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How can PSA deem a squiggly line as an authentic autograph?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Adkins on March 25, 2015 at 8:13am

So, I'm assuming that any dealer who does large volume business with these 3rd party authenticators or maybe anyone who works for these companies can get a sticker on just about anything? Troubling....

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 25, 2015 at 8:42am

A few weeks back, after I got them pulled from Ebay, JSA certed two autographs from my favorite band, clearly having no clue what they were doing and just blindly trusting the seller (who was decidedly a forger). After I wrote a blunt email to JSA about their lazy rubber stamping practices, one of them was pulled - the other had already been sold. Not sure whether it was Ebay or JSA that took action. Not only were they fake, they were just about the only fakes on Ebay from that band that I'd seen at all the past couple years.

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Permalink Reply by Mike T on March 25, 2015 at 8:48am

Just about.. look at presspasscollectibles on ebay. They never cease to have an inventory of PSA certed forgeries, and it seems that whatever PSA won't pass they send to JSA and JSA will pass it. It's a bit of a joke really, but you have to remember that PSA and JSA are in this business to make money, not to help collectors out of the bottom of their hearts. If you were in business and had to certify a few forgeries to keep tens of thousands of dollars in regular revenue flowing.. what would you do?

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Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on March 25, 2015 at 1:48pm

I'm betting PSA doesn't fail any of their items. I bet Presspasscollectibles intentionally sends their items to both to establish and keep a relationship going in case they are ever in a bind and need to revert to one company or the other.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Adkins on March 25, 2015 at 8:59am

If you really can't totally rely on PSA or JSA, what's a "newbie" to do until he has accumulated the knowledge and experience to "fend for himself". I have been told that just because a seller belongs to UACC or IADA, doesn't guarantee an authentic signature. Is there a listing of dealers who are honest and have the necessary expertise to warrant doing business with?

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Permalink Reply by Mike T on March 25, 2015 at 9:04am

PSA and JSA give you a better shot at buying authentic signatures but they are far from perfect.

Your job as the collector is to study the signatures you are interested in and learn everything you can about them so you can make an informed decision when you purchase. There are invaluable resources on this site and others at your disposal, including many many collectors who I personally consider much better than the "experts" out there. Use them!

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Permalink Reply by Mike Adkins on March 25, 2015 at 9:13am

Thanks Mike T, I guess it will be a "growing process" to acquire the knowledge and have the ability to recognize correct signatures and to find the good dealers. I am expecting I will trip up, occasionally, along the way. Much appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Sports n Stuff on March 27, 2015 at 10:24am

Or if you have the time..you can try and get them yourself! Then you know what your getting is real! Pretty hard if you don't have the free time thou!

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Permalink Reply by Frank Johnson on March 25, 2015 at 9:11am

What I do is educate myself the best I can on who I collect. Every thing about the signature. Flow .etc. And then if I think it looks real I buy it. A lot of the items I see are so bad it is easy to tell if they are faked or not. It is really sad that you can't trust PSA/JSA anymore. They have just gotten so big, I think they just pass items thru and count the money. It has gotten so bad, that I don't collect anything like I used to. I am 47 and when I was a kid I would write athletes, celebrities and I would guess 80% of them would sign for me thru the mail. Not anymore. Dealers have ruined it for all of us.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Adkins on March 25, 2015 at 9:20am

Thanks Frank, I'm excited about collecting autographs, not in hopes of making money, but to have a small connection to people I have admired. Having started, it now seems a bit daunting, but as you point out education is the key. I guess when I first started, I thought all you had to do was find the autograph at the price you could afford to pay, but it appears that it's really not that simple. I will read and study all I can in hopes of minimizing my mistakes. Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Frank Johnson on March 25, 2015 at 12:08pm

Mike, good luck to you it is great to have a passion for something like collecting. Also remember one of the golden rules if you see something that looks to good to be true it probably is.