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Global Authentication Autograph Concerns [Title Edited]

[Moderator Note: This member, who is not using his actual name (which is not required), apparently has never been an authenticator for Global, which he claimed to have once been. While his opinions on the authenticity of the autographs he discusses may be correct, no consideration should be given to his other statements without verification.]

I decided to stroll through ebay and look at some autograph certified by the new Global Authentication. I don't know of any one single autograph collector that actually looks as a Global COA as worth anything. As a matter of fact, if I am looking at a higher end piece with a Global COA I double study it because I question the fact of why the seller would send it to Global instead of a real authenticator.

Here are a few forgeries with a Global COA. I know Steve Sipe is a member on this board and if this post gets me kicked off of here, than so be it. I am just about sick and tired of Global aiding these criminal forgers by giving them a pretty sicker and cert. to go along with their forgery. If you guys want to be treated like real authenticators, how about act like it.

Forger #1 ( listed on ebay for nearly 1000 dollars ) Make no mistake. This is a forgery.

What is even more confusing about this particular situation is you also authenticated this REAL TOM BRADY JERSEY BELOW. How can you authenticate the real autograph shown below and also say this obvious forgery is real?

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Permalink Reply by Randy on August 15, 2013 at 8:36pm

Well, I am certainly not defending their mistakes. If they indeed pass everything to keep crooks submitting known bad items, then shame on them. I tend to think they just don't know what they are doing which is still bad. However, the reason collectors buy their authenticated items is because they are cheap. They are looking for a deal and should question why their item is half of PSA/DNA or JSA authenticated items.

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Permalink Reply by Charles O'Brailey on August 15, 2013 at 8:28pm

Randy, this is a forum of autograph collectors. Who, OTHER THAN YOURSELF would actually submit an authentic autograph for Global to authenticate? NOBODY! Why send it to Global when it could be sent to PSA and sell for 10 or 20 times what a Global authenticated sells for.

Steve Sipe and Barack Obama have a lot in common. They blame everyone else for their mistakes.

Obama says " Blame Bush "

Steve Sipe says " Blame Staff "

Obama says " Blame the House Republicans "

Steve Sipe says " Blame Bad Lighting in our building "

I mean seriously..........................................This guy hasn't taken any real responsibility. He has done nothing but blame other people for his companies failures. For instance, he said " Charles, you are absolutely right. That Lebron is horrible, I will address that with the staff member who authenticated it and make him eat it "

HUH? What does that even mean? The guy is a joke and i'm done now.

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Permalink Reply by wascher on August 16, 2013 at 4:09am

Charles, this is REALLY not the place for politics. Please don't go there again.

Thanks!

-wascher

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Permalink Reply by Rich on August 15, 2013 at 9:46pm

I've already said my piece about the whacked out, terrible looking Aaron Rodgers autographs that GA authenticates regularly (supposedly, Rodgers signs hundreds and hundreds of photos, jerseys, helmets, footballs etc. a any given golf tournament he's at).

Well, I picked a different player - former Packer Greg Jennings, now of the Vikings. I typed in Greg Jennings GA in Ebay. Of course, they looked completely different than any other autograph he gives out.

First, lets start with bonafide authentic examples from two of the best places for Jennings autograph Schwartz Sports and Waukesha Sports Cards. Both have worked with Greg extensively.

Jennings signed photo from Schwartz

Jennings signed jersey from Schwartz.

Jennings signed football from Schwartz

Jennings signed photo from Waukesha Sports Cards.

Jennings signed jersey from Waukesha Sports Cards.

Pretty consistent actually. So let's see what happens when we type in "Greg Jennings GA signed" in our Ebay search . . .

Oh snap . . .

This looks off . . .

So does this . . .

And what happened here?!

Wait. Don't tell me. He signed these while drunk at a golf tournament. Regardless, I fully expect some sort of crap story about him signing these at training camp, charity event, or some other phantom occasion.

Why is it that the stuff that GA certs just NEVER looks spot on? Why is it that I can go to sportsmemorabilia.com and instantly spot the stuff that GA certifies even before I read the caption, just because it looks so blatantly off?

Let's switch gears to my favorite band. I type "U2 signed GA" into Ebay. What do I find? Exactly what I expect to.

No U2 expert would certify these, and yes there are several on this forum who could validate that these are likely trash and highly questionable at best. No U2 fan with a half-decent knowledge of the band's signatures would want these. Whoever signed these was clearly trying the "let's pull a fast one by making them looked rushed" technique. And none of them really strike me as even a "maybe." So why were these certed? Do the "experts" at GA know? Do they care? I'm guessing neither. It looks like this company is cool with certifying anything that looks like it represents a 50 - 60% solution with no real scrutiny.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on August 15, 2013 at 10:46pm

Also, let me address the juvenile "hate group" accusations. First of all, that's the type of rhetoric that forgers regularly storm this forum with, so you might want to change your tone somewhat.

Also, I'll let you in on a little secret, Steve: Some of us actually like this hobby and take issue with those actively polluting it. That includes authentication firms that regularly certify forgeries as authentic. We have every right to call out forgers, sellers of forgeries and those who empower them.

You can accuse us all you want of "drinking the PSA Kool-Aid." If you were to actually pay attention, you'd notice that there are plenty of PSA and JSA criticisms on this forum as well. I personally tend to criticize those companies more, because people who actually know this hobby tend to take JSA and PSA more seriously. Your company doesn't get a whole lot of attention because we all happen to have noticed that you're cool with authenticating with minimal scrutiny anything that looks like it might sort of be in the ballpark.

Also, please stop wafting into this forum and demanding that people call you directly so you can explain yourself. If your company insists on sloppy authenticating, they should absolutely continue to get called out on a public forum. Welcome to the internet. It's been in full bloom for about 15 years or so. If you can't deal with valid criticisms about your operation, then get out of the business.

Your tendency to blame incompetent staff members is already tired. You need to take more direct responsibility if you're the boss and your name is slapped across every certificate. This is your personal guarantee. Any competent leader knows that relentlessly pointing the finger at his subordinates just looks bad and speaks loudly of a significant lack of control over the situation.

And while we do appreciate that you admit some mistakes, the fact that there is mistake, after mistake, after mistake is a major problem. The whole point of that GA sticker on on item is to erase any doubt for the uniformed consumer that the item is authentic. You're supposed to be doing the work so they don't have to later on. You're getting paid to do it. When you fail regularly, the sticker and certification become completely worthless. That's where we are.

I don't know what the deal is with Global. And if there's an excuse, I really don't care what it is. You're waving your magic authentication wand over piles of questionable material (a very, very generous way of putting it) quite recklessly, and it's hurting the hobby overall while ripping off people who trust you to make the correct call. There's no conspiracy against Global here, even if you insist there is. We're calling it exactly like we see it.

Feel free to berate me and whoever else you see fit. But we'd prefer it if you focused that energy on upping your game.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on August 16, 2013 at 12:30am

While on the topic i decided to do an ebay search for GA items that i was familiar with, and well......i think we know the result. If anyone else wants to comment on these i would love to hear their opinion. I noticed that one seller in particular, cardboardlegendsonline, seems to have a ton of GA authenticated items, and they all look strange. Not to mention way overpriced. Check these photos out for sale now on ebay.

This is not a style of Angus that i am familiar with.

Take a look at this Axl. This doesnt look Authentic to me

Another Axl from the same seller that looks way way off

Here is a winner of a Bruce Springsteen autograph

This doesnt look like any Chuck Berry i am used to seeing

This looks like no Kenny autograph i am familiar with

And the best for last. Check out this horrible Jimmy Page. What staff member is responsible for this Steve? And the above certifications??????? This gem of a Jimmy Page also comes complete with a cert from Piece of the Past.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on August 16, 2013 at 4:07am

guess who supposedly signed this?

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Permalink Reply by Null on August 16, 2013 at 12:23pm

Laughable Puig:

Horrible Mattingly:

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on August 21, 2013 at 8:52am

Steve Sipe from Global Authentics wrote me yesterday saying that he contacted GAI's bookkeeper and that Charles O'Brailey was not an authenticator for GAI (never on the payroll). I asked Charles to help clear that up yesterday with proof, but while he was adamant he was, he did not produce any and Wascher and I don't believe he was. At the same time, he was in a hurry to quit the site, and I told him I'd put his membership in for removal.

The problem with community sites is that unless you confirm the identity of each member, things like this happen from time to time. While he appears to be correct on most of the pieces he called out, any comment he made about knowing things about Global, Steve Sipe, etc., should be completely ignored. We're going to go through the discussions he posted and see what needs to be completely or partially removed.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on August 21, 2013 at 1:33pm

Well thats a shame that Charles would lie about such a thing, if indeed he did. Do you think that you can believe Steve Sipe steve? Im sure you have much more info on the subject than i do, i just find it very strange that Charles would lie about such a thing, b/c its really not much of anything to lie about. I trust what you have uncovered, but i certainly dont trust anything that GA or GAI says. And as you said, pretty much everything he wrote about GA and GAI is true.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Frost on August 21, 2013 at 4:06pm

I am sorry but I am trying to catch up on a few of the issues going on here. I would 1st like to ask if anyone knows who Bob Gryder is and if there is any information known about him as far as him being an autograph authenticator?

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Permalink Reply by Randy on August 21, 2013 at 4:19pm

I am familiar with Bob. He dates back to the old GAI and was originally their authenticator of primarily current sports stars. I think he had been a long time collector chasing autographs and believe he was pretty knowledgeable of today's era of players. Hehas been authenticating autographs for at least 5 years and probably longer.

I believe he is still with Global Authentics and is possibly their top authenticator other than Steve Sipe. I'm sure he has gained a lot of knowledge over the years on vintage autographs but he certainly is not as experienced as the top authenticators of the other major 3rd party services. However, I have seen some of their full LOAs with his name on them and the items are authentic.

I think both his and Steve's names are on all of their full LOAs.