I have been reading through quite a few threads recently about Game Used/Auction Houses/eBay items/LOA's & COA's, and it brought up a couple of questions about authentication. I would like to see how others would answer them.

It seems that when discussing a Game Used item the LOA/COA issued by an institution/person has been recently 'discrediting', or weighing heavily, the thoughts people have on that item.

Such comments as, LOA from Lou Lampson, must be garbage. Or 100% Authentic Team, WTF!? JUNK, and now most recently GFC Letters are getting slammed.

(The above comments are not verbatim, they were written by myself, only to make a point. These are not my personal thoughts or opinions, nor the thoughts and opinions of others)

So, why is it that the average joe cannot make a LOA/COA for an item that they are trying to sell if they have all the correct information that would outweigh a LOA/COA from a Big Named Company?

Would it be wrong if I were to purchase a game used item, photomatch/videomatch it to a particular date/game, type up a letter that states all of my findings (including the pictures/video, and any other concrete evidence that proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the item is legit) and sell it with my personal LOA?

Why don't others, who clearly have more authenticating knowledge than some of the other Big Name authenticators, make up their own LOA's?

Why do you think that personal LOA's, with concrete evidence, would still be less desirable that Big Name LOA's?

I would be very interested in hearing some of your thoughts.