Don't know much about memorabilia? Or are you trying to purchase a present for someone but don't know what is real? Then hopefully I can help you!
Myself being an NBA nut, I have purchased many items through various sources. Now, I have asked myself numerous times whether an item is authentic or not, just on the verge of completing the purchase. Well, the only way that you as a buyer can truly guarantee the authenticity of an item is if it was signed in front of you. Where that isn't possible, then you would have to take the word of the person who WAS present at the signing. And this is where the COA comes in.
What is a COA (Certificate of Authenticity)
The COA is the certificate issued by the seller which basically states that the item was signed in their presence and they guarantee the authenticity. Now anybody can "make" their own authenticity, hence the importance of a COA from a reputable company. A reputable company is one that has been in the memorabilia business for many years and essentially has a good reputation built up throughout those years. A bad company selling fakes will not last more than 6 months due to the complaints filed against them. As with all things, the more reputable the company is, the higher the price you pay for the memorabilia. But this does not mean the cheaper items are automatically branded "fakes". Players and stars do sign for their fans and when the fans decide to sell the autographed items, the items will sell for less even if it does include authenticity. Bottom line? If you have the money and you want to have 100% confidence in the item you are purchasing, then buy items from the bigger companies like
Upper Deck
Mounted Memories
Steiner Sports
Global Authenticated Inc
PSA/DNA
Now this is NOT a definitive list, and just because a company has a website does not make it more reputable, vice versa.
The items with COA from lesser known companies will be cheaper, but it is then up to you as the buyer to trust your own judgement. If an item does not look authentic to you, regardless of which company it comes from, DO NOT
Orignal From: How to tell if your NBA / sporting memorabilia is real?
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