SGC is now authenticating autographs

[shelly]

Originally Posted by HexsHeroes

. . . and say perhaps it was/could have been fellow autograph dealer Bill Corcoran ?

I'm only guessing BC just because of both of you had worked from Florida at one time or another, as well as co-hosted a hospitality room together at a Cleveland National, with Bob Feller as the visiting celebrity.

On a more serious note, I already feel that each and every one of my purchases from Jim Stinson, Richard Simon, Bill Corcoran, Ron Gordon, Doug Averitt, and Kevin Keating has come with a LOA (which may someday come in useful when the time comes to part with my collection); each came with a invoice written on company letterhead which I have saved. Nuf said.

You are correct. I do have one question. All the above named people have authenticated your collection. God forbid you now need money and you want to sell this collection. Who would buy it with the names you mentioned on the cert. You cant sell it on Ebay no one has any idea who these people are. Now you go to an auction house who does know who they are.
What happens? You now pay twenty percent to have it authenticated by the same TPA's. Now the the two or three wonders of the autograph world now say it is not authentic. Who are you going to sell it to ?
I must make this very clear I would trust all the people named above more than any TPA. I am just trying to relate to you what the public thinks.

[Duluth Eskimo]

Shelly is right on the money. He could not have hit the nail on the head any better. The bottom line is that it's not what people that know autographs believe, it is the common rube that just wants to feel good about his purchase. Anybody that has collected and bought autographs over the years would feel very comfortable buying from any of the guys listed. Those are not the people we are talking about.

BUT, people are sticking their head in the sand if you do not believe that having the PSA of JSA cert increases the demand for your item. The only arguement is that does it increase the amount more than the cost you incur. It's just like saying that encapsulation / grading does not help or increase the sale of a card. It's an arguement that just doesn't hold merit.

[Leon]

Sounds like good marketing to me.

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by Leon

Sounds like good marketing to me.

it only goes so far, good marketing, lousy customer service, in time that plan will fall flat on its face. it will take someone to make a major push and have transparency, customer service, be accountable to the customer.

for now it may be working because abc is the same as xyz. same pricing structure, same customer service, same coa, same authentication.

woolworths used to be the biggest store chain on the planet, and i am sure the owner thought it would never end. its ends sometime, everything does.

[HexsHeroes]

Originally Posted by shelly

You are correct. I do have one question. All the above named people have authenticated your collection. God forbid you now need money and you want to sell this collection. Who would buy it with the names you mentioned on the cert. You cant sell it on Ebay no one has any idea who these people are. Now you go to an auction house who does know who they are.
What happens? You now pay twenty percent to have it authenticated by the same TPA's. Now the the two or three wonders of the autograph world now say it is not authentic. Who are you going to sell it to ?
I must make this very clear I would trust all the people named above more than any TPA. I am just trying to relate to you what the public thinks.

I often forget that as an autograph collector who's primary focus (for the past 10-15 years) has been on obtaining obscure ballplayer autographs, that I have marginally little in common with the majority of baseball autograph collectors requiring a TPA. That's why I enjoy this forum so much. Regardless of how main stream, or obscure an individual's collecting focus is, the contributions by all members make for interesting reading, learning, and community sharing.

[RichardSimon]

I have a couple of thousand people on my mailing list.
I have sold thousands of autographs through my mailing list. It is my main source of business.
Many members of Net54 are members of my list and many have bought great items and many have been disappointed by missing out on great items, sorry guys most things I have are only one of a kind and you have to be quicker on the trigger .
In all the time that I have done this, I have only twice been asked if an item came with a TPA COA and that was from two totally new members of my list.
People who know me, know that I do not use TPA's and yet they have great trust in me.
The people who know me know that I would not try to sell an Ed "Delehanty" letter or try to sell two George W. Bush autopen letters that I had at the same time for easy comparison.
Find the experienced and knowledgeable dealers and auction houses and stick with them.

[shelly]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

I have a couple of thousand people on my mailing list.
I have sold thousands of autographs through my mailing list. It is my main source of business.
Many members of Net54 are members of my list and many have bought great items and many have been disappointed by missing out on great items, sorry guys most things I have are only one of a kind and you have to be quicker on the trigger .
In all the time that I have done this, I have only twice been asked if an item came with a TPA COA and that was from two totally new members of my list.
People who know me, know that I do not use TPA's and yet they have great trust in me.
The people who know me know that I would not try to sell an Ed "Delehanty" letter or try to sell two George W. Bush autopen letters that I had at the same time for easy comparison.
Find the experienced and knowledgeable dealers and auction houses and stick with them.

Richard no one is saying that be the people that you sell dont trust you. I am saying if they need to sell because of an emergency would they get the same money because of your cert or would they have to spend money on a new cert from one of the TPA or put it in an auction to get the price its worth.

[JimStinson]

Originally Posted by shelly

Richard no one is saying that be the people that you sell dont trust you. I am saying if they need to sell because of an emergency would they get the same money because of your cert or would they have to spend money on a new cert from one of the TPA or put it in an auction to get the price its worth.

The answer to that question is simple, I buy collections ALL OF THE TIME that have been sold by me, or any of the other reputable dealers that have been mentioned here . Either from the original collector or their estates. I will occasionally ask to see a bill of sale but never a COA.
Most realize a substantial profit too over what they originally paid, especially over the span of the last 30, 20 or even 5 years.

And who better to sell to then the fellow that helped build your collection in the first place , lended free advice, gave opinions for free, and helped the collector avoid many of the hobby's horror stories.

In fact I recieve on average a collection or two a week and negotiate a deal. Maybe once a year I have to send a collection back because we can't agree on price but I honestly can't remember the last time I've ever had to send one back.
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jim@stinsonsports.com

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by JimStinson

The answer to that question is simple, I buy collections ALL OF THE TIME that have been sold by me, or any of the other reputable dealers that have been mentioned here . Either from the original collector or their estates. I will occasionally ask to see a bill of sale but never a COA.
Most realize a substantial profit too over what they originally paid, especially over the span of the last 30, 20 or even 5 years.

And who better to sell to then the fellow that helped build your collection in the first place , lended free advice, gave opinions for free, and helped the collector avoid many of the hobby's horror stories.

In fact I recieve on average a collection or two a week and negotiate a deal. Maybe once a year I have to send a collection back because we can't agree on price but I honestly can't remember the last time I've ever had to send one back.
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jim@stinsonsports.com

That's a great point, Jim. This thread had done a pretty good job making me feel awful about my autograph collection but what you wrote above makes me feel a lot better. And to think, it was a pretty obvious concept that I should have thought of myself...like Richard, keep up the good work!

PS...forgot to say thanks as I picked up a really nice Allie Reynolds from you a couple weeks back. Hope he gets in the Hall some day...great pitcher!