How to read an authentication card: three services, one principle

These names are not three grades of amulet, nor do they mean a collector must choose only one. They are review services often mentioned in the market: a physical piece is examined under that service’s process, and an accepted piece may receive photographs, details or a record. Scope, fees, waiting time, lookup methods and review rules can change, so check each service’s current published requirements before submitting.

What a card can record — and what it cannot replace

A valid card that truly corresponds to the object can show, at most, that a service examined that particular piece at a particular time and recorded an opinion and details then. It does not make every future buyer agree, and it cannot guarantee price, provenance stories or every seller statement. In a high-value transaction, a card is one record to question and verify — not a reason to stop checking.

How to check a card against the object

1. 01Match the card photograph to the actual object point by point: chips, pits, casting marks, small mold points, and edges before or after casing should line up. ‘Generally similar’ is not the same object.
2. 02Use the issuer’s current official lookup or contact channel to check the number, image and status. If it cannot be found, pause and clarify rather than inventing an explanation.
3. 03Compare the stated name, edition, year, temple and material with the object and comparable specimens. When something conflicts, record the conflict and seek a second independent view.
4. 04For a substantial purchase, agree in advance on inspection, review and return terms. Views from different services can be considered together, but no card replaces seeing the object.