PSA readies several promotions for The National this year

PSA will have a number of things for fans to check out and dig into at The National this year.

First, it will be giving away a graded Michael Jordan 1986-87 Fleer Rookie Card during three days of the show -- and if you aren't going you can still enter to win one of them by clicking right here. Up first will be a PSA 8 on the Thursday of the show, a PSA 8.5 on Friday and a PSA 9 on Saturday of the event that begins in Chicago on July 31.

There also will be show-exclusive promo cards and even more going on -- a card-grading contest for starters -- if you visit the authenticator's booth.

The slabbed custom trading card is back once again -- it's still free -- and it's got a legendary twist as the aesthetics from the T206 Honus Wagner tobacco card is the basis for your cardboard if you partake during the 40th anniversary of the show. Way up top? Those promo cards are for new PSA Collectors Club Platinum membership holders who bring their proof of purchase (joined after July 1) and all Gold members will receive one of the five cards selected at random from a group that includes Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Nap Lajoie, Honus Wagner and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. PSA also will have backpacks for new members joining at the show.

The company also will have on-site authentication and grading services for cards and autographs and also will be accepting submissions for ring, award and trophy authentication at the show.

If you'd like to test your grading chops and have $20 to invest in such a venture, PSA is having a card-grading competition at the show this year. Just 77 competitors will be allowed to take the challenge with the winner taking home $1,000. They will have just 15 minutes to examine 25 cards with the winner announced on the Saturday of the show. Some cards will be vintage, some will be cards that would not be slabbed and some will be counterfeit cards. The winner also will receive a PSA backpack and the NSCC promo set. The second- and third-place finishers also will receive prizes as well as the promo set while all contestants will get one of the promo cards.

“Card grading is both a fun and challenging pursuit, so we expect this competition will be a popular attraction during the National,” said PSA President Steve Sloan. “It’s not the easiest of assignments, so it will be interesting to see not only who competes but who ultimately wins.”

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