How to Authenticate Vintage Baseball Ticket Stubs

Is Your Ticket Stub Authentic?

As the market for vintage ticket stubs has grown, so has the sophistication of reproductions and forgeries. Whether you're buying or selling, understanding how to authenticate a vintage baseball ticket stub protects your investment and ensures you're dealing with genuine artifacts.

Key Authentication Markers

Paper Stock and Printing

Authentic vintage ticket stubs were printed on specific paper stocks that varied by era and printer. Pre-1960s stubs often used thicker card stock with letterpress printing, which leaves a subtle impression in the paper. Modern inkjet reproductions lack this tactile quality. The printing should be consistent with the technology available at the time — dot-matrix patterns indicate computer printing, which wasn't used for tickets until the 1980s.

Ticket Format and Design

Each era had characteristic ticket formats. Early tickets (pre-1950) were often simple in design with basic text and minimal graphics. The 1950s-1970s saw more standardized formats with team logos. The 1980s introduced computerized ticketing with Ticketmaster-style formats. A ticket that doesn't match the format conventions of its supposed era is a red flag.

Perforation and Tear Patterns

Authentic stubs were torn by hand or by mechanical ticket-takers, producing characteristic tear patterns. Perforated tickets have specific perforation styles that correspond to the era and venue. Reproductions often have unnaturally clean or inconsistent perforations.

Aging and Wear

Authentic vintage stubs show natural aging — slight yellowing, wear patterns consistent with handling and storage, and sometimes foxing (small brown spots caused by fungal growth or oxidation). A "vintage" stub that looks suspiciously fresh warrants scrutiny. Conversely, artificially aged stubs may show inconsistent wear patterns that don't match natural aging.

Professional Authentication

For high-value stubs, professional authentication through services like PSA is strongly recommended. PSA examines the stub's physical characteristics, compares it against known authentic examples, and encapsulates it in a protective holder with a grade and certification number. The cost of PSA authentication is modest compared to the value it adds to verified pieces.

When In Doubt

If you're unsure about the authenticity of a ticket stub, seek expert evaluation before making purchase decisions. StubHaul's team has extensive experience identifying authentic stubs across all eras. We're happy to share our expertise during the evaluation process.