Question about GAI COA's

[raw5060]

So what's the deal with GAI? I have heard a lot of bad stuff about them after I bought a few auto'd items with their COA's included. Was there some kind of fraud issue or something with them? Jeez...I hope the stuff I bought is legit...Any information would be helpful. Thanks!

[jyosi]

It seems like a lot of bad stuff gets by them. I know a lot of bad stuff gets by the other companies, too. A few years from now it is my opinion that all these third party authenticators will be all but gone. Just like everyone was sending cards to PSA in the 90s for grading and that has nearly stopped.

You ever wonder why so many GAI Ted Williams and DiMaggio items show up? It's because GAI charges more if your item passes than if it doesn't so they have money to be made by passing as many as possible and the frauds know it. PSA DNA and JSA charge you full price whether you fail or pass.

[Riggs]

It seems like a lot of bad stuff gets by them. I know a lot of bad stuff gets by the other companies, too. A few years from now it is my opinion that all these third party authenticators will be all but gone.

We can Only hope. Never really understood why someone would pay that kind of money to get someone "opinion" because thats really all you are doing.

Far as im concerned, If i have ANY shred of doubt about a sig on something i buy, i dont.. simple as that. & As far as being more at ease about a GAI,PSA or whatever other COA it comes with, better believe thats not the case.

Tell ya what, Best thing you can do with your items your wondering about is do your own research. Check out other items, MANY items, compare between the too, maybe look at a Topps/Press Pass/Upper deck AUTHENTIC SIGNATURE card & compare them, see the differences.. Really all you can do..

[raw5060]

Thanks for the insight guys. I normally do a lot of research when I buy auto'd stuff. Just sucks that even the "reputable" companies are even shady. Money runs the world I guess...

[edgerrin32]

Read my topic about COA's and autos!!

https://www.sportscardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1171394

Hope there might be some good info in there! And also watch the video.

[CRJSr9]

i have had gai certified stuff-then i took it too jsa and it did not pass-they told me almost everything that is gai is fake-don't trust them.
also it's hard to trust card company's autographs to.i watched a hbo special were upperdeck bought babe ruth autograph cut's that turned out to be fake then they put them on cards.so who knows what's real and what's fake-unless you see it signed yourself then its anyone's guess..

[everythingcollect]

Yep I agree 100% these Grading companies that popped up in the 90's have ruined the industry. and if you read all these grading companies SMALL PRINT they state that IF like in the case with kobemvp34 "i have had gai certified stuff-then i took it too jsa and it did not pass-they told me almost everything that is gai is fake-don't trust them." If a company deems your item AUTHENCTIC and you bring it to another company and they DEEM it a FAKE you dont get your money back from the OTHER COMPANY now how ETHICAL is that!

when i read that it didnt sound like a company i would trust. and if you really want to know all these companies authenticators are a bunch of CARD SHOP dealers My friend who use to run a card shop told me psa came to him and ask him to be a grader/authenticator he turn them down because he knows how shady they are. I have been telling everyone whos asks this same thing. And its true the only WAY TO BE 100% positive is to see that PARTICULAR item signed yourself but for what you pay some card shop dealer to say YES it is authentic or NO its not (again its just there OPINION) you can do your own reaserch like others have said and compare signatures thats about the most you can do with out personally seeing it signed. I try to take Pics of the person signing the actual item if possible i see it alot on ebay they have pics of the person signing but its not of the actual item being sold. Yes i do think these grading companies will be a thing of the past in a few years and (i do feel sorry for the collectors and sellers that have paid good money to get there items so called "authenticated") there COA's will be worth no more then a PIECE of paper. Dont Forget someone Can Sign there name 1000 times and not one will be the same YES they will have some common strokes but they will not be exactly alike.

[Vegas]

I would stay far away from anything authenticated by GAI. At one time they were thought of in the same regard as PSA & JSA, but they had money troubles and now seem to pass off a ton of fakes. If you still want to get a GAI item, I would run a PSA quick opinion on it to make sure it's legit. But as a rule of thumb, I don't buy anything with a GAI cert.

[SportsLover57]

A few questions to those who have purchased or already have GAI autographed memorabilia (especially kobe4mvp34):

* Once you found out that GAI, in general, have authenticated a lot of fake autographs......what have you done with your items that have been GAI certified? Have you sold them to someone else? Have you tried selling THEM WITHOUT the GAI certification by throwing away the GAI cert paper and taking off the cert logo on the memorabilia...... hoping to convince your buyer that it's 100% authentic?

Curious......

[SportsLover57]

Is there anyone brave enough to tell me what they have done with their GAI items? I'm beginning to wonder whether some of you have or don't have GAI items and what you've done with them?

Please share. It's getting quiet here..... kinda getting suspicious too....