About KSA - is this Suspicious?

So I've been testing KSA to see if I should give them my business. They have NO list of athletes whose autographs they can authenticate, unlike PSA/JSA. Initially, I asked KSA if they could authenticate autographs of women's soccer players in Canada (Christine Sinclair, Erin Macleod, and Karina LeBlanc). They said yes. That sounded strange to me because Canadian soccer players aren't exactly the most famous people in the world and there are very few autographs being sold. I did another test on KSA, and this time I asked if they could authenticate autographs for Rosie Maclennan or Karen Cockburn (two Olympic trampolinist) and they said yes and yes which further made me suspicious.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't exemplars of athletes take years to collect where you would have to see how they signs under different environments and how their autographs have changed over the years? Until last year's Olympics, these athletes weren't well-known at all and even now, if I ask you whether you know Rosie Maclennan or Karen Cockburn, how many of you will say yes? There just doesn't seem to be a market for these athletes' autographs. Just do a search on Ebay and you will see how few there are. So why would KSA spend money collecting these athletes' exemplars when the chance of someone requesting an authentication is few and far between? So is it suspicious that KSA apparently has exemplars (which, I mentioned before, I think would take years to collect) of athletes who didn't become well-known until after last year's Olympics? I am just afraid that KSA is saying "yes" everytime you ask if they have someone's exemplars.

I am new to this, so feel free to correct me if you don't think this is suspicious. I'd also be interested in knowing if, in general, KSA is known to be accurate in their authentication. I know they aren't as credible as PSA or JSA, but I'd like to know if they are at least somewhat credible.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on October 29, 2013 at 8:50pm

KSA actually just started "authenticating." They were a well known card grader for years before. I would stay away from KSA for now, although limited, I have seen some items authenticated by them that I question. Hopefully they'll straighten out because it would be nice having a Canadian authenticator.

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Permalink Reply by VVinola on October 29, 2013 at 9:15pm

Hey there, you were the one who helped me with that Edmonton Oilers puck, were you? :) Please tell me more. Whose autograph did KSA authenticate that made you question them?

And I did not know that KSA only "just" started authenticating. In that case, does it make it EVEN more suspicious that they apparently have these Canadian female athletes' autographs? I've asked before and I'll ask again: Don't exemplars take years to develop? How can a company that just started authenticating know how someone's autograph has changed over the years?

Yes, I agree. It would be nice having a Canadian authenticator. In the meantime, do you know who I would go to for Canadian athletes like the ones I mentioned? JSA/PSA aren't familiar with any of them.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kaminski on October 30, 2013 at 5:44am

Honestly I wouldn't know who to go. Sports shops would likely be willing to give your their opinions but they're not authenticating anything. Could always email the teams/representatives themselves and see. I have no idea about exemplars but they could have bought a database, still doesn't make me trust their judgment until I see good things coming from them. I saw a Jacques Plante signed stick that looked like it was signed last week authenticated by them. All the other, low-key autographs on the stick were pretty much very faded but the Plante was in pristine condition.

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Permalink Reply by VVinola on October 30, 2013 at 9:13am

KSA might be able to buy a database If there's a huge market for those autographs, but where the heck would they buy a database of Rosie Maclennan or Karen Cockburn autographs? Most people have never watched trampoline competitions to know them, let alone ask their autographs. And even now (post-Olympic), there's only like 1 autograph of Karen Cockburn being sold on Ebay and maybe 3-4 on Rosie Maclennan. There's just no demand for them. The president of KSA (who's been replying to my e-mails) is very short with his answers. I asked him how he could authenticate someone not too well-known and he would just say "we have exemplars" and I asked if I could get a quick opinion like how PSA offers and he said "Sorry, we have to see the item". No further explanation. I am not sure if the guy's just busy or it's his personality to give short answers, or if he is hiding something.

Thanks for answering my question.