Inside Autograph Authentication With JSA
Introducing Hobby Hits, a new interview series featuring the people, stories and expertise that shape the collecting hobby.
In just four weeks, JSA returns to the Northeast Sports Card Expo in Stamford, Connecticut, September 12–13, offering onsite autograph authentication throughout the weekend. For the first installment of our new Hobby Hits interview series, we caught up with JSA Senior Vice President James Spence III to talk authentication, the toughest signatures to verify, some of the unusual items JSA has encountered and what keeps the team coming back to the Expo.
1. What’s the first thing JSA looks for when authenticating an autograph?
Our immediate priority is confirming whether a signature is genuine live ink or a reproduction, like an autopen, high-resolution copy or print. We then pick apart its structure, while high-value or complex items may undergo deeper research to verify ink age and period-appropriate manufacturing.
Just some of the many items that have been authenticated at the Northeast Sports Card Expo.
2. What’s one thing every collector should know about autograph authentication?
Even if you get an item signed in person, third-party authentication is essential because it verifies marketability and builds trust if you choose to sell. A critical part of our process is determining when an autograph was signed and comparing it against verified examples from that era.
3. Whose autographs are the toughest to authenticate?
The hardest signatures to evaluate are quick “rush” or “chase” autographs obtained outside ballparks, red carpet events or hockey arenas. When an autograph is a hasty circle or a few rushed lines, there simply isn’t enough structural ink flow to analyze effectively. Even with strong provenance, signatures without distinct letter structures can be difficult to authenticate with 100% confidence.
Pictured: one of the most unusual items JSA has authenticated, an unworn pair of Jockey underwear signed by Jim Palmer.
4. What’s one of the most unusual items JSA has ever authenticated?
We’ve been asked to authenticate human body parts, which is one of the few absolute exceptions we strictly refuse! Among the unusual items we have authenticated are signed Jim Palmer Jockey underwear (definitely not worn!) and former MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn’s prosthetic leg. While signed media and documents are our day-to-day focus, we love seeing the weird and wonderful items collectors bring to our table.
5. What does JSA enjoy most about being at the Northeast Sports Card Expo?
The Northeast Sports Card Expo team runs a top-notch operation, and they are truly great guys to work with. We love the incredible energy of the New England collector base, who consistently show up in full force and make our booth one of the busiest stops on the circuit. The crowd’s genuine appreciation for what we do makes the long travel days and packed show schedules completely worth it.
Don’t forget to bring your signed items to the Northeast Sports Card Expo in Stamford next month and have them authenticated by JSA onsite!
JSA authenticators at the Northeast Sports Card Expo in Marlborough, MA, in June 2026.