Get a Guarantee of Authenticity on Autographed Sports Memorabilia

By Dan Anderson

Knowing whether or not your piece of autographed sports memorabilia is in fact an authentic autographed memorabilia item is quite possibly the most important aspect of collecting sports related souvenirs. It is never easy to identify fakes from originals and many people have no idea what they should look for before making a purchase. Unfortunately, the only absolutely certain way to ensure that a piece is authentic is if you personally witness the athlete writing his or her name. However, there are some steps that you can follow to help ensure that you are purchasing a genuine item.

First and foremost, if there's no printed certificate of authenticity associated with the signed baseball, football, jersey or sports card memorabilia, then you should probably not purchase it and find another merchant. There are a number of reliable retailers that confirm all kinds of memorabilia and collectibles, including collectibles that are sports themed. Some of the organizations to look for are Upper Deck, Tri Star and Steiner Sports; because they actually have contracts with the athletes to come in to their place of business and autograph items.

There is another good third party authentication company called Online COA. The company is not into buying or selling any kind of sports related memorabilia, so you do not have to worry about buying an item that this company has authenticated. They will only authenticate autographed sports memorabilia that they personally see athletes sign, making them one of the most reliable and reputable companies in the business.

Another thing to look for when collecting signed sports collectibles is whether or not the business that's selling the items provides a guarantee. If you purchase an item and later determine that it's not genuine, then the company or individual ought to be willing to ensure a full refund.

Be ready to spend a little bit more money for authenticated, autographed sports memorabilia, especially if you find something online when checking out different sites, such as www.ebay.com. Yet if you see an item that is priced way below what someone else is selling the same thing for, then there is a good chance it's a fake. Authentic merchandise is worth something and the dealers or individuals who sell such items know that. If the price is too good to be true, then buyer beware. Educate yourself on what certain items sell for, which will alert you to phony rip offs. - 31411

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