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Interesting article that questions validity of authentication services like PSA and JSA

I came across this article on the Riverfront Times this morning - I found it pretty interesting. Just wanted to share the link.

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2014-03-27/news/certifiable-the-auto...

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Permalink Reply by Dylan McCabe on March 31, 2014 at 4:12am

Both JSA and PSA are criminals. I have sent autograph that are known to be authentic to them and they did not pass and on the other hand I have sent autograph that were that bad and knew they had to be fake and go a likely genuine opinion. Yes they do get some right but in the end they do not really care about the collector and an items authenticity as long as they are getting paid. The authenticators just swipe over it, print out a coa and sign the paperwork and then take your hard earned cash because they know that there piece of paper means something to most collector whether it be authentic or not. To be honest I still prefer the COA after saying this as it does help with resale and as a collector if Im unsure of authenticity it is always good to have an opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 31, 2014 at 7:39am

Why would you send them items you knew were fake?

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Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on March 31, 2014 at 6:28pm

I completely agree with you about some TPA's, and most know who the offenders are. But PSA and JSA arent on that list of stickering any old item that passes there desk. You seem to be thinking of a company like the defunct GAI or Chris Morales.

We all know that PSA quick opinion is flawed. If they are uncertain of an autograph, they deem it likely not authentic, or they say they cant opine on it. And thats fair, they are edging on the side of uncertainty. Granted, i think they should just give you the unable to determine option, instead of failing it, if there is some debate on the item.

As far as sending in items to be questioned, i agree with STeve. Why would you pay for a service, even one as cheap as PSA QO, if you know the item was an obvious fake? Can you post a link to the images of such items that were obvious fakes that they deemed genuine?

As far as i know, the TPA's like PSA and JSA did mess up at some point and time on people like Heston and i think travolta was one as well. I know in the case of heston, many sec's were certed. They certainly goofed there, and Travolta may have been one they goofed on as well. And then there are sometimes when a graph cant be authenticated due to lack of a sig, and they deem it authenitc. This is wrong in my opinion, even if coming form a solid source. And i do think that there are clients who do enough business with them, who they may give a pass too, if an item is on the fence, due to there trust in that dealer. Which shouldnt happen.

But to say PSA and JSA are crooks who cert all the items that pass there desk? That is just plain false., and a GROSS overstatement. There are companies that do that, we all know who they are. But PSA and JSA fail far more than they cert, and they have done a great job at cleaning up the hobby. They mess up, but by far are leagues ahead of all the others in there batting ratio.

Can you post an image of the Travolta they failed?

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Permalink Reply by Dylan McCabe on March 31, 2014 at 12:57pm

. The fake ones were given a likely genuine opinion which is through a the quick opinion service.

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Permalink Reply by redhotbutton@gmail.com on March 31, 2014 at 1:02pm

I had a photographed signed IN FRONT OF ME at the Savages premiere by John Travolta. I needed to get it authenticated and sent it to these idiots to be told in a hundred ways and examples how it was a total fake..never again did i believe them and specially after reading all the online reviews about them. You just cant trust someone who is authenticating their own items to sell !!!!

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Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on March 31, 2014 at 1:25pm

You sent an in person John Travolta signature to both PSA and JSA?

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Permalink Reply by redhotbutton@gmail.com on March 31, 2014 at 1:27pm

I sent it to only PSA

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Permalink Reply by David S on April 2, 2014 at 5:19pm

ok, here's a little perspective. From the data in that article, JSA processes 300,000-350,000 items per year, and psa/dna 400,000. So let's take 750,000 as a nice round number for the total number of autograph examined by these two TPA's PER YEAR.

What can we compare it to? Ok, I know this is a little out there...but what about Birth Control! Okay, hear me out...it's something that you want to put your trust in, you want it to be effective and accurate ALL OF THE TIME...right?

Most effective form of birth control is oral contraceptive (ie the pill)...with perfect use it's 99% (typical use 92%)...but let's stick with PERFECT USE.....99%....this is something doctors prescribe & people swear by!! If these TPA's were effective/correct 99% of the time, they will STILL get 7500 items wrong A YEAR!

All i'm saying with the shear volume that they get, there are bound to be some that are wrong...and I don't think they are getting 7500 wrong a year (nothing to base this on, but from what i've seen at auctions, on ebay, for sale at stores, etc)

Even if they were correct 99.9% off the time, that's still 750 WRONG per year....

In my opinion, they are more of a positive for the industry than a negative....(this coming from a person that has had items failed by one, and passed by the other)

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Permalink Reply by Dan Gregory on April 2, 2014 at 6:30pm

I have no issue with TPA's as they often help rid the hobby of obvious fakes and scammers. What I don't like is mass authentication when certain sellers get every item authenticated without question and forgeries get through without the proper checks you or I get on an item we send for authentication.