[Lordstan]

David, Richard, Darren, and Chuck,
Thanks guys.
I agree with you Chuck, in that many here agree with many of the points Travis made. Personally, my only dealings with him were positive as he willingly gave me some assistance on a couple of boxing autos. Unfortunately, he, IMHO, was not good at expressing his ideas in a calm and rational manner. To me, a lot of what he wrote came off as ranting, even though I agreed with a good chunk of the underlying message. I think, in many ways, it's too bad he's gone, as I think he does have a lot of knowledge.


Wayne,
Sorry guy, but I have to disagree with one thing you stated. The volume of autos they handle is absolutely not a factor. If they accept more than they can certify, that is entirely their problem. I couldn't care what their volume is, and it shouldn't be the customer's problem. They are selling a service based on expertise, not relative expertise based on how busy they are. For them to fall back on, well, we did the best that we could considering how many we have to do, is entirely BS. As a physician, I am not going to be cut any slack, when I misdiagnose your illness just because I tried to see 50 people in 4 hours. If you're paying the same money for that appointment as you would if I only saw 10 people in 4hrs, you'd expect the same quality of care. If they can't maintain their business by doing lower volume and ensuring the quality they promise, then perhaps they should get a new business model.

From PSA's Website...

Why PSA/DNA?

The Advantage of PSA/DNA Authentication Services
PSA/DNA Letters of Authenticity are accepted by ALL major auction houses. They include, but are not limited to, Sotheby's, SCP Auctions, Heritage, Legendary, Mile High Card Company, R&R Enterprises and Memory Lane, Inc.

Premium Price and Liquidity
Because potential buyers feel more comfortable purchasing certified items, PSA/DNA collectibles often sell for premium prices due to the strength and credibility of the PSA/DNA brand. Many of the most valuable collectibles in the world have been certified by PSA/DNA. Click here for a list of record breakers.

Why PSADNA Confidence
Buyers can be confident that PSA/DNA collectibles have been witnessed or examined for authenticity by the world's leading autograph experts.

Certified for Life
Because PSA/DNA uses an invisible, permanent DNA marker, the authenticity is easily verified.

Verification
The unique certification number can be used to verify the history of any PSA/DNA Certified item simply by typing in the serial number online.

PSA/DNA's covert DNA-laced ink is extremely durable and almost impossible to replicate! The chance of duplicating our DNA strand is 1 in 33 trillion!

Recertification is easy! Items with lost certificates or missing labels can be verified. We simply check for the DNA using our specially calibrated laser and issue a new label and certificate!

Take the next step and Submit to PSA and PSA/DNA!


From JSA's website...

Why Should I Choose JSA?


Benefits included with every JSA authenticated item:

JSA Letter's of Authenticity are guaranteed to be accepted by all collectors, dealers, and auction houses worldwide, or your submission fee will be reimbursed.
JSA is an eBay approved autograph authenticator.
Increased value and a confident buyer for faster sale of autographed memorabilia.
JSA's extensive autograph exemplar database is second to none in the autograph industry.
Peace of mind that your memorabilia is deemed authentic and ready to be sold, passed along to a family member, or cherished forever.
Secure, virtually impossible to replicate proprietary watermark JSA Letter of Authenticity with corresponding high-resolution image and a unique alpha-numeric certification sticker.

Quick and simple online confirmation of your JSA certification number.
All JSA Letters of Authenticity are fully transferable without resubmission.
JSA's services are utilized by more major auction houses than any other autograph authentication company in the world including:



As I read the above closely, I find it curious that the first reason listed to use their authentication services is not making sure your item is real, but having being accepted by all the major auction houses and eBay! Authenticity isn't even the second reason. Apparently, increasing resale value is also more important than finding out if your item is real. WOW.

From Wiki...

Authentication (from Greek: αὐθεντικός; real or genuine, from αὐθέντης authentes; author) is the act of confirming the truth of an attribute of a datum or entity. This might involve confirming the identity of a person or software program, tracing the origins of an artifact, or ensuring that a product is what its packaging and labeling claims to be. Authentication often involves verifying the validity of at least one form of identification.

I guess we should add to the definition "To make more valuable. To increase resale value."

To reinforce what I stated before and what Shelly just restated, in PSA's listing they claim that your item is examined by the world's leading experts. Who? They won't say who examined what item, so how do any of us know? Maybe because they crossed their heart and promised!

All I want is for them to deliver on the service we expect. I'm not expecting perfection, but I don't think I'm unreasonable asking for some transparency and the elimination of bias.