Altered Kobe Bryant Pro-Cut Jersey Being Advertised on eBay with D. C. Sports LOA as Game Used Rookie Jersey

[trsent]

From eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=221283205038

Title: "Kobe Bryant Signed Game Worn 1996-1997 Rookie Jersey! D.C. Sports LOA!!"

"You are looking at the holy grail of Kobe Bryant jerseys! This is his game worn 1996-1997 home rookie Los Angeles Lakers jersey! It is a size 44 body length plus 4 inches! Kobe only wore champion manufactured jerseys his rookie year! The front of the jersey has the proper gold NBA logo and has some signatures of some of the LA Lakers from that season including Shaquille O'Neal. The signatures are faded but not a big deal, the main thing is this is a True Kobe Bryant Rookie Game Worn Jersey!"

So, I see this jersey, which you can see the pictures of the listed eBay jersey below:













I cropped the D. C. Sports Letter of Authenticity from the original listing so it is easy to read. As you can see in this letter, Dan Ceniceros states:

"The above mentioned jersey shows accurate wear and was obtained by an impeccable source inside the NBA who has access to player before, during and after games."

Later the letter reads: "The jersey is concurrent with the examples we have in our library and it is our belief that this jersey is a one hundred percent authentic Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant 1996-1997 Signed Game Worn Rookie Home Jersey."

The letter of authenticity is then signed by Dan Ceniceros, Owner of D. C. Sports Collectibles.

Looks like a pretty neat jersey with faded autographed by various Los Angeles Lakers on the front of the jersey. It also has a nice autograph that appears to be Kobe Bryant's autograph on the #8 on the back of the jersey.

Now, let's take a look at another eBay listing that was ended early by the seller - eBay Item #271252678611 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=271252678611


The title: "Kobe Bryant 1996/97 ROOKIE Los Angeles Lakers Un-Used Pro-Cut Game Issued Jersey"

The description:

"Kobe Bryant #8 1996/1997 Los Angeles Lakers ROOKIE SEASON Pro-Cut / Un-Used/Worn Game Issued Home Jersey. Champion Jersey. Size 44. "Designed & Tailored Exclusively for Los Angeles Lakers BODY LENGTH +4" tag. 1996/1997 NBAS 50th Anniversary gold logo. MADE IN USA. 100% NYLON. All letters and numbers are sewn on. NOT GAME-USED. Like NEW condition. This was a blank Los Angeles game issued jersey that was purchased and lettered to the exact specifications of the NBA team as "BRYANT 8". This jersey was autographed by several members of the 1996/1997 Los Angeles Lakers and have faded off over time, I can make out Shaquille O'Neal and Robert Horry. They are very faint but can still be seen. Jersey measures 22 inches from armpit to armpit, and 35 inches from top of back of neck to bottom."

Take a look at the text I enlarged and highlighted in red in the original eBay description.

I will continue this discussion in the next post as I need to add more pictures from the original eBay listing which will begin the next post in this discussion.

[trsent]

All images from original eBay Listing #271252678611.

So, I contact the seller from the game used jersey on eBay with the following question: "Dear jerseyking55,

Are you sure this is a true rookie Kobe game worn jersey? It looks identical to the Kobe jersey sold two months ago in eBay item #271252678611 that was sold as a blank pro-cut that was professionally lettered."

I receive the following reply shortly after: "Yes, The jersey is sourced from DC Sports as you can see from the LOA"

So, the seller of this jersey doesn't believe the jersey to be altered or that the jersey listed original in eBay Listing #271252678611 is the same jersey. I tell you what - It is 100% the same exact jersey with the faded autographs on the front and the air-holes match perfectly if you match the two jerseys up from each listing.

Then I submit the autograph on the back of the jersey to PSA/DNA for a Quick Opinion and it comes back not authentic!

Finally, I communicate with the original seller of the jersey selling it as a pro-cut and he told me that he sold the jersey to Mark Montero in August and Mark told him that he sold the jersey to Ryan Covell of Florida as a pro-cut jersey. The seller of the game used jersey on eBay is located in Orlando, FL.

There is a lot of explaining to do here about this jersey as how it has a letter stating it is a game used Kobe Bryant Rookie game worn jersey now with a questionable autograph is a major concern for the integrity of the industry and the hobby as a whole.

I hope these questions are addressed and answered on this forum.

[trsent]

So a time frame is set, the original auction selling this jersey as a pro-cut was ended on eBay August 4th, 2013 while the jersey was listed as a game used autographed jersey with a letter of authenticity on September 14th, 2013.

That means in about a 40 day time frame this jersey went from Milwaukee, who states they shipped it to Louisiana, to where they state it was shipped to Florida and somewhere during this time the jersey was supposedly autographed by Kobe Bryant and it was authenticated as game used by an authenticator in California.

[sportscentury]

Thanks for sharing -- very interesting. Dan, Mark and Ryan are all registered GUU members, so perhaps they can chime in here and offer their thoughts/insights.

[mickeymbz]

The seller of the rook on ebay, i believe ,was not trying to pull a fast one. he truly believed it was the real mccoy,,, the shady part lies in mark montero aka mmontes.,,,, he knowing traded the bogus rook as a game worn to ryan for a genuine 95-96 bulls rodman shirt. He is the purchaser from MSauctions cuz he lives in Louisiana. This aint the first time this clown has pulled a fast one,,, in fact thats 2 now in a month thats been posted on this site. will you still gotta love his dream team jordan with tackle twill numbers..after all he did "pay a lot for it".

[mickeymbz]

Montero comes off as some kinda expert on NBA stuff,, and he uses whatever stature he thinks he has from this site,,, others have been banned for knowingly selling and altering items as game used when they are not,,, time this bozo goes before more collectors are scammed.

[Takuleechch]

I would think the auto was legit. Dan has access to Kobe and psa only did a quick opinion which isn't always accurate.

[trsent]

I would think the auto was legit. Dan has access to Kobe and psa only did a quick opinion which isn't always accurate.

How does Dan have access to Kobe that he can get his autograph upon request? I have been told this isn't the first time a major authenticator has not passed a Kobe autograph linked to Dan.

If you are going to defend Dan's relationship with Kobe Bryant please explain to me what that relationship is as Dan recently wrote a letter that a jersey came from a source with Los Angeles Lakers team access and it turns out that was not true.

How does Dan have access to Kobe Bryant on demand?

I have seen more Michael Jordan autographs that were signed in the locker room but not signed by Michael Jordan. Does Dan have Kobe's cell phone number and when someone pays him he calls Kobe and Kobe tells him to come over to sign his jersey?

[trsent]

Mitch Schumacher (masauction) sent me a copy of an email he received from Ryan just five days ago. I find this email interesting as I wonder what the intentions are.


From: ryanjerseyb@aol.com
To: masauction@aol.com
Sent: 10/7/2013 12:09:29 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Jerseys

If I send you a pro cut Tom Gugliotta 2002-2003 throwback Suns jersey and anAmare Stoudemire 2002-2003 same style throwback, could you change theStoudemire over to the pro cut jersey? The name on the back and the number?
Sent from my iPhone=

[abstractheory]

"If I send you a pro cut Tom Gugliotta 2002-2003 throwback Suns jersey and anAmare Stoudemire 2002-2003 same style throwback, could you change theStoudemire over to the pro cut jersey? The name on the back and the number?"