrees of the above mentioned defects might be more noticeable with the PSA VG-EX 4 grade. In addition, a more significant retrace, though still limited to approximately 35% or less of the signature, by the original signer, may be acceptable.

VG 3: Very Good. A PSA VG 3 is an autograph that is noticeably faded throughout. The autograph must still be approximately 50% visible to the naked eye. Advanced degrees of the above mentioned defects might be more noticeable at this stage with major eye-appeal issues clearly visible. For example, a surface defect on the item itself that has, in essence, removed a small part of the signature, may be acceptable within this grade.

GOOD 2: Good. A PSA Good 2 is an autograph that exhibits significant flaws throughout. The autograph may have lost up to approximately 75% of it visible content, to the naked eye. Even under close scrutiny, the entire autograph may not be decipherable but clear enough to determined authenticity. Major advancement of a variety of defects may be present, causing a significant loss of eye-appeal.

PR-FR 1: Poor to Fair. A PSA PR-FR autograph is one that exhibits extreme loss of eye-appeal and can barely be deciphered, even under close scrutiny - by experts. At this stage, the autograph is virtually unrecognizable to the naked eye and even experts may need the assistance of advanced technology in order to identify the signer. Most of the autograph may be worn away or faded leaving, perhaps, on a few visible letters or worse.

Subjectivity in Grading, Eye-Appeal and Determining the Overall Grade

While the grading standards are followed generally and as closely as possible, eye-appeal is the most significant and, ultimately, the controlling factor when it comes to grading autographs. Presentation quality is of the utmost importance regardless of the technical characteristics possessed by an item. An autograph may receive a plus or minus half point (.5) depending on the strength or weakness of an autograph. The overall grade will include half points from 1-10 on the PSA scale.