selling an autograph w/ a random COA

sportscardstop

Say you pick up a Mantle autographed 8x10 and it comes with a COA from just a random shop or a random auction house (not Heritage or one of the big ones). Do you feel an obligation to get it authenticated by PSA or JSA before selling? If you didn't want to have PSA authenticate it, would you allow a buyer to return it if they chose to send it in and it didn't pass? Or would you tell them they have to deal with the guy who issued the COA?

I personally think that you should stand behind an item you are selling, and using a no-name COA as an excuse to not accept a return is not right.

Opinions?

yankeeno7

A random COA is basically worthless in today's market. Either have it authenticated prior to selling or offer a 100% money back guarantee no questions asked.

byronscott4ever

A meaningful COA makes the item worth more and widens the audience interested--why not?

PMKAY

I wouldn't buy any big (or medium) dollar autograph without a trusted third party having authenticated it. I get emails directly from LEAF all the time trying to bulk sell me autographed photos. The first time I got one of those emails I asked who the autographs were authenticated by. I was told they had someone watch the athlete sign the photos. That wasn't good enough for me.

WhiteTornado

If it were mine, I'd try to get the money in place to have PSA/DNA authenticate it before selling it.

Were you involved in that kind of scenario, as either a buyer or seller? Just curious.

sportscardstop

<< <i>If it were mine, I'd try to get the money in place to have PSA/DNA authenticate it before selling it.

Were you involved in that kind of scenario, as either a buyer or seller? Just curious. >>



On another forum, a guy had a signed 16x20. Said it had a COA from EAC gallery in NY. He says its well known, but I never heard of it. I asked if I could return it if it was rejected by PSA or JSA, and he basically said he wouldn't take it back (giant red flag there). I obviously passed. He said he needed money for tuition and wouldn't have the money to refund if it didn't pass. I told him its always best to stand behind what he sells. But he said he already had 4 offers. Hopefully for those buyers it is good. Not worth the risk to me.

flcardtrader

Seller should stand by the item he sold with the flimsy COA attached.

If the item doesn't pass, the buyers recourse is with the seller who they purchased from - not the original seller who sold to the seller they purchased from.

That would be like you returning an item to Wal-Mart and they tell you, "sir, we are sorry the Betsy Wetsy doesn't work the way you would like but you will need to take it up with Hasbro as we do not solve problems with their customer service."

Wal-Mart knows it doesn't work that way and your seller should as well.

WhiteTornado

Yeah I would have walked away from that deal as well. Not worth taking the gamble.

LarkinCollector

As a seller, I would stand behind any auto I sold and for a Mantle would get PSA or JSA certification before selling to maximize my sale. As a buyer, I don't trust any COA and would become familiar with the auto enough to have it pass my authenticity standards.

KatsCards

<< <i>

<< <i>If it were mine, I'd try to get the money in place to have PSA/DNA authenticate it before selling it.

Were you involved in that kind of scenario, as either a buyer or seller? Just curious. >>



On another forum, a guy had a signed 16x20. Said it had a COA from EAC gallery in NY. He says its well known, but I never heard of it. I asked if I could return it if it was rejected by PSA or JSA, and he basically said he wouldn't take it back (giant red flag there). I obviously passed. He said he needed money for tuition and wouldn't have the money to refund if it didn't pass. I told him its always best to stand behind what he sells. But he said he already had 4 offers. Hopefully for those buyers it is good. Not worth the risk to me. >>



Around 2000 or 2001 I actually visited the EAC Gallery offices. It was a shrine to sports and historical figures. If there is any place out there that takes the legitimacy of items serious, it's them.

I'd buy something with an EAC COA in a heartbeat.

autographs101

if your selling on ebay i would just add a PSA quick opinion link if the buyer is so concern with authenticity they can click the link and pay to have psa give them a quick opinion. Now if your the buyer and your concern with the Authenticity i would get a quick opinion by psa. but you all know psa even states that if you take it else where or heck even have the athlete say if its there signature or not and its found to not be authentic psa has in small writing that they will NOT give a refund as your only paying for there opinion which could be wrong (they dont guarantee there opinion...anyone that doubts that read the fine print ) IMO i think if othere sellers should have to refund (right thing to do) if PSA says the auto graph is not authentic in there best opinion then PSA should be held to the same Standards and if one of there items that they authentic is found to Be Not authentic they should refund your money

thenavarro

1) Buy the autograph, not the cert, regardless of who certed it.

2) A real autograph is real, even if it has a Coach's Corner cert, and a fake autograph is fake, even if it has a JSA cert.

3) A seller should stand behind their product, unless they make it clear up front

4) If you are selling to someone that doesn't know their stuff, then a somewhat "reputable" cert makes it easier to sell and in the case of a lot of relatively higher dollar amount graphs, adds more value than what it costs to authenticate, but if your buyer knows what they are doing, it's totally not necessary.

Mike