Third Party Authentication

The uneducated  autograph collectors have been duped for years. Paying for their collectible autographs to be authenticated by just a handful of companies who simply claim they are capable to authenticate autographs. Many thousands of autographs that were actually 100%  genuine have received a poor opinion/guess that the item submitted was not genuine.  In reverse many thousands of forged, secretarial signed, preprinted/ rubber stamped signatures have been passed as genuine.

Most professional autograph dealers have seen enough with proof, that the high profile companies have little clue as to what they are doing when it comes to being accurate on authenticating autographs.  The key to authenticating autographs accurately  is:  Companies Do Not Authenticate Autographs, People Do!"

Most autograph authenticating companies list the names and photographs of people who they claim are their autograph experts.  Their is a likely chance that you will not recognize most of the names listed. Maybe just a few, because they were known for selling forgeries..For example, several million dollars worth of Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy items, which is well doumented were sold  by one of the high-profile "experts." Another so-called "expert" is a fellow who was selling forgeries at a major sports convntion. He was removed  along with his large inventory of "what nots" from the building by security. Years later in court, he was asked if he was the seller that was removed from the show for sellling forgeries and his reply was "I don't recall."

The mistakes made by these authenticating companies is so vast that the autograph community is answering back. "PADAH" the largest professional autograph organization, in the world, has a rule that no dealer member is required to refund for an item based on a "guess/opinion" from any of the high-profile companies who claim to authenticate autographs.  Even non-members are following this rule. One auction house based in the south states on their website: "we do not refund based on the anonymous 'opinions' of competitors as PSA, JSA or Beckett who have cumulatively stickered more forgeries than all the companies combined."

Another auction house, located in Delaware, posted on their website: "We do not accept authentications from PSA/DNA, JSA  or Beckett because they don't examine pieces first hand and they have very limited experience."

One major dealer in the midwest says: "After all is known and the damage these companies have made to the hobby, when we see an item that comes with one of theri COA's, we destroy the COA.. We got to remove this paper trash out of the hobby. When we see thier beautiful shiney sticker defacing an autograph, we remove them."  Getting back to the ole days, the newbe collectors have to learn to only purchase autographs from a professional autograph dealer. Thier are over 100 of them.

Sadly, many newcomers to the hobby have already left the hobby.  Reason, they found out that their treasured purchase was not genuine and few received a refund. Words of caution: Purchasing autographs on eBay is not for the light hearted. Leave that to the pros who can occasionaally find  a mis-identified autograph.

Said earlier, Companies Do Not Authenticate Autographs, People Do!"  We went to PSA/DNA and tried our luck.  We sent them a copy of a poor forgery of  a Mark Twain that they had not only passed as genuine but charged the collector for slabbing the signature.  Our request was simply "Please advise 'who' at PSADNA authenticated this signature.?"   Now, readers do you understand what this request is for?
  

 Apparently this genuis at PSA does not understand the question.See below.

   They are afraid they do not completely understand the intent of your question...."

My response was:

After taking a short nap, PSA customer service wakes up and responds:

 "....for security purposes and the safety of our staff, I cannot divulge the personal information of anyone who works for PSA/DNA...."

The subject is autograph authentication, are authenticators now getting death threats.  For God sakes, their authenticators are listed on their own PSA/DNA's website along with their photographs. Pick one!

 Names and photographs listed on the PSA/DNA website as their "experts" were Tom Poon, Specialty autographs, ( cannot find any background info or a listing in membership of the Manuscript Society, IACC/DA, U.A.C.C ,etc.), Bill Corcoran and Kevin Keating, (strictly sports) Authenticator for Specialty Autographs and  the John Reznikoff, Specialty Historical & Political Autographs forgot to mention his so-called expertise in JFK, Marilyn Monroe, celebrity hair and more).

 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SO FAR?  All the above and a few additional comments.

 Money spent for a third party authentication is wasted.

What I will receive is a useless COA for a guess/opinion.

The opinion received has a 50% to 50% chance of being accurate.

Most third party authenticators use eBay as their reference libary for exemplars.

The third party COA will not be accepted for a refund by most professonal autograph dealers.

Stickers placed on an item, with an original autograph, is a eyesore and devalues the autograph.

Professional autograph dealers have no need for an opinion from basically someone unknown.

High profile compamnies who claim  to authenticte autographs hide the name of the individual who made the opinion.

High profile companies who gives an opinion, makes no guarantees.

Opinions made by a third party authenticating company can easily change their opinion on an item they once failed, and change their opinion at a later date based on the submitter.

One of the oldest rules in collecting autographs is not to  make any changes to an original autograph.  This includes "encapsulating."  Many professional autograph dealers feel encapsulating devalues the item. Some items that were encapsulated are staring to show discoloration around the edges of the autograph.  

Trying to remove an autograph from a plastic coffin will in almost all cases destroy the autograph.

In most cases, trying to sell your collectible autograph to a professional dealer along with a COA from a third party authenticator, you may find the dealer will have no interest in seeing the COA.  They will purchase the item basd on their own research.

Frightening you willl find many auction house use third party authenticators because they really don't care if the item is good or bad. If the item passes authentication so be it.

For many years, individuals from third party authentication companies have been invited to a public meeting to discuss the advanatages of utilizing the sevices of their companies and not one has responded.

To ensure your autograph purchase is genuine, it is recommended that you deal with an autograph professional who is a member of PADAH (Preferred Autograph Dealers and Auction Houses).