Lampson AMI Connection?

[sportscentury]

Reid,

Just to clarify. I don't work for AMI, but I did do some minor editing for them. I was not paid for this, and would gladly help them again if asked.

This topic has been addressed numerous times before. Lou doesn't own 100% authentic and never did. It's simply a tracking system for certs issued.

Regards,
Dave

Dave,

If you do not feel comfortable answering this, please disregard. But I have read your multiple posts that have stated that you have not been paid/compensated by AMI and I have become curious. Being that you both have done editing work for AMI and consign items to AMI, does AMI require you to pay the same consignment/commission fees that are listed in their consignment contract and that others are charged? [See http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/d...20Contract.pdf]. I know for a fact that, on occasion, AMI has reduced/waived these consignment/commission fees for certain consignors in the past. Your posts that have made a point of stating that you have not been paid/compensated by AMI has sparked my interest. Thanks.

Best,
Reid

[CollectGU]

All of AMI's catalogues (page 23 in the last one) have an entire page devoted to "The 100% Authentic Team" and ends with the statement:

"Any item listed in American Memorabilia's catalogs
has met the utmost standard of validity and has
received the endorsement of "100% Authentic".

How is that possible if it is only a tracking system?

If this is only a tracking system for Lou, why are other experts listed as members of the "100% Authentic Team?"

This doesn't add up.

Rob,

It is used to track items from ALL of their authenticators not just Lou. I think it is irresponsible of you as a forum administrator to insinuate on this forum that there is something other than what I explained going on without bothering to call them and ask them. What exactly are you saying doesn't add up about the website being originally developed years ago to do third party authentications ( much like Grey Flannel does) deciding against doing that and simply using it to certs for their items?

Regards,
Dave

[CollectGU]

Dave,

If you do not feel comfortable answering this, please disregard. But I have read your multiple posts that have stated that you have not been paid/compensated by AMI and I have become curious. Being that you both have done editing work for AMI and consign items to AMI, does AMI require you to pay the same consignment/commission fees that are listed in their consignment contract and that others are charged? [See http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/d...20Contract.pdf]. I know for a fact that, on occasion, AMI has reduced/waived these consignment/commission fees for certain consignors in the past. Your posts that have made a point of stating that you have not been paid/compensated by AMI has sparked my interest. Thanks.

Best,
Reid

Reid,

The answer is no. I am charged the normal consignment rate. Here is an item I cut and pasted out of my last consignment sheet to prove:

35606

Lot: 106 Muhammad Ali Signed Print by Steve Kaufman


Authentication: PSA/DNA Auction House Letter

$2,301.00

15%
$345.15
$1,955.85

Regards,
Dave

[sportscentury]

Dave,

Thanks. This information helps me to have greater respect for your defense of Victor and his companies. I appreciate your response.

Best,
Reid

[ChrisCavalier]

What exactly are you saying doesn't add up about the website being originally developed years ago to do third party authentications ( much like Grey Flannel does) deciding against doing that and simply using it to certs for their items?

Hello Dave,

After reading this thread, I think there appears to be some confusion because some people aren't exactly sure what 100% Authentic is. For example, Eric posted the following testimonial from the 100% Authentic website:

100% Authentic offers us superior service in every way. They provide us the fast service we require for our auction house and to run our very popular online auction site. The quality authentication that Lou Lampson provides is second to none. In addition, We can track our certificates efficiently, and they get them back quickly..."

Vic Moreno, President
American Memorabilia, Inc.

I think this may have caused some to think 100% Authentic was an actual entity independent to AMI. Along the same lines, the AMI catalogs state items in their auction "have received the endorsement of 100% Authentic" and also refers to the 100% authentic team. On the other hand, there have been parts of this thread that have stated "It's simply a tracking system for certs issued." I think that may be why there is some confusion.

To try to keep things simple, I think answers to the following questions might help everyone understand 100% Authentic more clearly:

1) Is 100% Authentic an actual company composed of the members listed in the AMI catalog?

2) If 100% Authentic is a company, is it independent of AMI or some form of subsidiary of AMI?

3) If 100% Authentic is not an actual entity, can be best described as a mechanism to refer to the independent authenticators that evaluate AMI's items and serve as a storing house for any certs written?

If you wouldn't mind taking a bit more of your time to respond, I'm thinking the answers to those questions will hopefully clear up the confusion for a number of people on the forum.

Thank you very much for your reply.

Sincerely,
Chris

[CollectGU]

Chris,

I think #3. What baffles me is the insinuations by some forum members there is something going on here that is inappropriate.


Regards,
Dave

[Eric]

I think what's confusing is the wording in some of the AMI auction listings which may lead people to think 100 percent authentic is an independent authentication service.

It seems that it is not, even thought the 100 percent authentic website says they take submissions.

You have to admit, the Vic Moreno testimonial representing AMI praising 100 percent authentic which apparently is not a company is bizarre and causes one to scratch one's head.

So back to the original situation which generated in this thread. I guess the Better Business Bureau is correct in contacting American Memorabilia to get 100 Percent Authentic to respond to questions about the manner in which things are authenticated.

[Eric]

Interesting postscript to this story:

I went to look at AMI tonight and my account has been deleted.

If it had to do with being contacted by the Better Business Bureau, again, my problem was not with AMI, but rather 100% Authentic for not ever answering my questions.

The BBB was the one who contacted AMI because I guess they determined AMI runs 100% Authentic.

I assume that's why American Memorabilia is upset with me. Because I could not get 100% authentic to respond to a single question about their methods of authentication. If that's somehow my fault, then so be it.

It's also interesting to note that Lou Lampson's name has been removed from the listing of American Memorabilia authenticators

Now under game used memorabilia, the authenticator AMI uses is listed as the "100% Authentic Team"

But if what Dave O'Brien says is correct and 100% Authentic is not a company after all, but just a system to log certs, then how can their be a 100% Authentic Team.

http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/Authentication.asp?

I'm sure I pissed everyone off at AMI, which was not my intention. I was just trying to sort out a very confusing situation.

Eric

[reed1216]

The LOAs don't need a tracking system as much as Dr. Lampson, himself does.

[Nathan]

The LOAs don't need a tracking system as much as Dr. Lampson, himself does.

Oh, is he a doctor now too?

"This patient does in fact have two legs. They show wear to them as a result of walking on them for roughly 40 years. The patient wears pants, which are apropos for someone in a Western society. I would estimate the patient's waist size to be 36, judging from the number 32 on a tag in his pants.

I will be operating on said patient. I've never actually operated on someone, but I do have a library of various medical textbooks as well as a complete DVD set of 'Marcus Welby, M.D.' and 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman' in my entertainment center at home."