Need Your Opinions - Certificates of Authenticity

[ryanscardz]

Over the past year I have been getting some In Person Autographs and plan to get a ton more this year. Also I will be having autograph signers at my new show in Fort Dodge, Iowa starting in May. Sometimes I am getting these autographs for my personal collection and often these I ask that they personalize the items To: Ryan. I have done this recently with Ryne Sandberg, Paul Hornung, Jeremy Hellickson and a few others. As some of you may have read in other posts, my wife and I will be opening a shop in West Des Moines, Iowa in the next few months.


Here is my question: If I am getting autographs in person to be resold at my store, do you feel it is appropriate to make my own certificates of authenticity? I know that PSA is available at times for in store signings, but if I made a name for myself in the hobby as a reputable dealer, would my own COA suffice? I am planning on photographing the players signing the items, serial numbering and logging everything that I can and going to extreme measures to validate this.

Also, where would be a good place to start for this project? I've been googling certificate templates all night and cannot find one that is professional enough looking for my standards. Any help, comments or feedback will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Hendersonfan]

Maybe try Copyworks or Kinko's? I'm sure they can help you out or point you to someone that can. A printer for wedding invitations? Maybe buy some holograms from Hobby Lobby?

 

[ryanscardz]

Yeah, I was going to go to the FedEx Kinkos on Thursday and see what they suggest, but I appreciate you telling me about Hobby Lobby. I hadn't thought of that. But overall, you like the idea?

 

[Hendersonfan]

I think if I were going to buy something a certificate and pictures would make me feel more comfortable.

 

[ryanscardz]

that's what I thought as well. I opened a bunch of the Just Minors products and love how they have pictures on all of their certificates. I believe ONYX does the same thing and I value that in a product. Where in Iowa are you?

 

[nyc3]

Not a good idea at all. Anyone can do the exact same thing and poof more coa's with your reputation on the line. And holograms are very pricey to have your own made, and once again pretty much anyone can have these made. Just pay PSA its far cheaper than print at home COA's.

 

[Zambrano38]

If you want to make COAs I would recommend using pictures and maybe have an online data base similar to MLB authentication.

 

[Dpanthers14]

Buyers Beware don't buy anything from ryanscardz its all fake!!!! lol jk, hows it going man haven't heard from you in a while?

 

[Hendersonfan]

Iowa City. I understand tha tanyone can make them, but if you have pictures and everything, isn't this how they all started? You could even go so far as to say you garauntee they will pass PSA if someone wants to pay it as you got them all IP. I have a Feller auto, Vizquel, Herb Score and others that I don't need a paper from PSA to say it's real as I know it's real.

 

[AMAZIN HOF COLLECTOR]

I buy a ton of auto baseballs of HOFers online.
COA's from stores are worth nothing to me, not even the paper. (Even from established stores) JSA or PSA period! Mill Creek huge seller with a tremendous name and following, only sell PSA/JSA. They could save some bucks and make their own COA but they know where the money is at, and what the buyers want. I will NOT buy a ball with a stores hologram on the ball. 30 years from now who wants a ball with "Rob's Hobby Den" on it? (A place that went out of business 20 years ago??) Have JSA or PSA put their sticker on it and make more money on the item. If you dont want to go that route, post pictures of the signing and offer a full refund if it fails authentification. Really dont waste your time on silly COA's.

 

[nyc3]

Iowa City. I understand tha tanyone can make them, but if you have pictures and everything, isn't this how they all started? You could even go so far as to say you garauntee they will pass PSA if someone wants to pay it as you got them all IP. I have a Feller auto, Vizquel, Herb Score and others that I don't need a paper from PSA to say it's real as I know it's real.

No, most started using psa or jsa when they got a name a very limited few went with in house coa's but most still use PSA/JSA also. And while pictures are nice, anyone can literally google "enter name here" signing and have pictures of the player signing. And you are right you dont need a COA to tell you its real, but the person buying it does and me personally (and most auto collectors) avoid in house print out at all costs. I cant tell you how many time I seen a COA with a disconnected phone number and a defunct shop that may or may not issued a certificate,

 

[muskiesfan]

I have bought stuff with hobby shop COAs before, but only if the sig looked good to me. I buy off of what I see. I am pretty familiar with the autographs of the players I collect and if it looks good, the COA doesn't matter. Now, if it has a PSA or JSA COA, I don't worry about it at all. I know they make mistakes as well, but those 2 certs do give a buyer peace of mind.

I would just go ahead and submit everything to PSA or JSA. It may cost a little more, but in the long run, you'll make more by going that route.

 

[ryanscardz]

Buyers Beware don't buy anything from ryanscardz its all fake!!!! lol jk, hows it going man haven't heard from you in a while?
Buyers Beware don't buy anything from ryanscardz its all fake!!!! lol jk, hows it going man haven't heard from you in a while?


Logan! What is up man? Dude comes and crashes my wedding and then hasn't talked to me since! Logan - why don't you update your bucket with cards you actually still own and pictures of girls that you still date!!!! J/K - nice to run into you on here again!

 

[ryanscardz]

I appreciate all of your comments and I'm leaning much more towards the PSA/JSA route. I have not researched this yet. Does anyone know the cost to have them come to our store and authenticate with a private signing? Gilmo, haven't they been to your store a few times?

I know the cost to do it in person, as I have personally driven carloads of stuff to Chicago just to have authenticated. I truly do value all of your opinions. I wish we didn't have to worry about the d-bags when dealing with our own business but many of you are right there are enough crappy certs out there that it would probably be better to go with PSA/JSA rather than spend the time/money on my own. I also agree that the ROI would probably be much better.

Thanks to all that have commented, again I really do appreciate the feedback.

 

[csmtampa]

If you go the JSA or PSA/DNA route, be sure to become a registered dealer so you can enjoy some lower submission fees. At the full price most items are to be authenticated, you will most likely only make a few bucks or even be negative on an item.

For the comment about holograms being expensive, you can go to allsportslabels.com and have some printed for fairly cheap considering what it is.

 

[nyc3]

For the comment about holograms being expensive, you can go to allsportslabels.com and have some printed for fairly cheap considering what it is.

Those are not custom holograms and I can literally go to any hologram site on the internet and make a million copies of the same exact holos. The only thing custom about the holograms you pointed out is what they print on a pre-made holo label (which you can buy online the holo just says authentic or something simmilar). Now go find how much it costs to have a 1,000 stickers with the actual hologram saying the company name, not just printed on ink on a holo.

 

[csmtampa]

For the comment about holograms being expensive, you can go to allsportslabels.com and have some printed for fairly cheap considering what it is.

Those are not custom holograms and I can literally go to any hologram site on the internet and make a million copies of the same exact holos. The only thing custom about the holograms you pointed out is what they print on a pre-made holo label (which you can buy online the holo just says authentic or something simmilar). Now go find how much it costs to have a 1,000 stickers with the actual hologram saying the company name, not just printed on ink on a holo.

You can get your logo or whatever else you want printed on them......for the same price.

I inquired about it a few years ago.

 

[nyc3]

You can get your logo or whatever else you want printed on them......for the same price.

I inquired about it a few years ago.

The logo in ink. Which I can get anywhere most can be matched here http://tamperevidenthologram.com/ . What I am talking about is look at steiners for instance. The hologram says steiner. Not just ink on a silver hologram sticker which I believe they are speaking about.

I mean like this. See how the logo is in the hologram? Not just ink printed on top.



What I think they quoted you on was a hologram with a ink logo printed on them. As a matter of fact I am almost positive.

 

[csmtampa]

Ahh gotcha now :lol:

Since he's not going to be some big time operation the cheaper ones would do just fine, but I get what you're saying about the logo just being printed on and not utilized in the hologram itself.

 

[nyc3]

Ahh gotcha now :lol:

Since he's not going to be some big time operation the cheaper ones would do just fine, but I get what you're saying about the logo just being printed on and not utilized in the hologram itself.

Yeah, I was explaining to the OP cause they seem serious about starting this. Nothing is worse then putting money into an idea and then realizing it may be a waste of time and cash.