How to Authenticate Wrestling Autographs

How to Authenticate Wrestling Autographs

Do you have some wrestling autographs that you know are worth a lot of money, but you don’t know how to make sure they are authentic? There are hundreds of people in your position. The good news is that you can get your autographs authenticated. However, you need to keep one thing in mind: you can be disappointed by the results.

The only way you can be sure that your wrestling autograph is 100% authentic is to acquire them yourself. Every time you buy them from another collector, there is a small chance to receive a fake. Authentication not only solves this problem, but also makes your autographs more valuable. So, let’s talk about what authentication really means and talk about your options.

Ways To Examine Autograph Authenticity

There are several analyses that can be done to determine if an autograph is authentic or not. Here are the most important ones:

• The ink and medium analysis. This analysis is great at detecting when the ink has been applied to the paper. If it has been applied recently, it may mean that your autograph is not authentic. In addition, the ink is analyzed to see if it is consistent with inks used at the time the autograph has been – supposedly – signed.
• The side by side analysis. Most often, during an authentication, the signature is compared to an original one (or even a copy of an original one). Each letter is analyzed separately and then the entire signature is compared to the original one.
• Object evaluation. This evaluation analyzes the document on which the signature resides. It is used to determine if the paper has all the characteristics of its supposed age.

Can You Authenticate a Wrestling Autograph Yourself?

Can you authenticate your wrestling autographs yourself? Theoretically, it is possible. However, you need to have vast experience and access to some relatively advanced tools (a microscope, a video spectral comparator, color spectral deconvolution equipment, just to name a few). You also need to have a proven original signature to compare yours with.

The problem with doing it yourself authentication is that it does not help you in any way. Because you are not a certified authenticator, you cannot tag and certify a wrestling autograph.

Pay to Get Wrestling Autographs Authenticated

Your other option, and the one used by most collectors, is to pay an authentication company to do the authentication. The most popular companies are JSA, PSA and Beckett. They have all the necessary equipment, as well as the experience, to authenticate any wrestling autograph.

An authentication company also has the right to tag and certify the autograph. This will most often increase its value because it tells potential buyers that there is an extremely low risk of purchasing a fake. However, the downside is that authentication companies can be quite expensive.

Don’t Want to Authenticate Your Wrestling Autographs?

What if you don’t want to authenticate your wrestling autographs? Perhaps you don't have extra funds  to pay an authentication company to do it. Or maybe you don’t have the necessary experience to authenticate the memorabilia yourself. Don’t worry, you have at least two options/solutions:

1. Sell some of your wrestling autographs and use the money to authenticate the ones you consider to be the most valuable. You can sell almost any wrestling memorabilia to Maniac Joe, for instance. We always pay a fair price for each and every wrestling autograph, depending on the wrestler who signed the autograph, as well as the condition of the autograph and its inscriptions.
2. Sell your entire wrestling autograph collection for a bulk price. This way, you don’t have to waste your time and effort trying to get some autographs authenticated. Here at Maniac Joe, we are open to negotiation if you want to sell an entire collection.

Bottom line, you have several options when it comes to authentication. Pay a company to do it for you, do it yourself (if you have the necessary experience), or sell one or all of your wrestling autographs. The choice is yours. If you decide to sell your autograph collection please reach out to Maniac Joe to receive a free appraisal.