Opinions about COA's at shows.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Gary Dunaier

These COAs they sell at shows... do the people who issue them actually see the item being signed? Or is it "a matter of trust?"

A few years ago, there was an autograph show at Citi Field. PSA/DNA provided authentication services. If memory serves me right, the way it worked was that once you got your autograph and left the area, you'd go to another table, show the receipt for your autograph, and the representative would look at the item, place a hologram sticker on it, and enter the information in the computer - but the representative did not actually see the items being signed.

Is this method still done, or was what I saw not the norm?

Still the norm, but I have seen video/picture authentication. Just another way to make even more money. A few years back, JSA was exposed over the casual way certs are verified.

http://haulsofshame.com/blog/wp-cont...-Bando-JSA.mp4

Now, it is Sal Bando. I would argue that the Sal Bando market is not as lucrative as say the market for a Mantle signature. I don't think the process would have varied if Mantle was signing instead of Bando. If collectors are hell bent on certs, the process is easily fixed. Have a certifier at each signers table (more staff = more expense). If the item leaves the table it is not certified. I am sure collectors would pay for a picture/video of the actual signing of the item. Promoters offer expensive photo ops with players, why not a private signing of your item before the signer heads to the main floor?

Again, save some money and create your own provenance (aka peace of mind) keep the ticket stub (at MAB take a picture of the ticket, same with Tristar), keep the sales receipt, keep a show flier or create a pdf file of the promoters email announcing the show, a newspaper clipping. Heck, I have even kept toll receipts to prove that I was at a certain location on a given date.

Save your money!