Letter of Providence for GU items?

[joelsabi]

How important is a letter of providence to your collection? Have you accepted bats into your collection based on its own merit without any letter of providence. Are there certain GU items that you would not accept into your collection without a letter of providence.

[mvandor]

Provenance.

[bigtruck260]

I can accept a trusted source...

Birdbats, Ball Park Heroes, Left Field - JT...

LOA's are not all that important as long as I am comfortable with the use characteristics.

[B1SON]

The NFL items that I buy from sorces other than our athletic department are of players that have little signifigance to the NFL and therefore not only don't cost much, but wouldn't be faked because of this. Thats the beauty of my collection. ;)

[commando]

I think a letter of provenance is very important if you're talking about a modern day superstar jersey. For example, how many legit Peyton Manning or Brett Favre jerseys are out there without a letter? Both players (and their organizations) seem to keep pretty good tabs on their equipment. So instead of paying $10K for a jersey with an ironclad letter of provenance, one may pay a "bargain price" of $5K for one without the letter -- and a good chance that Manning or Favre never saw the item you just bought.

Anyone who has been in this hobby for any length of time has bought crap. Thanks to the internet and this forum, it is much harder these days to get away with selling it.

[mvandor]

I should add that while a LOA may be seen by a savvy collector as irrelevant to HIS purchasing decision, it sure can generate aditional value for you on resale. Given the cost of some items, I invest in pursuing authentication sometimes solely for that reason. I want my heirs to be able to cash out my investments at top dollar.

[gwh11]

I think it's well worth noting that there are many fraudulent Favre jerseys out there that come with a letter signed by him. There are also some game used Favre jerseys in private collections that are 100% legitimate and have no letter at all.

Guy

[commando]

I think it's well worth noting that there are many fraudulent Favre jerseys out there that come with a letter signed by him. There are also some game used Favre jerseys in private collections that are 100% legitimate and have no letter at all.

Guy

You're absolutely right, Guy. I guess my overall point is that I can see the writing on the wall ten years from now -- if anyone thinks the market is already flooded with crap (pro-cuts and "team issued"), just wait and see. The problem of modern superstar jerseys being misrepresented will get much worse.

By the way, an FBI investigation is a step in the right direction, but this kind of investigation brings down large "mills" that consistently churn out misrepresented memorabilia. They do not and cannot take care or every mom and pop seller that is selling a misrepresented item.

[costas]

in current times, very important simply because there are too many customizing establishments out there who can transform a blank or garbage player jersey into a holy grail of a famous one. All one needs is the same size jersey, rough it up a bit when they get it back and claim it off as game used by said player who never saw or touch that piece in their life.

[skyking26]

I really only feel comfortable with a jersey if it comes from a source I am comfortable with or has been inspected by someone I trust. Bats I usually do my own homework on thru reliable sources and require no COA...