TPA authentication question
 

Hey Guys, I was wondering when it comes to TPA (PSA,JSA, Steiner, SGC, Etc...) what is your opinion on:

1. If an item has been authenticated by a TPA and the company goes belly up due to a scandal, if the autograph is legit, but the company is questionable, will the item still have value? (Example, you have a signed photo of willie mays, the autograph is authentic/legit , but has a GAI sticker on it) still valuable? or because the company is in question, the autograph even authentic isnt worth as much?

2. I ask because there are some HOF items on EBAY that im looking to purchase, but have GAI and JSA authentication stickers on them (the autos look authentic though) it seems like alot of people are unloading JSA items quickly, so im a little hesitant to buy anything JSA right now.

2. Do you prefer your autographs to be authenticated by a TPA or nor (for possible future resale value)

thanks guys, I always appreciate your advice and thoughts.

If you don't like stickers, take them off. Heat them up, it loosens the adhesive, carefully peel.

I agree. In regards to value, you buy the item not the sticker. I've always hated stickers on the front of the item period. I have also seen people take one of those sheets that hold the stickers and slide it under the sticker back and forth until it loosens. It depends on how long it's been there.

I believe TPA like JSA and PSA just give you their opinion as to if its authentic or not while companys like Stiener and UDA actually witness the signings. Some help me out with this if my thinking is not correct on this.

It's all relative
 

I'm sure there is a handful of items that GAI has done which are in fact Genuine, but the fact will always remain that the vast majority isn't good and so that stigma will be attached so long as the sticker is. Even if it's a genuine auto, many experienced collectors will not even touch it.

As for JSA, I don't see any "unloading" trend per-de. I have a few modern players with either PSA or JSA auth, but not too many. I defer to them mostly for Vintage as I feel more comfortable with them in that regard. Modern stuff is such a crap shoot with most players having terrible sigs that it's just so hard to tell.

Correct Steiner, UDA, Panini, Tristar and several smaller companies are all first party authenticators who witness the item being signing by a rep and usually are the organizer of the signing as well.

Thats what I was thinking Kevin. Just wanted to make sure my thinking was right....lol