Do you like your autographs authenticated or not?

[Hawaiian BamBam]

There has been alot of talk on these boards about third party authentication companies such as PSA, JSA, GAI and SGC, etc. Its seems that no matter how good an authentication company is, they are just one big scandal away from being out of business, rendering their authenticated autographs useless ex..how many people would buy GAI autographs nowadays? not me! (But 5 years ago I would of) I ask this question because I look at all of my JSA and PSA autographs that I have left in my collection and think, if JSA or PSA get rocked by a scandal, all my autographs would be worthless, so I ask you, do you like/prefer autographs to be authenticated by a company, or would you prefer your autographs to remain un authenticated? Its kind of a slipper slope because for resale purposes (i am currently selling off my entire collection) theres no doubt PSA and JSA are king when it comes to resale purposes versus not authenticated items. on the other side, most autographs i obtain myself, so i know they are real, but when it comes to selling, people would rather trust psa. jsa, steiner, or even a paper COA over some seller saying they got them in person 9like 90% of this site including me does) your thoughts please?

 

[pmanningsfan73]

I don't buy IP or TTM autographs from anyone as I prefer to buy the ones pulled from wax. Not to say that people are lying or trying to pull the wool over my eyes but I just don't trust anyone really, therefore I'd prefer to see authentication or a COA of some sort.

 

[valediction]

Depends who/what it is. For 95% of my items or so, it's a nice added bonus, but financially not very prudent. If I'm spending big money Clemente, Ruth, etc, yes, I want it authenticated, but at the prices they charge for certificates or slabbing cards, it's hard to justify most of them. I saw an auction end a week or so ago for a Gary Carter 1981 Donruss card autographed in a PSA blue slab. Sold for $5.24 and $3 shipping. Considering Carter usually requested a donation to his foundation to sign, it likely cost something, but let's say he signed for free that day, and you had the card already, so no real cost for that. sending it out getting it authenticated and slabbed, having it shipped back would likely have cost more than $5.24. Wouldn't they have been better off selling it raw? They likely may have STILL gotten a few bucks for it, and maybe just as much total. Unauthenticated common HOF autos usually have a decent market at $5

 

[Hawaiian BamBam]

i agree with you totally. i once sold a psa authenticated card on ebay that i thought for sure would be a big sale so i started the auction at 99 cents. the item sold for i thin $10-12. the problem was it cost me $15 to authenticate it and over $30 for the autograph and a few dollars for the actual card! needless to say i lost my you know what on that deal. lesson learned! (i just put cards in my ebay store with a make an offer option. the cards seem to take longer to sale, but eventually they all do sell and for a much better price than what a 99 cent auction brings!

 

[oldmarine0311]

I never buy TTM or IP autos they are just to phony. and for a COA well i have a 12 pack of COA plain 2ply paper in the other room that i will sell cheep for anyone needing it for COA's

 

[porkchops]

Just another thing that most of us don't need or want . Of course , if your a "big" player , buy and sell Ruth's and Gehrig's or who ever(s) .....then maybe it's
a necessity .
Speaking of authentication , did anyone ever absolutely authenticate or debunk that "alien autopsy" footage ?

 

[ChristopherZero]

It doesn't borther me TTM/Ip. I don't mind it, the only thing I do mind is the big names, Ruth/Trout/Mantle... I do need a certt n stuff I think I've become a expert on how many fake mantles I've seen lol,

 

[t.rooster]

It's the biggest problem I have w/ paying for a TTM is there is no authentication. For myself, I don't need the COA, doesn't bother me, I'll trade for a TTM that I don't have, but if I need to resale it is harder and that is why I can't bring myself to pay for signatures....