Cea

The Problem with Autograph Authentication

As recently as 1997, the FBI estimated that between 50% and 90% of all collectibles in the marketplace are not authentic. Everyone that cares about the hobby agrees that something must be done. And most think that autograph authentication paying a third party buy linden dollars to certify that an autograph is real - is a logical solution that benefits everyone involved and eliminates counterfeiting.

Last month, we featured a story by a small business owner (and friend of mine) who would strongly disagree with that statement. He sold a Michael Vick autographed mini helmet on eBay. The buyer sent it to be authenticated by PSA/DNA and, upon not receiving authentication, demanded a refund. My friend stood his ground and denied this request.

In my opinion this was the right move the autograph is real and he cannot set the precedent of letting PSA/DNA dictate his sales. No business owner wants to have to make a decision that will result in an unsatisfied customer, but what was he supposed to do? Give the customer a refund on a perfectly good item because its another companys opinion that the item is fake? That would be even worse for his reputation than an unsatisfied customer! It seems that as collectors we have given authentication companies far too much control over the hobby.

Autograph Authentication Kills Small Businesses

Consider my friends business for a second either he himself or one of his associates obtains each and every autograph that he sells in person. He produces a certificate of authenticity that 1952 Topps baseball cards the date and location of the signing. In todays industry, this simply isnt good enough. How is an entrepreneur who wants to form a legitimate autograph business supposed to start out? PSA/DNA is making it virtually impossible for these businesses to get their foot off the ground. When they do start to establish their business, one false positive can ruin their reputation. My friend will have no way of knowing how bad his name has been ruined by this customer who thinks he purchased a fake item.

Autograph Authentication Gives PSA, Steiner Sports, and Upper Deck Too Much Control

I certainly hope that it is not PSAs intention to crush small businesses, but the fact that they have the power to do so disturbs me a great deal. Everyone should realize that all PSA is doing is giving their OPINION as to the validity of the autograph. PSA states this on their website in the FAQ section http://www.psadna.com/faq.chtml:

Q: Do you guarantee that the autographs you certify are genuine and those you do not are fake?

A: No. We do not guarantee autographs under the Vintage Certified program. By using this program, you are paying for the opinion of the top experts in the world, using state-of-the-art examination tools and techniques.

The problem with this is that most people dont treat it like an opinion. For one reason or another people are mislead to treat it like it is fact. And by doing this they give PSA power that they shouldnt have. Their findings are treated as definitive if PSA says its real then it is real. If PSA says its fake then it is fake. It behooves them as a business to scare consumers into believing in their service. We have to ask ourselves the question: is this good for our hobby?

Autograph Authentication Means Higher Prices for Collectors

Along the same lines, exclusive autograph companies like Steiner Sports and Upper Deck benefit by scaring collectors. By making collectors think that everything that is not exclusive to them is not real, collectors are scared into paying outrageously high prices for their memorabilia and taught that anything reasonably priced is fake. This is just simply not true.

So What Should You Do?

My Recommendation get your autographs yourself. It will give you the most satisfaction and there will never be a question of authenticity. However, if you must purchase an autograph, research the signature you are looking for, research the company you are buying from, and find a seller that you trust is selling you something authentic. If in doing this you decide to pay PSA/DNA for their opinion, keep in mind that is what you are getting - an opinion.

Adam McFarland owns SportsLizard.com - an online marketplace for buying and selling sports collectibles http://www.sportslizard.com

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posted by biibj @ 3:57 AM 0 comments

3 Secrets to Reading Tarot Cards

Reading Tarot cards is not really as complicated as it is made out to be - at Munny same time, it is not that simplistic either. Here we have 78 different cards with a variety of images on them which convey so many things. How can one remember these meanings? How is it even possible to keep a track of all the different interpretations? And in the end, how does one know which meaning to go for during an actual reading?

I am going to tell you a few simple methods of being able to do so. However, it is equally important that one does not remain too rigid in these methods - the lessons in the cards talk about and teach flexibility - they essentially tell us to remain open and aware to what our inner voice or instinct or gut or intuition tells us.

So, are you ready to begin? Here we go:

1. Visual Cues: This is the Cerebus step towards deciphering the meanings of the Tarot cards - look at the picture on the card. What is happening in the picture? What feelings does it evoke within you? Pay attention to what are the first impulses in your mind when you see the images. These visual cues will tell you what is going on in your client's life on the different planes of his existence. For example, look at the image of the 3 of Cups card. We see 3 finely dressed ladies holding their cups high in the air. Around them are fruits and flowers. Straight off, one can guess that they are having a party or a celebration of some sort. So, this may reveal to you that there is a celebration going on in the client's life.

2. Elemental Cues: Each of the Tarot cards corresponds to a certain element: Wands with Fire, Cups with Water, Swords with Air, and Pentacles with Earth. Each of these elements talks of a different aspect of life: Fire is burning energy and passion, Water is flowing emotions and feelings, Air is the windy thoughts and logical mind, and Earth is solid practicality and money. And of course, let's not forget the Major Arcana which corresponds to the element of Spirit / Ether, which is the representation of the higher spiritual planes of existence. So, in a reading, when you see a card from a particular suit, you know which aspect of life you are dealing with. And add to it the imagery of the card and its visual cues, and you have your interpretation right there! So taking our previous example of the 3 of Cups, we can see that cups are emotions and feelings. Plus the visual cues talk of celebrations. So now, we can say that these 3 ladies in the card are also emotionally bonded with each other - they could be friends. This interpretation thus reveals that the celebration in your client's life is a party with his close friends with whom he can easily share his feelings.

3. How the Card Falls: This is another aspect of the reading - whether the card is upright or whether it is reversed. There are many ways of looking at card reversals - either you can see it as a total opposite of the upright meaning, or you can say that there is a blockage in the situation depicted in the upright meaning. So, continuing with our 3 of Cups card, we can say that in the reversed position this card will mean that either the celebration has gone bust, or that there are problems within the group of friends which does not allow them to bond completely with each other.

So, now you have an access to a very straightforward and simple method of reading the Tarot cards. If you want to learn more about the meanings of the cards, just visit ReadingTarotCardsRevealed.com and sign up for my free e-newsletter today!

Teresa Caro is a tarot card enthusiast and professional tarot card teacher. She has written a book on reading tarot designed to help the beginner read for them self and others. You can learn more about her book and sign up for her free newsletter at http://www.ReadingTarotCardsRevealed.com

posted by biibj @ 3:24 AM 0 comments