Opinions about COA's at shows.

[lrspaulp]

Great discussion. And I thank everyone thus far for their opinions.

[mrmopar]

A COA is only "necessary" if you are looking to sell an item at a later date and want a little extra comfort for the potential buyer. The problem is that fake autos often come with COAs as well. It is a sad reality of autograph collecting that turned into big business and wherever there is a chance for fraud in business, it will materialize.

Perhaps I will take a small profit loss if I ever sell my stuff, but I really don't care. I have never collected with the intention of selling, so if I lose a few $$ because I don't have a COA, so be it. I certainly would never pay extra for a COA.

[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?

[mr2686]

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?

I remember them doing the exact same thing. I mean, what would stop someone from having something signed, and then taking a forgery over to be "authenticated". They then have a bad one that's already passed, and a good one they could easily sell without a sticker. Weird.

[lrspaulp]

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?

At the MAB show last week in Cooperstown, the JSA table was set up outside, in front of the Tunnicliff. Now, you go in the front door and have to exit out the back, and walk back out front and stand in line.........NO ONE sees you get the autographed item. So, in theory, you could have Rickey Henderson sign a photo, have a fake get the JSA COA and sell the fake. Makes NO sense the way it was set up. Now, at the Dave & Adams show I went to after you get your item signed, you have to pass the table to get the COA before you leave and if you leave you can't come back to get the COA. That makes much better sense and I wasn't charged for the COA there but you had to pay JSA at the MAB show.

[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!