Help With Bryce Harper's AFL Champ Cap

[Basinballers]

Originally Posted by shimozukawa

I haven't accused you of anything. I'm pretty outspoken, and if I felt you were trying to fool people, I'd just come out and say it. I merely stated the facts:

1) The cap looks like a normal 59-Fifty.
2) The handwriting on the cap doesn't match examples available to the marketplace from Upper Deck. (This is in reference to general stylization than the actual flow/slant.)
3) JSA cannot authenticate the item, because they have stated an open policy of not authenticating game used items in the past. I'm not sure if that still applies to bats, since PSA has bat authentication now, perhaps JSA has decided to follow along the path. Therefore, the authentication would need to rely upon #2.

All of that stated, I said the item would be rejected based upon handwriting not matching known samples. I'm not exactly sure how that is different from:
"They just could not authenticate based on the writing."

Again, unless JSA has changed policies since the last time I spoke with them, they aren't in the business of game-use authentication. They're in the business of autograph (and by extension, handwriting) authentication.

You're asking how to market an item that only you and your friend are thus-far able to verify to be real. I have tried my best to help you.

Here's how one would market an autograph:

Guarantee it. Lifetime money back guarantee. I have always assumed this to be the lesser of current market value or dollar amount at time of purchase.

I think it's safe to assume that a similar method would work for other difficult to authenticate items. Then again, as an eBay vendor (and not a brick and mortar business), it's difficult to truly offer a lifetime guarantee... so go with the previous suggestion of getting someone from the Scorpions (or preferably Harper, himself) to authenticate the item. And by "someone from the Scorpions," I mean someone from their front office who is likely to still be with the company five years from now.

Thanks for clarifying. I am pretty much in the same boat as to how to market it as you mentioned. Meaning that I can't do it. I asked Jimmy to authenticate as they have done some things like Ali crib notes and writing without signatures for example. JSA does not do game used authentication. (as you mentioned) I provide authentication for 99% of the items that I offer. I just feel that it gives the customer a better feeling of the authenticity. So, we were about to just hang up on this idea as I can not offer items like this that will obviously bring more grief than it is worth. I just thought I would ask for some input and I guess I got it. I did mention that he could provide a letter but then that implicates that he is selling memorabilia and not so good for hid job if you know what I mean. So, I have made up my mind to give it back and it will be in his room along with the Buster Posey glove that we have the same issue with. Kind of funny. He has Posey's catcher's mitt that he used in the 09 AFL, but there is nothing on it that says Buster Posey. He has provided many nice items and that is the good part. Sorry if I came off upset, but knowing that this is a one-of a kind and there is really nothing we can do with it is very frustrating.