A fake certificate of authenticity is often more dangerous than no certificate at all. A buyer who sees a cert tends to stop asking questions — which is exactly what a forger is counting on. Here is how to verify any authentication certificate before it becomes the reason you overpaid for a fake.
Verify Directly With the Issuing Service
Every major authentication service maintains a verification database:
- PSA — PSACertification.com allows certification number lookup
- JSA — JSAautographs.com has a cert verification portal
- Beckett (BAS) — Beckett.com has a BAS cert lookup
- Zarelli Space Authentication — verification through Zarelli's documented records
If the cert number does not appear in the issuing service's database, the cert is fraudulent. This check takes under two minutes. Never skip it.
Physical Cert Red Flags
- Photocopied cert — original certs are printed documents, not copies
- Missing hologram sticker — JSA and Beckett apply hologram stickers to authenticated items. A cert without a matching hologram on the item is incomplete
- Cert number not matching item — the cert's described item should match the physical item precisely. Any mismatch is a red flag
- Dealer-issued cert — a COA issued by the seller is not third-party verification. Sellers can print their own certificates
Pest Control Specific
Banksy's Pest Control certs include a half-torn currency note. The buyer holds one half; Pest Control holds the other. If the cert does not come with the matching currency note half, the cert cannot be confirmed as genuine.
When In Doubt
Submit the item and cert to the authentication service directly before completing the purchase. The cost of a $50 submission is negligible compared to the risk of a fraudulent purchase.
At Gauntlet Gallery, every authentication cert we provide is from an independent third-party service with a verifiable cert number. Browse at gauntlet.gallery.
