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What is a COA and should you have one
A Certificate of Authenticity or COA can help establish the authenticity of a particular autograph, or give a buyer certain rights if the autograph is a fake. The COA is intended and understood to provide meaningful protection to the owner of the item. It is also generally beneficial to those involve in the trading acquiring, swapping, selling, promoting, etc of autographed items. A COA is sought and accepted by any major auction house and is viewed as ‘the guarantee' to have when either displaying the prized possession or offering it for trading.
The advantages of having a COA are greatly enjoyed by collectors who have seriously ventured in the autographed items trading, especially online. Auction sites like eBay require any seller to present an explanation of any COA to accompany the autographed item.
Among hobbyist and professional collectors of autographed items, the term provenance is commonly understood. It is a collector's term for the evidence that helps establish the authenticity of an item or proving where the autograph came from. Provenance is essential in cases where the autographed item is rare or of high value.
Provenance is of greatest benefit when trying to authenticate a signature that could be easily forged. The existence of a letter or notation claiming to describe the circumstances under which an autograph was obtained is not in itself sufficient provenance. Forgers use the technique of providing cooked up "provenance" letters to deceive the unwary. There can also be innocent but very misleading errors. To establish valid provenance, you must look at the entire history of an item, where it originated, and determine which dealers sold it in the past. The story behind it should be provable and not just a mere claim. Only if an
item can "prove" itself outside a claim does it have provenance.
The role of COA is like that: certifying the provenance, and then some. Along with COA, answers to these questions serves as accompanying guarantees to prove the authenticity of an item:
Who issued the certificate?
Does the certificate state that it was issued at the same time the item was signed? If so, how can you confirm that the information in the certificate is accurate and matches the item you're purchasing?
If the certificate was issued after the item was signed, does the issuer have any particular expertise that qualifies him/her to give an opinion about the autograph?
Does the expert have scientific forensic training, or is he/she experienced in dealing with this particular celebrity or autograph?
What is the relationship between the seller and the issuer of the certificate?
Does the certificate give the buyer any rights?
If a qualified expert later declares that the item is a forgery, can the buyer get a refund?
Is there any time limit?
The process before acquiring a COA is called ‘Standard Certification Process'. Each item is methodically examined and reviewed by authenticators to ensure that expert instinctive impressions are in agreement. The experts are extremely
familiar with many different variations and evolution of an individual's signature and can quickly identify irregularities evident in a clubhouse, secretarial, or forged signature.
A clubhouse is a term referred to irregularities fond on vintage autographed memorabilia which has been actually signed by clubhouse personnel (i.e. batboys, secretaries, attendants, family members). A special letter will be written to identify the difference between these non-malicious, and apparently ghost-signed, examples and the actual autographs.
An item marked as Passed comes with a COA which may commonly contain a digital color image of the item and live signature of the autograph expert and witnessed by a licensed notary public. A certification label is placed on the item or letter with the corresponding number appearing on the COA.
Conversely, an autograph that has not met the requirements as defined by the experts is marked Failed. Usually, a rejection letter is returned with a detailed explanation of their findings.Likewise, it is understood that the assessment is an expressed consensus opinion that the autograph is at best of questionable authenticity. There are specific inconsistencies or rregularities evident in the signature that obliged the experts to reach this conclusion.
However, there are cases where experts reach an Inconclusive decision. It is an assessment that usually results after an exhaustive review, yet hardly any level of confidence was achieved; therefore no opinion was rendered.
Organizations like The Manuscript Society - an international organization of persons and institutions devoted to the collection, preservation, use and
enjoyment of autographs and manuscripts, International Autograph Collectors Club, National Auctioneers Association, Universal Autograph Collectors Club, and Professional Autograph Dealers Association offer valuable information and referrals about autographed items but they do not necessarily issue a COA. Instead, an appraisal or note stating that in their experience the item is authentic and is valued at a certain price range.
Collectors are advised to be cautious with dealers - especially those that belong in the category of small-time, mobile/roving or independent dealers. A dealer who gives vague answers on how he obtained an autograph is worth checking. A reputable dealer tells how and where they obtained an item. Of much concern are dealers who claim that they offer everything with their very own COA.
COAs are, obviously, easily printable. A COA can be just another ordinary paper not even a document if it is not backed up by a reputable dealer. Collectors agree and recommend buying items with numbered COAs such as hologramed COA.
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