Faith in 'Upstream' Authenticators?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

I have a whole bunch of 'Topps Certified' etc. and PSA/DNA autographed cards figuring that those sources are legit and certainly know more than me.

I've never taken the time and effort to go to Card Shows and stand in line to be sure whatever I got was the 'real deal'.

Opinions?

I would say 95% of the cards labeled with Topps Certified auto and 70% of the PSA/DNA (or JSA or others) are actually signed by the pictured player.

On the original manufacturer, you still have dozens of people who have either had family members or agents sign for them, or use autopen. Then you also have a small fraction of counterfeit cards that are then forged autos, or cards that were backdoored from Topps and then forged.

PSA/DNA, JSA, BAS, and SGC when they were independently certifying, make large shares of mistakes or mis-identifications. I've even seen printed signatures authenticated as hand-signed, as well as Sharpie autos on cards where the player died before the Sharpie was invented. This is what led to the downfall of SGC authentication: the T206 scandal where they slabbed 12 T206 cards which were purchased within the previous 2 years and signed with Sharpie.