Authentication
Real or fake: what an opinion is, how I check, and what it is not.An authentication opinion tells you what I checked, what I found and what I conclude, with photographs at every step. These notes explain the method, its limits, and what to do when a card turns out not to be what it claims.
10 notes
What is an authentication opinion?
A written opinion on whether a card is real: what I checked, what I found and what I conclude (consistent with genuine, not consistent, or inconclusive), with photographs at every step. It is a professional opinion, not a guarantee.
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Is an authentication opinion a certificate of authenticity?
No. It is a written opinion with the method and photographs. A certificate implies a guarantee that no honest method can give; a documented opinion is something a buyer, seller or insurer can actually check.
How do you check if a card is real?
I compare it against reference material with a set of named checks: print pattern and rosette under magnification, font and text layout, colour and saturation, layering and card stock, weight and thickness, a light test, and holographic pattern where it applies. Every check is photographed.
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What if you can't tell whether a card is real?
I say so. "Inconclusive" is a legitimate finding, and the sheet explains which check could not be completed and why.
Can you authenticate a card from photos?
Often, but not always. I give an opinion with the checks the photographs allow, state that no physical inspection was performed, and say when the images are not enough.
Do you authenticate graded slabs?
I can give an opinion on a slabbed card, with the limits stated: the holder blocks some checks, such as weight and the light test. I also look at the slab and label themselves.
How are authentication opinions priced?
A flat fee per card, quoted in writing before I start. The same basis applies to pre-purchase second opinions, in person or remote.
What fakes do you see most often?
Most fakes in the hobby give themselves away on print, font or stock: the wrong dot pattern under magnification, letterforms that are slightly off, colours that are too saturated, or a card that feels, weighs or passes light differently.
I think I bought a fake. What now?
Keep the card, the packaging and the listing, and do not alter anything. An authentication opinion with photographs gives you something concrete to show the seller or the platform, which decide for themselves what weight to give it.
Can a shop use your opinions for its customers?
Yes. A shop can show a customer the opinion sheet for a card, with its method and photographs. The sheet is an opinion, not a guarantee, and it says so.
Authentication
Not sure a card is real?
An authentication opinion shows the method and the photographs. It is an opinion, not a guarantee. Read about authentication