Since 2005
First generation autograph collector, James D. Spence, collects philatelic covers by sending out hundreds of mailed addressed envelopes to notable figures of the time.
Autograph collecting is a Spence family tradition that has been passed down through four generations. Following his grandfather and father, founder James Spence Jr. started out as an avid collector of sports memorabilia. Collecting autographs turned into a business as he traveled across the country attending major trade shows buying and selling memorabilia. His passion for autographs led him to extensive research and compiling an autograph exemplar library, which is second to none in the autograph industry today. James, Jr's reputation within the autograph world caught the attention of major auction houses across the country, which then employed his authentication services for their upcoming auctions. Thirty years later James Spence has built a worldwide reputation as the premier autograph authenticator in the world.
JSA has accumulated an impressive exemplar database of nearly 700,000 files, which are used by autograph authenticators to accurately assess the thousands of autographs submitted daily. Our exemplar file is the most important tool JSA utilizes when authenticating any autograph submitted through our service.
JSA experts also regularly visit auction houses, attend trade shows/conventions and constantly research the veracity of autographs of sports figures, celebrities, entertainers, politicians and historical figures. Their strong research and exposure to this volume of autographs allows them to continually add to their growing autograph exemplar database, unparalleled in the autograph industry.
Authentication Fees