Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on January 28, 2023 at 11:09am

A cheaper and faster alternative would be the quick opinion services. 

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on January 28, 2023 at 11:15am

I may be wrong, but don't you have to submit either auction house or valid eBay listings to PSA?  Not sure if you can just submit your own scans with no listing info. included.

Beckett I know allows you to just submit an image without it being an auction listing. 

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on January 28, 2023 at 11:16am

Good point. I wonder if all three (PSA, Beckett and JSA) all offer quick opinion? Would be interesting to see what each say and how they vary in opinion. I could even submit the same autograph example to each so this would be a controlled experiment. Maybe send the one that looks most convincing? 

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on January 28, 2023 at 12:08pm

I don't believe JSA does quick opinion.

Beckett does and will accept a simple scan submitted by the customer.

PSA, as I mentioned, does quick opinion but will only work off of an auction listing (from eBay or an auction house) as far as I know..

Permalink Reply by JK on January 28, 2023 at 11:15am

Thx for the offer.  I added a friend request and if you reply I'll send you my address.  I'd reimburse postage and I'd post updates along the way to show the progress/result.

Thx!

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on January 28, 2023 at 11:19am

Also might be useful for us if you scanned them all in and sent us the scans to those who want the scans (I would be interested in receiving the scans). 

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Permalink Reply by JK on January 28, 2023 at 11:20am

Good idea.

I could do that, too.

It's about visibility.

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on January 28, 2023 at 9:30am

I remember I bought a Harvey sketch on RRAuction years ago and it was later discovered it was a forgery, very likely one from this same forger since it looks similar to those in that lot. Fortunately RRAuction refunded me. I think I ended up sending the forgery back to them. Not sure what they did with it. 

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Permalink Reply by BGK on January 28, 2023 at 11:23am

I use PSA Quick Opinion frequently, on average twice a week; since I live nearby their Woodbridge NJ office, I can drop off the auctions I win personally.  Beckett also has an opinion service which I have not used yet.  I also live nearby JSA and when I visited their office last December I was told they have an opinion service "in the works" but apparently it's been that way for some time.  No one at the JSA office could offer an estimate on when that service might become available.

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on January 28, 2023 at 11:29am

Good to know, thanks.

Maybe I would pick the most convincing three and just send one to each of the major services through their regular service and see what happens. Then I could post a report on how “trustworthy” the companies are when sent proven forgeries. If they all reject them then that would be great but I have a feeling one or two or even all three will incorrectly authentic them. Would be good reference to know how good the TPA are, at least when it comes to these known forgeries. If they do their research they would find this thread here and reject them based on their search. 

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Permalink Reply by BGK on January 28, 2023 at 11:40am

Unfortunately, the subject of TPA credibility is a minefield.  Here's what I do when buying on ebay, and it may not work for you: first, disregard anyone not named PSA, JSA or Beckett.  (Although Steiner and Upper Deck are okay in their respective niches).  Second, do your own homework: compare the signature you're considering with known examples if possible.  Third, ask someone (if value warrants)... you can pay PSA or Beckett (what I usually do), or consult the experts right here on this board (just don't be a pest).  I've written at some length about the fakes on ebay, so no need to repeat here; I regard TPAs as a useful though imperfect tool.

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on January 28, 2023 at 11:49am

I just did a quick search and it looks like each charge $35 to authenticate James Stewart, but with JSA I can do a basic cert for $20, so it would cost about $100 plus fees and shipping to do my experiment. 

I usually do my own research when buying autographs but I always find it interesting because I have seen the three major third parties all make mistakes and authenticate absolute fakes (sometimes even an preprint letter!). So I am curious which ones would know about these James Stewart forgeries that have been around since 2012. RRAuction didn’t know about them until a few years later, so it makes it scary to think about other new forgeries these forgers are now producing. 

I am curious with these James Stewart forgeries, did they bother getting photos printed/produced before 1997 (or when the actor was alive and could have signed them) or did they not even worry about that detail when they were making these fakes? I see they are all signed using sharpie which definitely existed in James Stewart’s time but I would think the ink might age a little between a photo signed in 2012 and one signed in the 1990s. But maybe not enough of a difference to notice. Just stuff to consider if someone is studying these. 

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