An autographed card combines the collectible value of the card itself with the added premium of a genuine player signature. When properly authenticated by PSA, Beckett Authentication Services (BAS), or JSA, these cards carry strong secondary market values and make excellent pawn loan collateral β€” provided the authentication is verifiable and the card's condition supports the claimed value.

Authentication Services CardPawn Accepts

  • PSA/DNA β€” PSA's autograph authentication division; slabbed PSA/DNA cards or PSA-certified sticker authentication accepted
  • Beckett Authentication Services (BAS) β€” Beckett's standalone autograph auth; BAS-stickered cards and BGS-encapsulated autos accepted
  • JSA (James Spence Authentication) β€” Widely respected for vintage sports signatures; JSA Full Letters or JSA Sticker authentication accepted
  • Manufacturer-authenticated on-card autos β€” Cards where the manufacturer guaranteed the signature at point of production (e.g., Upper Deck The Cup, Panini National Treasures, Topps Finest autos) are accepted without additional third-party authentication

On-Card vs Sticker Autographs: The Value Difference

In the hobby, not all autographs are equal. This directly affects loan valuations:

Auto TypeValue PremiumLTV Impact
On-card manufacturer auto (The Cup, National Treasures)Highest β€” 30–50% premium over stickerFull LTV applied
On-card manufacturer auto (standard sets)High β€” 15–25% premiumFull LTV applied
Sticker auto (Panini, Upper Deck, Topps)Moderate β€” market-standardFull LTV applied
PSA/DNA or BAS authenticated separatelyModerate β€” authentication adds confidenceFull LTV applied
Unverified/unknown signature sourceNot acceptedN/A

High-Value Auto Cards CardPawn Lends Against

Hockey

  • Wayne Gretzky Upper Deck SP Authentic Auto β€” PSA 10: $15,000–$40,000 CAD
  • Sidney Crosby 2005-06 Young Guns Auto /100 β€” PSA 10: $45,000–$80,000+ CAD
  • Connor McDavid 2015-16 SP Authentic Future Watch Auto /999 β€” PSA 10: $8,000–$14,000 CAD
  • Connor McDavid 2015-16 The Cup Rookie Patch Auto /99 β€” $20,000–$50,000 CAD
  • Mario Lemieux certified auto cards β€” $2,000–$8,000 CAD range

Basketball

  • Michael Jordan Upper Deck certified auto β€” $8,000–$25,000 CAD
  • LeBron James 2003-04 Exquisite Rookie Patch Auto /99 β€” $80,000–$150,000+ CAD
  • Luka DončiΔ‡ 2018-19 National Treasures Auto β€” $5,000–$15,000 CAD
  • Victor Wembanyama 2023-24 Rookie Auto (National Treasures) β€” $3,000–$8,000 CAD

Baseball

  • Mickey Mantle PSA/DNA certified auto card β€” $5,000–$20,000 CAD
  • Mike Trout 2011 Topps Update Bowman Chrome Auto β€” PSA 10: $3,000–$6,000 CAD
  • Shohei Ohtani rookie auto cards β€” $1,500–$8,000 CAD depending on set/grade

Redemption Cards: Not Accepted

Unredeemed redemption cards β€” where a manufacturer issued a placeholder card for an autograph not yet completed β€” are not accepted as collateral. The actual signed card, once fulfilled, is eligible. If you're waiting on a redemption, contact us once you receive the physical card.

LTV for Autograph Cards

Autograph cards generally receive LTV ratios in line with other high-grade collectibles, with some nuance:

  • Manufacturer-guaranteed on-card autos (The Cup, NT, Exquisite): 60–70% LTV
  • Standard sticker auto cards (graded PSA 9–10): 55–65% LTV
  • Third-party authenticated vintage signatures: 50–60% LTV
  • Modern auto parallels numbered /25 or less: 55–65% LTV

Applying for an Auto Card Loan

Include the following in your application: card name, year, set, auto type (on-card or sticker), authentication service and certificate number, grading service and grade, and photos of both card faces plus the authentication label/encapsulation. Our appraisers will verify authenticity through the relevant registry before issuing a loan offer.