Professional Sports Authenticator was barely a gleam in the eye of its founders when the hobby went through its explosive growth of the 1980s and early 90s.* Since then, the company has become an industry giant, authenticating millions of cards and collectibles with a declared value of over $1 billion.

Over 100,000 submissions of trading cards and memorabilia arrive at the company’s Santa Ana, Calif. offices every month.* Some will be rejected as altered or flat out fakes.

Others will get the nod of approval or grade that can add significant value once* back in the hands of the customer.

Born in the 1990s out of collector concerns about forgery and counterfeiting that had run rampant, PSA is part of Collectors Universe, a publicly traded company.

The Orange County Register has a* look at the business side of the company and some images showing some of the items that have passed authentication and others that haven’t.

Read it here.







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