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What's the Scoop on Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators, a New Authentication Company?

Could it be real... as in they know what they are doing?

http://gfaauthenticated.com/guarantee/ could it be that TPA's have some competition?

If authenticity is determined under such “Guarantee Resubmission” procedures to be found non-authentic, GFA shall pay the purchase price for the autograph in question or at the owner of the signature’s option to replace the signature with a GFA authenticated signature of the original signer of similar item and value. GFA will also refund the reauthentication fee and postage and insurance costs incurred by the signature owner in sending the signature to GFA. It is understood that GFA will replace the signature or refund the purchase price after reexamination and a verifiable receipt of price paid is supplied to GFA.

Of course, it would be nice to know what the procedures for determining non-authentic are..

Service pricing model seems reasonable;

http://gfaauthenticated.com/services/

Since it's headed up by Steve Rocchi could there be another player in town?;

Since 1991 Stephen Rocchi former PSA President, and founder, a former President, CEO and Founder of Global Authentication and was responsible for hiring JSA authenticator Jimmy Spence also a former PSA authenticator. Stephen Rocchi has been instrumental in bringing the three largest authentication companies into the sports world.”

Since it stands for Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA). and so long as we keep certain FDE's out of it - wouldn't it be nice.

Tags: GFA, GFA-Authentication

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 31, 2012 at 2:40pm

Emailed them again and it was kicked back. I have a feeling GFA is DOA.

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Permalink Reply by DB on February 10, 2012 at 3:41am

too bad as there is a need for something new...

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on February 16, 2012 at 5:43pm

From this month's Coach's Corner. Yeah, Drew Max, Forensic Document Examiner. Look at this garbage "authenticated" by someone who has the title of FDE. Stinking pathetic.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on February 16, 2012 at 5:48pm

Think about this this; how many tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of autographs have been "authenticated" by Chris Morales, Drew Max, and Ted Taylor!!!!

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Permalink Reply by DB on April 20, 2012 at 3:37am

seems a couple of posts over on the mantle threads seem to be answering the question;

P Reply by Christopher Williams 13 hours ago

According to their website, the $30.00 Level III Service Includes:

Ink analysis, Document analysis (when possible), Chain of custody of the item, background of when the item was signed (if possible). It will also include a Letter of Authenticity, describing the item, the signature, what type of ink was used, a biography of the signer, a photograph, and GFA’s full guarantee of authenticity.

You did all of the above on the below Mantle and you passed it, Mr. Rocchi?

Reply by Christopher Williams 13 hours ago: Here is a link to their website.

http://gfaauthenticated.com/

Try to contact them. You can't. A few of my friends and myself have attempted on numerous occasions to contact them but to no avail. From what I can observe, they do not accept individual authentication submissions from the public.

Although according to their website they have three levels of service ranging from $10.00 to a high of $30.00. $30.00 for a forensic examination? Really?

More later. I might start a thread on this subject.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on April 20, 2012 at 5:07am

DB, thank you for cutting and pasting my posts over here. I had forgotten about this thread started by you. This is where the posts belong.

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Permalink Reply by DB on April 20, 2012 at 5:27am

no problem - once we get going around here we are all well known to wander... pulled the cert over from the post by seller protectandjustice from ebay as I don't think we have had an example of it. Except for the cert number the cert appears very generic and reminds me of burczyk especially if the numbers can't be easily verified online.

I wonder how this "satisfaction" claim is honored since Cyrkin can't reach them by email at last posting; GFA has in place a cash-back authentication guarantee, on every autograph authenticated by GFA. All autographs forensically authenticated by GFA are guaranteed to be Genuine.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Durborow on May 19, 2012 at 6:22pm

Their validity seems pretty poor to me right now. I came across your discussion while researching them. They are also providing Numismatic (Coin) services now. They provided certification for several coins I have recently purchased, the most notable of which is an 1837 Coronet large cent. They certified it to be in 'Mint State Plus' condition which means that it would be a high quality UN-circulated coin. Unfortunately the coin is circulated and has heavy wear and corrosion on it. I WOULD NOT TRUST THEIR WORK!

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on October 22, 2012 at 5:34am

Here's one from GFA (Stephen Rocchi) on Ebay right now. Look at these pathetic forgeries.

This one is listed by Ebay seller albaniachicago.

The website AtAuction has listed and sold dozens of these garbage Mantle autographs. Pathetic.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Framed-Autographed-Mickey-Mantle-Billy-Mart...

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Permalink Reply by DB on October 22, 2012 at 5:57am

well AML member Steve Rocchi was invited to another forum dicussion and hasn't made an appearance thus there is no reason to believe he will surface here either. Then again it's always nice to hold out hope even if it is slim.

At 9:51am on September 12, 2012, DB said…

Theee are a number of people with lots of questions wanting to chat with you. Do come over to this AML http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/the-autograph-authen... thread as there are lots of unanswered questions that you might be able to solve.

although back in August he did post here; August 6, 2012 at 11:11am

Hi Steve, How are you this is Stephen Rocchi, I am not sure how to contact you, I would love to catch up and tell you what I am doing. Can you give me way to contact you. I would love to talk to you about GFA.

would be great if he did come back online and speak to the issues surfaced.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on October 25, 2012 at 6:19pm

These are really horrific!!!!

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Permalink Reply by DB on October 26, 2012 at 1:41am

Although like many other places the COA is signed by the "head cheese" but not doing the authentications. Thus presuming it was done by their "FDE" John Gorajczyk it would be once again apparent that credentials does not equal capability. Since Rocchi has gone stealth for the moment we may just never know.