That Michael Jordan signed photo sure would look nice on the wall in the den. $900, that seems like quite a bit of money to risk on something that could be fake. Sure there’s certificates of authenticity and fancy holograms, but anyone with the right equipment can doctor those up. And how do I verify that hologram number? Authentication is tough and throwing that kind of money around makes it risky.
Upper Deck Authenticated, whose five-step authentication program recently gained them Good Housekeeping seal (don’t ask what Good Housekeeping has to do with cards, but the honor is still very prestigious among consumer confidence circles), is taking things when step further with the PenCam.
The device is a Sharpie and digital video camera all in one. When the likes of Jordan, Tiger Woods and Ken Griffey Jr sign their Upper Deck items, the recorder will document the signature and save it as a digital file. Upper Deck then puts them onto a CD-ROM for permanent storage. Consumers can access the data through Upper Deck’s website and witness the signing of their item by logging on with their serial number. The original five-step authentication process is still in place also to further ensure authenticity.
The PenCam has gained the approval of some of their most prominent spokesmen. Jordan says, “I get a lot of letters from consumers who have bought forged items. They are basically unhappy because they’ve discovered the signature is a fake. PenCam will help cut down on a lot of these forgeries”
The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant says, “I think it shows commitment to their customers to ensure that they’re buying a real product. What they’re doing is really different; it’s pioneer.”
Every piece of PenCam-signed memorabilia sold by Upper Deck includes a CD-ROM with the following:
- A time and date stamped video record of the signature
- A digital photograph of the item
- A time and date stamped video record of the athlete’s face as a marker for the start and completion of the autograph session
- Footage of an interview with the athlete
- Information about where and when the signing took place
- In addition, consumers receive a certificate of authenticity that bears a numbered hologram that matches the hologram affixed to the item and assigned to the digital file. Collectors can also access this information online at Upper Deck’s website.
