Autograph Authentication Explained

When an autograph is authenticated, an examiner gives an opinion about whether the signature was written by the person named. A respected opinion carries real weight in the market, but it is still an opinion. Examiners can disagree, and an opinion can change as new information comes to light.

• Letter formation, proportions, slant and spacing compared with genuine examples (often called exemplars) from the same period.
• Flow and speed: genuine signatures are usually written quickly and fluently; copies are often slow and hesitant.
• Pressure and line quality, including signs of an autopen.
• The ink and the item: whether the pen type and the item fit the date and circumstances claimed, and whether the signature is printed, as with a preprint.
• Provenance: any documented history of the item.

A certificate of authenticity (COA) is only as reliable as whoever issued it. A certificate written by the person selling the item is a statement from the seller. A certificate from an independent third-party authentication company is that company’s opinion, usually recorded under a certificate number you can look up on the company’s website. See what a COA is.

• It can’t guarantee an item is genuine, and different authenticators may reach different conclusions about the same piece.
• A certificate lookup confirms that a certificate exists and what it describes; it doesn’t prove the item in front of you is that item, so compare the description and photos.
• It doesn’t tell you what an item is worth. Value is a separate question; see how much is my autograph worth.

Buyers should look carefully, ask questions, check certificate numbers and compare with genuine examples, whatever paperwork comes with an item. Buyers in different parts of the hobby also accept different authenticators, so it is worth knowing what collectors in your area of interest expect. The guide to PSA/DNA, JSA and Beckett describes how the major services work without ranking them.

CollectorFish does not currently authenticate items. Sellers state how an autograph was authenticated or obtained, and listings label it “Authentication stated by seller”. The CollectorFish team reviews every Fish Market listing before it is published, but that review checks the listing, not the item. Read the Marketplace Rules for details.