Just how important is certification/Authentication ?

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Posted By: Corey R. Shanus

In regard to cards, authentication is important if I should want to resell it. As to giving me piece of mind as to what I bought, I would characterize it as useful (not essential). The card's provenance would mean a lot more to me.

In regard to memorabilia, provenance to me is much more important than authentication. Almost every non-autographed piece of memorabilia I own is not authenticated. However, in each instance I spent as much time as necessary researching the item in order to satisfy myself of its authenticity. In regard to autographs, authentication in and of itself is not enough. If the piece doesn't meet other criteria (e.g., provenance, "looking right, making sense (being historically accurate) and not being too good to be true"), I will probably shy away. Letters that come out of nowhere with unbelievable content (e.g., Honus Wagner recounting the story behind the scarcity of his T206 card) would be an example of something that's too good to be true.