In years past, obtaining a signature meant physically getting close to a celebrity — at an airport, outside a stadium, at a film premiere, or at a public appearance. The "fan" was often responsible for presenting the item to be signed and for obtaining the signature themselves.
Today, due to security separation and the widespread monetisation of a celebrity's autograph, most signatures come through contracted signing events arranged through a publicist, studio, or sporting organisation (NFL, MLB, NHL, etc.). These contracted events are now the standard and preferred method for both celebrity and the industry alike.
The contracted signing event model has also given rise to a new problem: the auto-signed item. Auto-pens and autograph machines can replicate a celebrity's signature to a high degree of accuracy. Combined with the volume of signature images now publicly available online, a skilled practitioner could conceivably replicate many signatures to an exacting standard.
Celebrity signatures also evolve over time — sometimes dramatically. A signature authenticated from a 2005 sample may look entirely different from the same person's signature in 2022. Most large authentication services have automated their comparison process to handle volume at a lower cost per item, and most only require a signature to be "close" to one version in their database to pass authentication.
Over the years, near-fakes that slip through authentication quietly populate reference databases, compounding the problem with every new volume run. This is the structural weakness at the heart of most third-party authentication.
The only way to absolutely guarantee that a signature is authentic is to have it witnessed at the precise moment of signing. PCSA authenticates signatures at live signing events where PCSA or a contracted affiliate is present throughout the signing session. There is no database comparison, no technology — just a direct, human witness. This is the highest standard of authenticity available.
Beginning in 2021, PCSA expanded its services to authenticate existing signed collectibles submitted by collectors. Our reviewers examine visual samples using both trained eye and scientific methods where applicable, scoring the submission against a rigorous 10-point framework. We strive to provide collectors with the best available opinion — while being transparent that no post-event authentication can match the certainty of a live witnessed signature.
For third-party submissions, PCSA reviewers examine:
Every authenticated item receives a unique hologram registration decal affixed directly to the item. The hologram cannot be transferred or reproduced, and the registration number stays traceable through every future resale.
Each authentication includes a PCSA Certificate of Authenticity bearing a matching hologram decal and the same registration number as the item. The COA travels with the item and is the primary document of record for insurance and resale.
Every PCSA-authenticated item is entered into our secure registry. Buyers and collectors can verify authenticity at any time using the item's unique registration number on our Authenticity Check page.
For third-party submissions, PCSA reviewers score each item on a 10-point framework covering the key characteristics of genuine signatures. A minimum score of 7 out of 10 is required for PCSA authentication.
Items that score below the threshold are returned with a detailed report explaining the specific concerns identified. Items that pass receive a hologram decal, Certificate of Authenticity, and a registry entry — and can be verified online at any time.
Live signed items authenticated at contracted events are not subject to the scoring review — they are certified at the moment of signing, representing the unconditional highest standard.
Ready to submit an item? Download and complete our submission form, then mail it with your item to the address provided.
Submission FormAuthentication service fees vary based on the type of item and the service level requested. Current pricing, turnaround times, and shipping instructions are detailed on the submission form. Please complete the submission form in full prior to mailing your item.
PCSA recommends insured shipping for all items submitted. We are not responsible for items lost or damaged in transit. Items will be returned by the same class of service used to submit unless otherwise arranged.