Certificate of Authenticity Autographs for Sale signed Memorabilia
What is a Certificate of Authenticity Autographs for Sale signed Memorabilia. Learn what a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) means.
A certificate of authenticity (COA) is a seal or sticker on a t-shirt, jersey, or any other memorabilia or art work, especially in the world of memorabilia and art. Commonly a seal on paper authenticating a specific work/item, and made to determine that the item is authentic. Proper COAs have a identification number on them, which verifies that the item is a genuine, legal copy. Art work or autographs come with a certificate of authenticity signed and sealed by a reputable appraiser or auction house.
*** Only accept COA’s with Lifetime Money Back Guarantee, TPA (Third Party Authentication) services don’t offer this, all your paying for is someone’s opinion, educated or not. ***
COAs are mostly common these days in the memorabilia world. Generally speaking, a valid COA for an autograph will include specific details about the signature; such as when and how it was signed, the names of people who signed the item. The COA should also state full contact information of the individual or company that authorized the certificate. COAs have been a target of much controversy due to online auction sites; where sellers are providing fake Certificates of Authenticity to market or sell fake autographs. The details below identify how to tell the difference and best practices for consumers to identify a real certificate from a fake.
What to look for
COA’s, commonly used on internet auction sites; in order to provide “proof” that the signature on a signed item is genuine. However, widely acknowledged that most of these Certificates; have simply been produced by fraudulent sellers in order to encourage the buyer to buy fake items. In almost all cases these COA’s are worthless and have no traceability. Its shown that around 90% of the COA’s issued by these sellers do not even have the contact details of the person selling the item; or if they do they are often incorrect or have an address of a company that has long since disappeared.
Any COA is of no value at all unless it has the full contact details of the issuer. In the United Kingdom; it is an offence under the Fraud Act 2006 (section 7) to create or use a COA in the sale of an autograph or similar item. A person is guilty of an offence if he makes, adapts, supplies or offers to supply any article; — (a) knowing that it is designed or adapted for use in the course of or in connection with fraud, or (b) intending it to be used to commit, or assist in the commission of, fraud.
In other words, if the seller is offering fakes with a Certificate of Authenticity; then he/she is committing more than one offence; and the offence of issuing a COA alone is a possible 12-month prison sentence.
FirstClassMemorabilia COA’s have details of the item, lifetime money back guarantee on all items plus a unique identification code which is both on the item and COA to match. Irrespective of some pre-framed items.
Sample of FirstClassMemorabilia’s COA:
