Should the TPA's place a sticker on an authenticated item?

[Gary Dunaier]

I don't know if this is germane to the specific topic at hand, but here goes...

There was an autograph event at Citi Field last Sunday, where a number of former Mets were signing autographs for fees. There was a representative from PSA/DNA who would, for an additional fee, "authenticate" the item you just got signed...



Interesting concept, on-site authentication... according to the sign on the table (as seen in the photograph), all you had to do was provide “proof of purchase of the autograph signing.” From what I saw, the man from PSA/DNA who was certifying the signatures as authentic did not actually see the autographs being signed with his own eyes, so he had no personal first-hand knowledge of their authenticity. Correct me if I'm wrong - there may be something I'm missing here - but as far as I could tell, there’s nothing to stop someone from bringing in something that already has a fake autograph, buying a ticket for a real signature, getting that real signature on something that for whatever reason they didn't need authentication for (for example, a blank 3x5 card), present the fake signature with the proof of purchase, and presto - you’ve got yourself a fake that’s been authenticated as genuine.