If you have ever offered autographs for sale, then you know how important it is that these autographs are authentic and that you have a certificate of authenticity to go with them. Unfortunately, unless you are very knowledgeable about the world of collectables, it is a very much possible that you have been hard when you had the authenticity certified. The reason for this is that authenticators also want to make money and they hope that these things are never checked.

Are Your Autographs for Sale Authentic?

Unfortunately, we live in the world in which everything could be turned into a money-making scheme. This includes autograph authentication. There are two third party authentication services that are globally recognised as being good, and they are the PSA and the JSA. Unfortunately, these are also quite expensive as a service and bogus authentication companies try to take advantage of that. What day will do is tell you, as an unsuspecting customer, that’s deep PSA and JSA are not incredibly trustworthy and that they’re authentication service is just as good if not better. To make you trust them more, they will even often offer you a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. Unfortunately, this is a huge problem within the industry of autographed memorabilia.

The result of these bogus lifetime guarantee of authenticity is that the entire industry has been compromised. On a legal basis, these lifetime guarantees are not backed by any responsibilities, standards, or criteria. Not just that, it is unlikely that they have any clear explanation of what they actually guarantee. In fact, many customers believe that the guarantee means that it would pass PSA or JSA authentication or they would get their money back. In reality, that is not what it means at all. Rather, these organizations cover themselves by stating they do not accept the authority of the PSA or JSA and therefore also do not need to guarantee that they’re results will be the same.

As a collector, or a sinner of collectibles, this is problematic for you in two different ways. First of all, it makes it more difficult for you to sell your own items, even if you believe them to be fully authentic. Secondly, it makes it more difficult for you to find items that genuinely are authentic. Overall, it undermines the entire industry. It is clearly required that a standard is set that is acceptable all over the country, if not the world. Most industry experts agree that this is precisely what the PSA and JSA offer. What is needed, therefore, is that regular individuals within the industries, collectors just like you, also accept that. Doing so will instantly put an end to bogus authentication services that aren’t worth the paper they write their certificates on.

If you want to sell autographs, make sure they are certified authentic by either the PSA or the JSA. This is a guarantee that they actually are the real deal and that is something to be proud of.