New User - Steiner Complication

[jlabadie88]

Hello all,

I have recently acquired a game-used World Series ball with Jeter's signature. The ball has MLB authentication and the signature doesn't appear at all to be a forgery. The ball was to come with Steiner provenance, but all I received was one of the generic Steiner credit card style certificates with no bar code, and the ball is not affixed with a Steiner sticker.

So essentially, it looks like I have nothing to validate the Jeter signature. I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with the Steiner method of authentication, as I thought they used the hologram on all items.

[Phil316]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Maybe try contacting Steiner about the situation. Does the MLB sticker mentionanything about it being signed by Jeter ?

[cliffjmp33]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

In my experience I had sent in baseballs to be signed and received back a generic Steiner card certifying the autograph. However, each time the ball was affixed with a sticker. Possibly they just forgot to do put the sticker on? May be worth contacting the person or business you acquired it from as to the lack of sticker.

Off hand if I recall post elsewhere on this site, Steiner may recertify the item of theirs for a cost. I don't know the truth or cost if that is true though.

[jlabadie88]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

I spoke with Steiner and provided the auction lot details and a picture of the certificate. The said they typically don't affix send-in items with a sticker. So in my case they said what most likely happened is this was such a send-in item. They guaranteed based on what they saw (including the COA) it was legitimate.

Again I'm not concerned, as the Jeter sig doesn't appear at all to be a forgery. Could be a slight issue someday regarding resale but oh well.

[jlabadie88]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

The MLB sticker only attests to game use.

[Wrigley2010]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Why would Steiner send a generic cert card out with a baseball that cost a significant amount to get signed? Am I the only one who finds this absurd? I mean why even give the cert card if there is no way to tie it to the item the customer paid for? This opens a whole new can of worms... If it's known that Steiner issues cert cards without a holo for send in Jeter autos then wouldn't this make it easier for forgeries to be passed on as Steiner authentics?

I understand Jeter's auto would be a challenging one to forge but I guarantee it can and has been done with some effectiveness. Now you give that same forger with a generic cert card the ability to list a Jeter auto as a Steiner send in??? Honestly, I have always found Steiners business practices to be the lowest in the industry and for lack of a better word, lazy.

[marino13]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

This makes NO sense what so ever.

If you can post pictures of the item along with the MLB hologram - things can be sort out --- other than that, it is just a lot of mumble jumble.

[sctizzle]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Any send in I've done with Steiner has always gotten a Steiner hologram and Coa card.

[ShaimOnYou]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Why would Steiner send a generic cert card out with a baseball that cost a significant amount to get signed? Am I the only one who finds this absurd? I mean why even give the cert card if there is no way to tie it to the item the customer paid for? This opens a whole new can of worms... If it's known that Steiner issues cert cards without a holo for send in Jeter autos then wouldn't this make it easier for forgeries to be passed on as Steiner authentics?

I understand Jeter's auto would be a challenging one to forge but I guarantee it can and has been done with some effectiveness. Now you give that same forger with a generic cert card the ability to list a Jeter auto as a Steiner send in??? Honestly, I have always found Steiners business practices to be the lowest in the industry and for lack of a better word, lazy.

Couldn't agree more, Wrigley2010.

I keep saying this, and I'll say it until my end of days. If we as collectors ACCEPT these kind of practices as OK, then we will get what we deserve. A collection full of questionable second-rate stuff worth less than what we paid for it.

That's not my idea of a fun hobby. DEMAND better.

I wouldn't send ANYTHING to Steiner for a signature from any athlete because of their seriously flawed authentication system for "send-ins". I mean, what makes a "send-in" item any less authenticatable, with Steiner representatives present, than their own items they are having signed by the athlete???

They should handle BOTH in the same manner, and apply their sticker to the item sent in for signature, as BOTH (Steiner's own items and the send-in's) are being created in the same manner, under their supervision.

Chris

[ShaimOnYou]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Any send in I've done with Steiner has always gotten a Steiner hologram and Coa card.

If that's true, then I believe jlababie88 purchased something from Steiner that they acted as a third-party authenticator on. It would make sense that Steiner wouldn't apply their sticker on the Jeter ball if it wasn't signed in their presence, but would sell it with their generic authentication card if they believed the signature to be true.

Otherwise, the dang thing should have come with a sticker.

[Phil316]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Couldn't agree more, Wrigley2010.

I keep saying this, and I'll say it until my end of days. If we as collectors ACCEPT these kind of practices as OK, then we will get what we deserve. A collection full of questionable second-rate stuff worth less than what we paid for it.

That's not my idea of a fun hobby. DEMAND better.

I wouldn't send ANYTHING to Steiner for a signature from any athlete because of their seriously flawed authentication system for "send-ins". I mean, what makes a "send-in" item any less authenticatable, with Steiner representatives present, than their own items they are having signed by the athlete???

They should handle BOTH in the same manner, and apply their sticker to the item sent in for signature, as BOTH (Steiner's own items and the send-in's) are being created in the same manner, under their supervision.

Chris

Very well said. Honestly I have used a couple different companies to send my item to get signed by certain players. I would never use Steiner for the reasons mentioned above.

Also contrary to what you may believe all you need is a team of great forgers to consistently pump out fakes. i wish I could name the company but cannot due to certain circumstances. Needless to say any person looking to fake an item even Jeters can do so.

[Phil316]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

Also for reference it is not unheard of people selling just the COA's from Steiner. If I recall a seller on ebay was selling large amounts of COA's from several MLB players.

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=58268&highlight=Steiner+coa

So it can be done.

[cliffjmp33]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

I should have been clearer in my reference to a generic COA card. I meant it was not like ones with a detailed barcode. It was just a typed name of the person like the one attached below.

[Wrigley2010]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

I would consider that a generic Steiner cert.

One question that needs to be answered here is whether this is a Steiner issue or an auction house issue. Obviously, Steiner can not be responsible for one of their cert cards if an auction house allowed it as provenance for an item which was void of a hologram. Heck, I have a more Steiner cert cards than I can shake a stick at but I consider them useless if they do not accompany their designated autograph. Which auction house did you win this from?

[Redcar23]

Re: New User - Steiner Complication

I would consider that a generic Steiner cert.

One question that needs to be answered here is whether this is a Steiner issue or an auction house issue. Obviously, Steiner can not be responsible for one of their cert cards if an auction house allowed it as provenance for an item which was void of a hologram. Heck, I have a more Steiner cert cards than I can shake a stick at but I consider them useless if they do not accompany their designated autograph. Which auction house did you win this from?

Steiner does issue holograms and cards for their send in items. You get a generic card back because they will authenticate the signature only, not the item (who knows if you are sending in a knockoff authentic jersey) so there will be nothing about the item exept "Derek Jeter Autograph" or "Derek Jeter Flat Autograph" or something along those lines.

If anyone has any questions for them, instead of everyone just adding more speculation, why not just reach out and ask.