Football Sports Memorabilia can be quite an investment if it is authentic. Most fans are content to watch the games on television or configure a fantasy football team online. Few will pick up memorabilia if they get to a home game in the stadium of their favorite team. Other fans will receive memorabilia as gifts from their significant others.

An Investment

Real collectors of memorabilia typically do it as an investment. They will purchase an autographed jersey, a signed baseball, A newspaper with the Stanley Cup winners announced on the front page, or a helmet signed Joe Nameth. The collection builds in worth over time and the investor can sell items at auctions, online, or to other investors. This only works as an investment if the items are real.

That jersey will be worth the cost of the material if it is discovered the player never signed it. That means the autograph is a forgery and the investors lose money. For those who wish to start collecting memorabilia it is wise to learn about authentication and how it can be verified before making any purchases.

Simple Concept

An item that has been authenticated will have a number on it. This number will match the one on the certificate that accompanies the purchase. The premier authentication company for sports items is Professional Sports Authenticator (PSADNA). The certificate will always include the name of the company. The problem with this simple concept is that it is easy to fake, and people are easily deceived, especially if they are not familiar with top companies.

Verification

The only way to be certain an autograph is authentic is to get it yourself from the player. That is rare, so certificates are the next best thing. In addition to PSADNA, other companies for sports items include James Spence Authentication (JSA), and Autograph Certification Experts (ACE). There are many from which to choose so verifying is wise.

To do that, go to the website of the company and look up the number to ensure it corresponds with the item. Most reputable websites for memorabilia will provide authentication information in the product description so interested buyers can verify prior to buying.