How do I ensure others of an autograph's authenticity?

[secondsith]

I recently got a jersey that I want to have signed and then place it in a case to be viewed for all times. The jersey is a Braun jersey and I do have a way to get the autograph if I want it. If at some point I decide to sell it, what steps can I take when getting it signed to ensure the person buying it that it isn't forged? Is there anything that can be done when doing it this way, or is my best bet to wait for a signing event where I have to pay to have him sign it?

 

If it is the latter, are there any signings in the off-season that anyone would know about?

[RyDogg66]

You could ask Braun for some sort of certificate to authenticate it, or take his picture signing the jersey. If there is one thing athletes love it is signing things for fans so those things can end up on ebay. Im sure he wont mind.

[secondsith]

I am doing it because it would be a super sweet thing to have as a memrobilia item and also sweet to show off to other brewer fans. I think the only way I could part with it would be in an extreme circumstance, like needing a new baboon heart transplant or at the estate sale after my death.

[RyDogg66]

I honestly dont know then, the only things I have collected have been for my own collection/memories and never really collected to sell things.

[rwa12]

You would need to pay for third party authentication. PSA/DNA and JSA are both well though of in the hobby. Pictures and stories don't mean much, the cert. is the way to go. You should be able to find either site through a google search. The only reason to authenticate is to sell, I would wait until that time, or else it is a waste of money.

[JimH5]

I agree fully with rwa12's answer--both on the authenticators of choice and on waiting until you plan to sell.

 

By chance Braun turns into Joe Charboneau the jersey wouldn't be worth the authentication fee.

 

And there are plenty of buyers who will buy something without authentication, provided you have strong provenance.

[olsonnet]

As for the authentication services, even those aren't always correct. I know someone (that I trust enought to believe this is true) that had some items signed by Ted Williams a few years before he died. Got the autographs in person and of course JSA claimed they were fake. Never even considered getting anything authenticated again.

 

And as for having a photo of him signing it, unless you somehow get in the picture or have a unique item, it really proves nothing. I see so many autographed items on ebay that come with "photo proof" and the proof is just of the person signing "something" (not necessarily the item being sold).

 

Braun signs a lot and so even if you would decide to sell it down the road, not having proof shouldn't matter much at all. You'd know it's real, and that's really all that should matter.

 

For anyone looking, Braun has a deal with mikitasports.com - they carry quite a bit of his autographed stuff as well as a bunch of game-used items if you are concerned with something being real.

[PeaveyFury]

And as for having a photo of him signing it, unless you somehow get in the picture or have a unique item, it really proves nothing. I see so many autographed items on ebay that come with "photo proof" and the proof is just of the person signing "something" (not necessarily the item being sold). \

 

Yeah, photo 'proof' is an absolute joke. Having a pic of Braun signing a ball just means that he signed a ball for somebody at some time. It doesn't prevent them from forging 5 other balls, and those being the ones they 'have the picture of'.