Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

[sportsnbikes]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

Let's try this...

[commando]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

I have never paid to have an autograph authenticated (just not my thing). But from what I'm reading here, a person should do some looking around to see what a player's "typical" autograph looks like... Find several examples already certified by that company. If the signature you have is quite a bit different than the certified examples you found, don't waste your time and money sending it in -- just for it to fail.

[sportsnbikes]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

That's probably some very sound advice Commando...

[Rob L]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

Let's try this...

I will bet they nixed the Trout because the M and T are connected. Most aren't. If you got it in person though, then it's good!

[sportsnbikes]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

Let me explain the in-person. I learned that weekend that many MLB players will sign for the ladies...but not the guys. My fiance and I were standing there together and we both had the same jersey. He signed for her and skipped right over me and signed for everyone else. We were sitting in Crown seats which are $225 seats...the first 5 or 6 rows directly behind home plate and even with the dugouts. Great seats but yep, no signatures for me. He also signed an All Star all for her the night before but for me, nada. But, it was my jersey and my paint pen...lol.

The 2 Cabrera were my doing though!

[solarlottry]

Re: Opinion based authentication process...good or bad

Obviously I prefer to use caution when authenticating anything as a lack thereof has cost me both in the buying and selling departments. I still think that a company that authenticates autographs as their primary business should be able to authenticate signatures beyond the "card show" or private signing session.

How hard would it be to collect known samples of each type of signature that an athlete has, thus over time compiling a data base of authentic signatures that span the card show/private signing to the ballpark.

I have always been a big Sci-Fi fan and collector of rare Philip Dick books. His signature has always been quite scarce and varied depending on a variety of issues (where he was signing, to whom, how many books he as signing at a given time etc.). A number of fellow Philip Dick collectors got together and compiled a data base of what we thought were legit signatures based on ALL the signature types. It took time and effort but by doing so we saved many a collector from buying a fake signed book. If a bunch of novice book collectors can do it then so can PSA/DNA.

Paul
garciajones@yahoo.com