From Utah to the UK: When a Custom Baseball Card Found Its Home at SSINT

From Utah to the UK: When a Custom Baseball Card Found Its Home at SSINT

Not every card is about market value.

Some cards are about memories, moments, and meaning — and this is exactly why ssint. exists.

Recently, we were contacted by a collector in Utah, USA, who had a very special card in their possession. It wasn’t mass-produced. It wasn’t licensed. It wasn’t something you could find on eBay or in a hobby shop.

It was a custom-printed local team softball card, created solely for a team — a card with genuine sentimental value.

The Problem: “DO NOT HOLDER”

Before finding SSINT, the customer had submitted their card to PSA, unaware of their strict policy surrounding custom and non-mass-produced cards. After being held for several months, the card was returned unchanged, labelled “DO NOT HOLDER.”

No grade.
No encapsulation.
No recognition of what the card represented.

Understandably, this was disappointing — especially as the card was intended as a white-elephant style gift for a friend who had invited them to play their first (and only) game with the team.

The goal wasn’t a high grade or resale value.

The goal was simple:

To gift a card that had been professionally graded and preserved.

Reaching Out to SSINT

The customer contacted us with a thoughtful and honest email, explaining the background of the card, their experience with PSA, and asking a straightforward question:

Would SSINT accept and professionally grade a custom, self-printed local team card?

The answer was clear.

Creative Legends Tier: Where Custom Cards Belong

At ssint., we proudly grade both:

  • Cards from official publishers, and

  • Cards from custom artists and independent creators

This is exactly why we created our Creative Legends Tier.

Custom cards — whether they’re artist proofs, independent designs, or one-off team prints — deserve to be:

  • Evaluated fairly

  • Labelled transparently

  • Preserved to the highest standard

Under this tier, cards receive a CLG (Creative Legends Grade) rather than a numerical score. This ensures clarity, honesty, and appropriate recognition for cards that fall outside traditional mass-production frameworks.

The Utah submission was accepted and graded under our Creative Legends Tier, exactly as intended.

Elite Service, Two-Day Turnaround

The customer chose our Elite Service, and once the card arrived in the UK, the process was swift and meticulous:

  • ✔ Full professional inspection

  • ✔ Creative Legends Grade (CLG) applied in line with SSINT’s custom card grading framework

  • ✔ Precision laser-engraved aluminium label

  • ✔ Premium encapsulation to SSINT’s highest standards

From arrival to completion, the grading and encapsulation took just two days.

In fact, the card was graded, slabbed, and shipped back to Utah faster than the original PSA submission had taken overall.

More Than a Grade

This card wasn’t about investment potential.

It was about:

  • A single game played

  • A friendship formed

  • A unique moment preserved

And that matters.

At SSINT, we believe that every card tells a story — whether it comes from a global publisher or a local team printer. If a card matters to you, it matters to us.

Why This Matters

This submission perfectly reflects what sets ssint. apart:

  • We welcome custom and non-licensed cards

  • We offer transparent grading frameworks for sentimental and creative pieces

  • We apply the same care and presentation standards to every submission, regardless of market value

  • We provide fast, reliable turnaround options, even for international customers

If you’ve ever been told “we don’t grade those,” you’re not alone — and you do have options.

Have a Card Others Won’t Touch?

Whether it’s:

  • A custom artist card

  • A local team print

  • A one-of-one design

  • Or a card with personal history

SSINT is here to help you preserve it properly.

Explore our Creative Legends Tier and submit your card with confidence. Let us help you turn a memory into a lasting artefact — professionally graded, beautifully presented, and protected for years to come.

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