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Has the Autograph market been stitched up that people wont trade without a coa or a pass.

On the forum members are sharing their experience's of obtaining signatures in person and then they have been failing authentication. One member said he purchased a Mantle ball from Harmon Killebrew's estate and a letter from his wife after placing it on auction the questions came rolling in. What happens if it fails psa/dna?

I don't know anything about Mantle or Killebrew, but share his sentiment on different autographs I own personally.

So do the authentication companies have a hold on the market or any thoughts on the matter? It seems unfair that something that is 110 percent authentic that fails is left by the wayside because it doesn't have a coa.

I know it's great to have insurance with the Beatles, Tracks and Caiazzo, but as a community with those authenticators help we do a great job of authenticating ourselves.

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Permalink Reply by Full Time Flipper on June 22, 2015 at 2:14am

In answer to the original question yes two or three companies now own the autograph business its barely worth trying to sell anything without a coa from one of them and you last around 5 minutes selling without their say a $10 quick opinion being wrong can end everything and see you branded as a criminal and ive known things pass Psa to be failed by Roger and vice versa its a horrible business but a great hobby

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Permalink Reply by Paul on June 22, 2015 at 12:14pm

So the hobby has definitely been through an evolution with the authentication services, sad state off affairs if you had been in business and items are being returned because it's failed and how dissapointing it must be to see an illegible squiggle pass. I like the fact that people who take the time to study signatures will still be ballsy to trade without a warm fuzzy sticker, graduation we call it. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Mike P on June 25, 2015 at 11:53am

I submitted core four signed baseballs that I bought for cheap to PSA which were no doubt authentic, and they all got certed; I did that for insurance purposes in case I need to sell them down the road. Even though I personally knew they were authentic, in this current market paperwork seems to be must (thanks to the likes of reality TV shows where they stress paperwork ie. Pawnstars and all the other pawn shows on the television, in addition to novice collectors who don't know real from fake).

Years ago I submitted autographs to PSA that I had photo and video proof of them being signed, and they came back as "unable to render opinion". This incident in particular is the main reason I no longer submit to TPAs.

In a way it is a good thing that TPA hold such a tight grip on the hobby, because the experienced collectors can continue to buy authentic autographs for dirt cheap while the novice collectors pay inflated prices for the stickers.

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Permalink Reply by Robin McKay on June 25, 2015 at 3:57pm

PSA/DNA is in my opinion, not really much hindsight into determining the authenticity of an item as they've been known to be wrong before. Therefore, I won't go through them and won't trust my items through the mail system anyway. No, sir.

Also, a certificate of authenticity is worthless most of the time as it doesn't give credibility to an item's authenticity unless it is from a well know, established dealer and on a c.o.a., you look for certain things anyway.

If I were to trade, I would still expect the same standards as if I were buying a real autograph. Receipt, c.o.a. (in the right principles) and history of the item as well, along with having a good look at the item before I even traded it for one of my own and getting the best advice possible (unless it comes from someone known to be credible).

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Permalink Reply by Jason Poulos on June 26, 2015 at 7:22pm

In all fairness to PSA/DNA they seem to air more on the side of caution...........unless of course you are a major dealer and then you get stickers galore.