Autographed items, commonly bought and sold on eBay, are unique in that they can be highly valuable yet easily forged. eBay strives to maintain a marketplace that is safe for both buyers and sellers of autographs, and has developed the following guidelines and policies designed to protect you, the members of our community.
Autographs are commonly sold with so-called "Certificates of Authenticity" (COA), which are designed to offer the buyer some assurances that the autograph was indeed properly signed by the person(s) in question. However, COAs are only as valuable as the reputation of the issuing party. Literally anyone can offer a COA, so it is important that savvy buyers investigate the background of each "authenticator". Blank COAs are not permitted and certificates of authenticity may NEVER be sold as a stand-alone item. For further information regarding authentication please visit our Authentication and Grading page.
Disciplinary Action
eBay reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to remove any autographed item listed on its site and refund the associated listing fee, if eBay believes that the listing of the item is inconsistent with eBay's goal of providing a safe trading environment, or if in its sole discretion eBay believes that the sale of the item might create liability for the buyer, the seller, or any third party.
eBay may also seek an opinion from a disinterested 3rd party regarding any autograph listing. If the 3rd party has any concerns about the authenticity of the listing, eBay may at its sole discretion, remove the listing from the site. Sellers whose autographs have been repeatedly identified as problematic may be warned, put on probation, or suspended from all eBay buying and selling activity, at eBay's sole discretion.
Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Limits on account privileges
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status
Authentication
Autographs are commonly sold with "Certificates of Authenticity" (COA), which are meant to assure the buyer that the signature is genuinely made by the person claimed. However, COAs are only as valuable as the reputation of the issuing party. Anyone can offer a COA, so it is important to investigate the background of each "authenticator."
There are many reputable autograph experts, and eBay has identified a partial list of authenticators for your benefit. These authenticators offer various services for buyers and sellers of autographs.
Listing Guidelines
eBay strongly recommends that autograph sellers include all relevant information in their listings about the autograph and the item it appears on, including:
A clear, scanned image of the actual autographed item for sale.
All relevant information about the Certificate of Authenticity (if the signature or item has been authenticated), including the name of the person or company issuing the certificate.
A scan of the Certificate of Authenticity (if the signature or item has been authenticated)
Seller’s refund policy—in case any reputable dealer (including those dealers listed in the relevant authentication section of eBay's site) find that the item is likely not authentic.
Unacceptable Authenticators on eBay
eBay will not permit any use of certificates of authenticity on its site that have been issued by certain individuals or authenticators. These COA's have been prohibited through circumstances that occurred in the United States, however due to international trading it is possible that these COA's could have been imported into Australia or elsewhere. To view the names of these persons and the reasons why these exclusions exist, please visit the Autographs Policy on eBay.com.
Why does eBay have this policy?
eBay strives to maintain a marketplace that is safe for both buyers and sellers of autographs. This policy helps to ensure an open trading experience where every party is informed about the items being traded.
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