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wow..this could hurt
IJustLoveCards
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Former Collectors Universe Executive Wins $10.5 Million Verdict; Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil Represents Plaintiff
11/9/2005 8:03:01 AM
SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov 09, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP announced today that an Orange County jury awarded a former executive of Collectors Universe, William Miller, with awards that could total in excess of $10.5 million against Collectors Universe (CLCT). The jury found that Collectors Universe used Miller's name on 14,060 Certificates of Authenticity without his permission.
"We are grateful that the jury saw fit to hold Collectors Universe accountable for its actions," said Andrew Albert, lead attorney on the case and partner at the law offices of Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP. "Their verdict is an important step in allowing Bill to reclaim his good name and to protect the public from false authentication services."
In his suit, filed August 2004, Miller alleged that Collectors Universe placed his name and signature on Certificates of Authenticity which indicated that he had examined items being authenticated, when, in fact, he had never performed a single authentication for the company's PSA/DNA Division, under which the certificates were issued.
Miller's suit alleged violation of his right to privacy by misappropriating his name. Under California Civil Code section 3344 compensatory damages of $750 per unauthorized use are presumed. In addition, court costs and attorney's fees are recoverable. The jury found that Miller had been harmed by Collectors' unauthorized use of his name.
The court has previously ruled in the first phase of the trial that for each unauthorized use of his name, Miller may recover $750. The jury also awarded Miller Collector's profits made through the use of his name. Attorney's fees may also be added to the judgment.
Miller said he feels vindicated by the clear-cut jury verdict. "It's horrible enough to have your name taken from you purely for someone else's financial gain, but it's another thing to be used as a pawn to deceive or even defraud the public. For the rest of my life, I will live with the uncomfortable feeling that at any time I might be held responsible for someone who authenticated an autograph I never looked at. When an item turns out to be not genuine, as we have already found to be the case in a number of instances, it's my name which will bear the responsibility and my reputation, carefully built over 15 years, which will be damaged."
SOURCE: Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP
Heying & Associates
Jade Berggren, 619-295-9262
jberggren@heying.com
Copyright Business Wire 2005
11/9/2005 8:03:01 AM
SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov 09, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP announced today that an Orange County jury awarded a former executive of Collectors Universe, William Miller, with awards that could total in excess of $10.5 million against Collectors Universe (CLCT). The jury found that Collectors Universe used Miller's name on 14,060 Certificates of Authenticity without his permission.
"We are grateful that the jury saw fit to hold Collectors Universe accountable for its actions," said Andrew Albert, lead attorney on the case and partner at the law offices of Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP. "Their verdict is an important step in allowing Bill to reclaim his good name and to protect the public from false authentication services."
In his suit, filed August 2004, Miller alleged that Collectors Universe placed his name and signature on Certificates of Authenticity which indicated that he had examined items being authenticated, when, in fact, he had never performed a single authentication for the company's PSA/DNA Division, under which the certificates were issued.
Miller's suit alleged violation of his right to privacy by misappropriating his name. Under California Civil Code section 3344 compensatory damages of $750 per unauthorized use are presumed. In addition, court costs and attorney's fees are recoverable. The jury found that Miller had been harmed by Collectors' unauthorized use of his name.
The court has previously ruled in the first phase of the trial that for each unauthorized use of his name, Miller may recover $750. The jury also awarded Miller Collector's profits made through the use of his name. Attorney's fees may also be added to the judgment.
Miller said he feels vindicated by the clear-cut jury verdict. "It's horrible enough to have your name taken from you purely for someone else's financial gain, but it's another thing to be used as a pawn to deceive or even defraud the public. For the rest of my life, I will live with the uncomfortable feeling that at any time I might be held responsible for someone who authenticated an autograph I never looked at. When an item turns out to be not genuine, as we have already found to be the case in a number of instances, it's my name which will bear the responsibility and my reputation, carefully built over 15 years, which will be damaged."
SOURCE: Boudreau, Albert & Wohlfeil LLP
Heying & Associates
Jade Berggren, 619-295-9262
jberggren@heying.com
Copyright Business Wire 2005
The Link below will take you to the PSA Boards 1952 Set Build, I also have made 5 slideshows each slideshow is 100 cards long, card numbers 1-99,100-199,200-299,300-399, and 400-407
Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
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Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
Scott
T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
1981 Topps FB PSA 10
1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up
My Sets
Julen
RIP GURU
Scott
T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
1981 Topps FB PSA 10
1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up
My Sets
The question is was this an honest mistake or intent to deceive? What happens to the people with the rogue Miller certs?
I think Miller only wanted money for using his name, I didn't see anything about the customers.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
T206's are always being bought.
aloof1003@comcast.net
Bosox1976
T206's are always being bought.
aloof1003@comcast.net
I am still curious what will happen to the 15,000 customers that were given illegitimate COAs.
Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
I think the "Big 5" in the office were just kicking back and allowing the "interns" to authenticate thinking no one would ever question PSA/DNA, and raking in a hefty salary as being a figurehead. Now that the heat in the kitchen has gotten pretty hot to the point of people changing alliances and hirings and firings becoming commonplace, this is only the tip of the iceberg which will take a long time to iron out, long after the dust settles.....
I'm submitted to PSA/DNA at shows and know that they have assistants helping them with the items. At a minimum I would expect one of the "leading experts" to at least review the work before issuing a cert.
Here is the a blurb from the PSA/DNA site:
"The world's leading autograph authentication experts have been pooled together by PSA/DNA to examine and certify your previously signed autographs."
I guess you are calling PSA/DNA a liar.
As a PS: Dont "guess", just state facts........
PSA should have settled this out of court. While I don't own stock I've submitted a lot of cards to PSA in the last 2 years so I feel like an 'investor.' I really like the Registry and I like their grading product, POP reports, and even the SMR Magazine. I'm stating all this to show that I'd like to see PSA continue to be successful.
Having said that I'd really like to see a company spokesperson come on the board and give an explanation of how this happened and more importantly specific information on how they will pay this large amount of money and what impact (if any) the payment will have on continuing operations.
Hall of Famers from all 4 sports
This guy gets $10.5 million to protect a name I've never heard of (granted, I don't collect or sell autographs), and the collectors who may be stuck with counterfeits get zippo. Lovely.
baseballfanatic maybe correct, interns do all of the work and the "expert" signatures are just a marketing tool. If that is the case, then why even have experts?
PSA has their money, the experts have their money, Miller is going to get his money from PSA, and the collector/consumer is stuck holding the bag.
I guess the only autographs you can really count on are the ones you get in-person and the ones in the modern packs. Also this means that some of the autographs rejected by PSA/DNA could be legit. For all we know PSA/DNA just randomly rejects autographs to make it look like their "experts" know what they're doing.
I don't think it is time to panic just yet. There are post trial motions that could be made and won that could reduce the verdict amount. An appeal is also possible. However, without knowing the case details, I can't comment further.
Putting an "expert" signature on a cert implies that person has reviewed the auto. Based on this lawsuit, we know that doesn't happen all of the time.
Makes you wonder why they even charge extra for certian signatures. I'm sure the trainees get paid the same regardless of the auto.
After the Miller case is resolved, I would really like to see an official statement from PSA/DNA to the hobby clarifying what happened and what is affected.
But I've been in this hobby long to enough to know that there are more crooks than angels.
Each and every single autograph the TRAINED and CERTIFIED forensics document examiners at PSA/DNA authenticate are compared with exemplars in their vast database. Comparing slant, pen flow, pen pressure and other SCIENTIFIC authentication techniques, often spending 30-45 minutes per autograph, the PSA/DNA authenticators know without a doubt whether or not an autograph is legit.
We should keep in mind that nowhere in that lawsuit does it say the autographs were forgeries.
GO MARLINS! Home of the best fans in baseball!!
Each and every single autograph the TRAINED and CERTIFIED forensics document examiners at PSA/DNA authenticate are compared with exemplars in their vast database. Comparing slant, pen flow, pen pressure and other SCIENTIFIC authentication techniques, often spending 30-45 minutes per autograph, the PSA/DNA authenticators know without a doubt whether or not an autograph is legit.
We should keep in mind that nowhere in that lawsuit does it say the autographs were forgeries. >>>>>>>>>>
I think there is someone who has 10.5 million reasons to disagree with you
Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
<< <i>"For the rest of my life, I will live with the uncomfortable feeling that at any time I might be held responsible for someone who authenticated an autograph I never looked at. When an item turns out to be not genuine, as we have already found to be the case in a number of instances, it's my name which will bear the responsibility and my reputation, carefully built over 15 years, which will be damaged." >>
The "damages" in the case aren't just unauthorized use of Miller's name, but also to his reputation due to the fact some of the product bearing his name is misrepresented. The size of the award takes into account any potential future income he may have lost due to his reputation being tarnished.
I agree with you, my point is that there are already representations of items that are not authentic that were labeled authentic already in the marketplace. How are we as collectors going to determine which is authentic and which is not. I am not bashing PSA in anyway, I am mearly trying to understand exactly what the ramifications of this is/are, and how it will effect the authenticity of autographs in the marketplace.
Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
Very dissapointing stuff. PSA should be ashamed of themselves. The kicker is that they will probably raise prices to pay off their claim. So, people will pay more for a product that is, for all intents and purposes, worth less.
Groucho Marx
SD