authentication blues

[Forgebuster]

I have often believed the very thing you said is true in regards to business volume with those two companies....small fries like myself who does not sell only collects is probably burning good money after bad money with them!

[Runscott]

As a matter of principal, and to not support businesses that are a travesty to our hobby, I absolutely will not send autographs to either of them. There is more to life than making money - if there wasn't, then I'm sure some of us have the skills to make a very good living through dishonesty. Supporting those who do is hypocritical.

I would love to see 2-3 (or more) honest grading services that are not in the pockets of auction houses, do not let the almighty $ influence a go/no-go decision on an autograph, and who actually have an eye for autographs. There are so many 'big 2' authenticated laughing-stock forgeries in circulation, that I'm really not sure how good of an eye these guys have. Perhaps they are more honest than I think, but should be instead, working at Burger King.

No, it's not worth it.

[theshleps]

amen, Scott

[Runscott]

Perhaps this might sound like a violation of my own personal hypocrisy rules, but I do not throw away LOA's from the 'big 2' that arrive with autographs I purchase. I used to not even mention them when selling more expensive autographs, and only provide them if asked. As far as I could tell, it didn't affect my business and few non-tire-kickers ever asked for a LOA. I probably should go back to that policy, mentioning that I personally guarantee authenticity of the autograph, despite errors that TPA's will sometimes make.

This is one of the reasons that I really liked buying my higher-end autographs from Leland's, with only Josh's word on them - I paid non-LOA prices and could sell them as such with my guarantee and the auction house's. Same for RR. If I don't like the autograph, I don't buy it, and I shouldn't be buying expensive autographs that I'm not personally able to identify as real.

For lower-value autographs, I think TPA-certification makes sense - they can affordably take a look at a lot of autographs that forgers won't normally bother with, and give a general level of confidence to the purchaser that they aren't being scammed by an ebay seller. But on the large cert'd lots, you'll almost always find a few secretarials, and some will be fairly expensive ones, so at most you are getting protection from actual forgers.

I look at them like the McDonalds of autographs - you wouldn't buy a filet mignon dinner at McDonald's and a Babe Ruth certified at one of these places isn't going to taste any better than a Bob Feller.

[RichardSimon]

Scott- besides Josh you also have Hefner's word on those autographs too.
That makes two guys who are better then anyone at JSA or PSA.

[mcgwirecom]

I had a friend who had bought a very early McGwire signature, a type most people haven't seen (college days). One of the Big 3 shot it down. He contacted me and I sent an email to one of the authenticators and voila' it got certed. Plus I've seen many Mac signatures that they did cert that were no good. I've even seen a rubber stamp that was certed! And it was OBVIOUSLY a rubber stamp.

[djson1]

Originally Posted by mcgwirecom

...I've even seen a rubber stamp that was certed! And it was OBVIOUSLY a rubber stamp.

It's amazing when I hear of rubber stamped items that get passed by the "experts" at these TPAs. Even some of these well known auction houses seem to have them up without knowing. Here's one example:

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/joe...-lot23908.aspx

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Ite.../10912_lg.jpeg

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Scott- besides Josh you also have Hefner's word on those autographs too.
That makes two guys who are better then anyone at JSA or PSA.

I forgot about Travis and boxing. There are also some experts in non-baseball autographs at PSA who know their stuff. Baseball and football seem to be the real problem.