JSA LOA's taking 2 months - FYI
 

First, I will say that I have nothing but positive interactions with JSA through the years. So, this isn't a complaint - just letting everyone know.

It takes approximately 2-3 months to get LOA's for items that have been certified as authentic. Example, I had a few items authenticated at a show on Feb 15, 2025. All the items passed the authentication process, and 3 items required a full LOA. To my surprise I was informed about 2 weeks later, after I sent an inquiry as to their whereabouts, that it is taking about 2-3 months to get the LOA's issued.

I just find it a little surprising that the items could get authenticated in a couple of hours but the LOA's take 2 months to get issued.

I thought everyone reading this thread should know so they won't be surprised as I was.

Thanks for calling this out. Had a similar experience in the fall last year. Had a ball authenticated at a show, received the JSA sticker and corresponding card to go with it there. It took about 10 weeks to receive the full authentication COA in the mail. The kicker was even though it was authenticated on site, the COA serial number didn’t appear online on their database for about 4-6 weeks.

They do multiple shows every weekend all over the US. Thousands of items in addition to direct mail submissions. It is a good business to be in!

I like JSA and they are my go-to for authentication.

I have an item that I lost the LOA for and their online form does not seem to get a response which is frustrating.

You have to call one of their offices. They may require you to send the item back before issuing a new LOA or they might do it if you send a picture of the item with their hologram affixed to it.

I am having the same experience with them right now. Got a bat authenticated in early December. The sticker serial number did not show up on their system until last week. I am still waiting on the authentication letter to arrive in the mail.I did talk with them on the phone about 3 weeks ago and they said they are at least 3 months behind.

Thanks! That rings a bell from a time this happened before, but I forgot that that was what I did.

I have the items in hand (can send picture) and the invoice from buying them from an auction house so hopefully I don't need to send them in.

It is my understanding after a phone discussion with their rep that for items requiring an LOA and passing authentication at a show does not guarantee formal authentication. It simply means it passed the first look. Once a picture is submitted for an LOA, it goes through more scrutiny and must pass consensus amongst several in house authenticators before it gets an LOA and is deemed authentic. Otherwise, it will fail, despite passing the first look at the show.

Thanks Robert but maybe I don't understand the entire process. I had 6 items total and was told all passed authentication. I requested LOA on 3 items. Are you saying that if I had not requested the LOA that I would not have received the simple little card and a sticker? What about the 3 items that I took home with me that contained a sticker? They evidently didn't required a 2d look. Also, how can an item possibly be more close scrutinized from a picture vice having the item in hand.

Not disagreeing with you, but it just doesn't make common sense that is the process.

FYI, it is now over a month and I haven't received the letters yet.

I wish I better understood the process. The way it was explained to me is that certain higher valued autographs require an LOA, even if the initial evaluation was positive. The others are by choice from the owner. It doesn't make sense to me either that on an item not requiring an LOA and passed the onsite evaluation wouldn't simply be documenting in a letter the initial ruling. It appears JSA is saying, it passed and at your own risk of failure under more scrutiny, we will consider an LOA (provided it passes the more thorough process. And by the way, that risk you are taking will cost a premium price for an item that passed with a sticker had you chosen that path.

JSA has always been my preferred TPA because of speed and price. I was upset that when they joined up with CGC that if you have some JSA certified items if you want them CGC slabbed JSA again has to certify the autograph (apart from the slabbing) so you'd have to pay twice. I have not done that and won't but seems unfair

I just thought I would give this thread a bump and let everyone know that I am still waiting on the LOA's. 2 months was on the 15th, so I'm guessing it's more like 3-4.

Seems a little unreasonable to me.