If you’re like most sports fans, you probably have a few pieces of sports memorabilia lying around your house. Maybe you have a signed baseball from your favorite player or a jersey that was worn by your favorite team.
While it’s fun to own these items, you may be wondering if they’re worth anything. The answer to that question depends on two things: whether the item is authenticated and how rare it is.
When you want to make sure you increase the value of your sports memorabilia, the best way to do so is to get your item authenticated by a professional company.
Autographs and game-worn items, in particular, need to be authenticated since almost anyone can claim the genuineness of their item.
Luckily, there are a few professional authentication services you can use for this purpose.
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Best Sports Memorabilia Authentication Services
If you’re looking for a reputable sports memorabilia authentication company, here are a few of the best ones.
PSA
PSA is one of the most popular companies when it comes to authenticating sports memorabilia. They have a team of experts who are familiar with all the ins and outs of authentication.
With many years of experience in the business, PSA has a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy. In addition, authentication from PSA has additional value for collectors since it’s seen as the most credible service on the market.
PSA will authenticate many different types of memorabilia. If you have an autograph, sports card, game-worn item, or another piece of memorabilia, they will use their expertise to grade your item and make it even more valuable if it’s authentic.
Getting that PSA case for your item can be worthwhile and will add value, but you should also know that PSA can be a bit more expensive than some other similar services around.
To get started with PSA, you can request a quote on their website.
JSA Authentication Services
JSA is another top company when it comes to sports memorabilia authentication. They also have a team of experts who are experienced in autographs and game-worn items in particular.
Known as James Spence Authentication, JSA is aimed at authentication and not grading your item. Compared to PSA, it’s a bit different. PSA is more commonly used for grading while JSA is more appropriate to use solely for authentication purposes.
JSA is known for being reliable, and they will work with you to get your item authenticated quickly. In addition, JSA offers an online database that allows you to check the status of your verification.
With JSA, you can get your autograph or game-worn item authenticated for a reasonable price. You can also get multiple items authenticated at once, which can save you money if you have a few pieces to get done.
Beckett Authentication Services
Beckett is another great service to use for sports memorabilia authentication. They offer both grading and authentication services.
This can be beneficial if you want to get your item graded and authenticated at the same time. While PSA or JSA might have a slightly stronger reputation among card collectors and memorabilia owners, Beckett is still a reputable company to use for verification and authentication.
One benefit of using Beckett compared to other services is that they’re known for being a bit faster. If you need your item authenticated quickly, Beckett might be the best option.
In addition, Beckett can also be slightly more affordable when compared to the other grading services around.
Overall, BGS is popular for grading and authenticating many items at the same time, so if you have a lot of smaller and low-value items that you want to authenticate, it’s best to use Beckett as your grading service.
MEARS Online Authentication Database
MEARS is another great option for those looking to get their memorabilia authenticated. They offer an online authentication database that is available 24/7.
With MEARS, you can submit your item for authentication and then check the status of your verification online. This is a convenient way to get your item authenticated without having to mail it in or wait for a response from the company.
MEARS is especially popular if you need quick authentication without having to wait for the results of the authentication to arrive in your mail.
The submission process is also quite strict, so you will need to abide by the rules if you want to get the best grade possible from this company.
This option is best if you have game-worn items such as jerseys; however, if you have autographs or other pieces of memorabilia, it’s best to stick to other services we’ve listed here.
Why Use Sports Memorabilia Authentication Services?
There are a few reasons you might want to use sports memorabilia authentication services:
- To increase the value of your item: If you have an item that is authenticated by a reputable company, the value of your item will increase. This is especially true if your item is graded by the company as well.
- To prove the authenticity of your item: If you plan on selling your item, potential buyers will want to see proof that your item is real. An authentication certificate from a reputable company will help improve the selling potential of your item.
- To get a professional opinion: If you’re not sure whether an autograph is real or fake, it’s best to get a professional opinion. Sports memorabilia authentication services can help you determine whether an autograph is real or fake.
There are many reasons why you might want to use sports memorabilia authentication services. If you have an item that you want to sell, it’s important to get it authenticated by a reputable company.
How Do I Get My Sports Memorabilia Authenticated?
To get your sports memorabilia authenticated, you need to first choose which service you’re going to use for the authentication.
The next step will be submitting your item to the company for authentication. This process will vary depending on which company you choose to use.
Once your item is authenticated, you’ll receive a certificate of authenticity that you can use to increase the value of your item or sell it more easily.
Overall, authenticating your items can have a positive effect on the value of your item, albeit some companies can be quite expensive to use. In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether the authentication of your item will be worth it.
