The Art of Authentication

How to avoid getting burnt in the Autograph Hobby

Gino,9, left, and Jason Briamonte, center, get their autographed Philadelphia Phillies baseball cards from Cristopher Sanchez, Jose Alvarado, and Johan Rojas authenticated by Vince Diiorio, right, at Dynasty Sports & Framing’s meet and greet event in the Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne on Thursday, July 25, 2024. / Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

When I found out James Spence Authentication was going to be set up at a show that I do as a dealer, I was ecstatic. The timing was impeccable. I had just purchased a collection which included a combination of sports cards and memorabilia. There were hundreds of autographs that needed authentication. The highlights were numerous. Mickey Mantle signatures and a book signed by legendary running back Jim Brown to name a couple.

The day of the show I loaded my personal dealer inventory and also brought the 4 Mantle autographed pieces and the Jim Brown Autograph book. To my experienced eye they looked like the real McCoy, but you never know with autographs. Many unscrupulous people have honed their craft of forging signatures. Even in the early days many a clubhouse attendant could scratch out autos just like the superstars they worked for. In a recent Chubb article they pointed out that the FBI estimates that 50% of signed memorabilia are fraudulent. Most hobby experts will tell you the percentage may be closer to 70% than 50%. JSA themselves has said that 95% of the Michael Jordan autographs they examine do not garner authentication. Along with Mantle it's one of the hobby's most forged autos. So I turned in my autos to JSA before the show doors opened and crossed my fingers as I went to tend to my three tables.

So how do navigate the autographed memorabilia terrain and avoid getting scorched? Obviously an in-person auto is the best and most enjoyable way. You could also buy one which is already authenticated by a major and known company. The top three in the space are JSA, PSA/DNA and Beckett but there are others.

The major players in authentication / Online

What about some tips if the first two scenarios above aren't possibilities. The old adage applies here "if it's too good to be true, it probably is". Be wary of autos priced lower than comps/market prices. Research what an authenticated auto of that person looks like and compare. Ask the owner about the provenance of the item, how, when and where it was obtained. Some of the aforementioned authenticators offer a "Quick Opinion" service for a nominal fee. Using photos they'll give a non-guaranteed opinion. This is nice option and may save you from buying something that is a fugazi for sure.

Be wary of authentication letters from unknown entities and even faked ones from legit ones. Most use holographic technologies now to prevent unauthorized reproductions. Also a picture of a player signing is not proof of anything. Many photos like that are procured for the internet and a very common technique used by forgers.

To close out this piece, I'm happy to report my 5 items turned into JSA passed the muster and all received authentication.

One of the favorite pastimes at McCabe Golf Course and the CCGA tournament on Aug. 13, 1974, was to get the autograph of former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle, right. One of the lucky ones was Morris Rosa of White Bridge Road. / Jimmy Ellis / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK