[drcy]

Physical examination sometimes has shown that the provenance is fake. Works both ways.

An example of provenance that doesn't prove but is helpful is a baseball bat that comes from a team or the player's family. It doesn't prove the bat was game used or a even game model, but, in conjunction with physical examination helps show that the bat was game used by the player.

I know with modern (Post 1987?) MLB jerseys, an era when retail and team-issued jerseys can be identical, MEARS won't give a grade above 5 without team or like provenance.

I think photomatching for game used items is good, but am a bit wary of it and don't think it should be used as be all and end all. I think there will be, if there hasn't already been, trickery there. I also think "that the pinstripes match up" is useful information, but don't know that that's the final arbiter. There have been no scientific studies of that area, just assumptions.