Autograph authentication options?

[Belfast1933]

Does anyone have any suggestions for reliable autograph authentication services other than JSA?

I have a nice signed Yaz piece that I am trying to sell but am finding it challenging with a letter of authenticity - I believe JSA cost would almost be the same as the value of the autograph so not sure it’s worth it

Any other services available for lower tier (sorry Yaz, no offense!) autographs?

[rand1com]

Beckett, PSA/DNA, and JSA are basically the same for Yaz. You are correct, the fee is close to the value of most of his items.

You can get a PSA/DNA or Beckett "Quick Opinion" for $10.

[Belfast1933]

Originally Posted by rand1com

Beckett, PSA/DNA, and JSA are basically the same for Yaz. You are correct, the fee is close to the value of most of his items.

You can get a PSA/DNA or Beckett "Quick Opinion" for $10.

Thanks Randy... do you happen to know if any of these authenticators will review remotely if the item is "coined?" It's a large lithograph with a nice mat and frame (but WAY too heavy to mail!)

thanks again -

Jeff

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rand1com

Beckett, PSA/DNA, and JSA are basically the same for Yaz. You are correct, the fee is close to the value of most of his items.

You can get a PSA/DNA or Beckett "Quick Opinion" for $10.

Have a few serious questions about this.

I've heard of and am aware of the "Quick Opinion" option, but are there really any actual guarantees or anything to back that type of opinion up? My understanding is that you're basically just forking over some money to have someone put a sticker on a top loader, supposedly sealing it and indicating the auto of the enclosed item is real (or at least I remember seeing something like this with cards to prove authenticity). But the method isn't that secure or safe to be sure the autographed item hasn't been removed or tampered with.

1. So, does anyone really use and rely on this service for more significant/valuable autos?

2. And, what actually happens if you use this service initially and get a positive "Quick Opinion" on an autograph, so you decide to submit the auto for full verification/encapsulation by the same TPG you got the "Quick Opinion" from, except now it comes back no good?

3. Or what happens if you get a positive "Quick Opinion" from one TPG, but then submit it to another TPG for full verification, but now the second TPG says it is no good?

4. And finally, does any of the above make or result in any different outcome if you are the person who originally had the "Quick Opinion" performed on a card you still own, as opposed to you being a subsequent owner of an autographed item you had acquired that still had the positive "Quick Opinion" indication/seal supposedly in place?

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by Belfast1933

Thanks Randy... do you happen to know if any of these authenticators will review remotely if the item is "coined?" It's a large lithograph with a nice mat and frame (but WAY too heavy to mail!)

thanks again -

Jeff

They review the autograph based on a clear digital photo that you send to them. They render either "Likely Genuine" or "Likely not Genuine." It is not a guarantee that they would authenticate it in person but gives an opinion from an autograph authenticator for a low fee. If they opine "likely not Genuine" there is little chance it would pass full authentication.

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by BobC

Have a few serious questions about this.

I've heard of and am aware of the "Quick Opinion" option, but are there really any actual guarantees or anything to back that type of opinion up? My understanding is that you're basically just forking over some money to have someone put a sticker on a top loader, supposedly sealing it and indicating the auto of the enclosed item is real (or at least I remember seeing something like this with cards to prove authenticity). But the method isn't that secure or safe to be sure the autographed item hasn't been removed or tampered with.

1. So, does anyone really use and rely on this service for more significant/valuable autos?

2. And, what actually happens if you use this service initially and get a positive "Quick Opinion" on an autograph, so you decide to submit the auto for full verification/encapsulation by the same TPG you got the "Quick Opinion" from, except now it comes back no good?

3. Or what happens if you get a positive "Quick Opinion" from one TPG, but then submit it to another TPG for full verification, but now the second TPG says it is no good?

4. And finally, does any of the above make or result in any different outcome if you are the person who originally had the "Quick Opinion" performed on a card you still own, as opposed to you being a subsequent owner of an autographed item you had acquired that still had the positive "Quick Opinion" indication/seal supposedly in place?

1. I occasionally use it for high dollar autographs if I am on the fence and just want another opinion without spending a few hundred dollars. If the opinion is "Likely not authentic", I pass on the item for certain. To be clear, most unauthenticated expensive autographs rarely are opined "Likely authentic" because they are not authentic. However, they have passed several Jackie Robinsons for me in the past and they were indeed real.
2. It does not guarantee that a full authentication would yield the same result. However, they generally are pretty careful opining "Likely Authentic" unless they are pretty sure but it could indeed come back "Not authentic."
They charge $300 for Babe Ruth full authentication and $10 for a "Quick Opinion" so you can see the services are not equal.
3. The 3rd parties could indeed disagree if submitted to more than one but probably not likely.
4. The "Quick Opinion" can only be used by the original requester for the $10 credit against the full authentication fee. Granted, it is not the best option in the world for authentication but can weed out really bad forgeries that fool novice collectors.

They do not put anything on the item on the "Quick Opinion" as they do not have the item in hand. That is why they cannot guarantee it would pass full authentication but again it has some value for a low price. Also, you get zero explanation as to the conclusion. You get only the decision likely good or likely bad. It is very unlikely a "Likely Not Authentic" conclusion would ever yield the opposite on full authentication.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rand1com

1. I occasionally use it for high dollar autographs if I am on the fence and just want another opinion without spending a few hundred dollars. If the opinion is "Likely not authentic", I pass on the item for certain. To be clear, most unauthenticated expensive autographs rarely are opined "Likely authentic" because they are not authentic. However, they have passed several Jackie Robinsons for me in the past and they were indeed real.
2. It does not guarantee that a full authentication would yield the same result. However, they generally are pretty careful opining "Likely Authentic" unless they are pretty sure but it could indeed come back "Not authentic."
They charge $300 for Babe Ruth full authentication and $10 for a "Quick Opinion" so you can see the services are not equal.
3. The 3rd parties could indeed disagree if submitted to more than one but probably not likely.
4. The "Quick Opinion" can only be used by the original requester for the $10 credit against the full authentication fee. Granted, it is not the best option in the world for authentication but can weed out really bad forgeries that fool novice collectors.

They do not put anything on the item on the "Quick Opinion" as they do not have the item in hand. That is why they cannot guarantee it would pass full authentication but again it has some value for a low price. Also, you get zero explanation as to the conclusion. You get only the decision likely good or likely bad. It is very unlikely a "Likely Not Authentic" conclusion would ever yield the opposite on full authentication.

Thanks Randy appreciate the info and answers. I had in the past seen some quick card authentication services where they'll put a card in a holder and throw a sticker/seal on it. Forget what TPG(s) at least used to do that, or if any of them still do. And was wondering if TPG(s) did something similar with this Quick Opinion autograph service.

As I figured, no guarantee, but from what you're saying it sounds like you at least get a credit for the Quick Opinion fee if you follow up for a full authentication submission. I understand the Quick Opinion isn't foolproof, but as you said, you can get a fairly good idea if it isn't likely authentic and save the difference of what a full submission would cost. Thanks.

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks Randy appreciate the info and answers. I had in the past seen some quick card authentication services where they'll put a card in a holder and throw a sticker/seal on it. Forget what TPG(s) at least used to do that, or if any of them still do. And was wondering if TPG(s) did something similar with this Quick Opinion autograph service.

As I figured, no guarantee, but from what you're saying it sounds like you at least get a credit for the Quick Opinion fee if you follow up for a full authentication submission. I understand the Quick Opinion isn't foolproof, but as you said, you can get a fairly good idea if it isn't likely authentic and save the difference of what a full submission would cost. Thanks.

That is correct.

As to cards, in the past you could get an item pre-graded as you said by Beckett and maybe GAI but they actually inspected the card and gave a guaranteed grade which they put on the card saver and sealed with a sticker. You paid a little less for that option than full grading and if you were satisfied with the grade you could pay an additional fee to have it encapsulated but you obviously had to send the card back to them for that service. The grade was guaranteed as long as the seal had not been tampered with. I believe anyone, not just the original submitter, could submit it for the full authentication. I don't think they still offer that service.

PSA and SGC never offered that option as far as I know.

[effe]

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[drcy]

As a seller, I did a quick opinion on a rare autograph (Mike Marshall signed baseball) that I got from a very good source (Lelands but with no LOA). Due to the then rarity & novelty I thought a quick opinion might be something good to add. It was simple and PSA/DNA said "Likely Authentic."