Authenticate Signed Football Shirts with Beckett, PSA/DNA, JSA: Collector's Guide

Authentication turns a signed Football Shirt from a claim into a verified asset. This fact-led guide explains the full submission process to the three premium third-party authenticators for Football Shirts: Beckett Authentication Services, PSA/DNA and JSA. We write for serious collectors, with a European perspective. You will learn what to capture at the signing, how to prepare your documentation, how to handle customs, what the authenticators actually do, and how to preserve value when items return. Verify authenticity by pairing strong photo or video proof with a serialized hologram, a matching online record, and an audit trail that ties your shirt, your media and the certification together.

Paul de Metter, Founder of Walkouts: You should not underestimate the detailed documentation, export rules and authenticator-specific knowledge required to get a hologram, COA or LOA back. That process is often taking extra costs, extra time and yes, extra frustration. But the end result is watertight authentication on perfect proof... and extra value for a signed Football Shirt.

1) Get the autograph with the right provenance and photo proof

Capture the exact shirt being signed. Frame the signature as it happens and include tells: name set, number font, sponsor, patches and any season code. Record who signed, when, where and how. Note pen type and colour. Keep the clip or photo sequence unedited and backed up. Use the structure from our signing media guide in the Knowledge Base, including the practical context from Collecting. For standards and examples, see Photo and Video Proof for Signed Football Shirts and How Autographs Get onto Football Shirts. These resources help you produce evidence that later matches the authenticator’s description and your listing.

2) Document the evidence in a submission-ready pack

Write a short log that a third party can read without you present. Include player’s full name, club, shirt model and season, competition patches, number style, date and location of the signing, and pen type. Name your media files consistently and link them in the log. Create a simple item ID for your shirt and place that ID on both the form and the exterior sleeve. A practical example is our Robin van Persie Arsenal 2004–05 signed Football Shirt, with proof linked at Signing Proof RVP 20010311. That linkable record shows how provenance, shirt version and era-specific details stay tied together from the moment of signing through third-party review.

3) Choose your authenticator and book your order

Beckett, PSA/DNA and JSA are the three premium third-party authenticators used by Football Shirt collectors. All are US-based and use expert comparison against exemplar libraries, supported by tools such as magnification and UV/IR to detect alterations or print forgeries. Select the authenticator whose brand is strongest with your target buyers. Many European collectors prefer Beckett for shirts. North American buyers often recognise PSA/DNA and JSA strongly. When booking, select service tier and turnaround. Faster tiers cost more. Standard windows are estimates. In practice, door-to-door time can be several months during backlogs. Our optimal batch size is fourteen shirts per parcel. That keeps one order in one box and avoids custom proposals that larger batches can trigger.

4) Prepare, pack and label the shirts for transit

Keep signatures, numbers and patches flat. Do not fold through autographs or across PU numbers. Use acid-free tissue between layers. Sleeve each shirt to prevent transfer. Place the submission form and copies of your proof pack on top. Photograph the open box before sealing. For folding and preservation technique, use How to Properly Preserve and Fold Football Shirts. Label the exterior with your order number and item count. Use a rigid, right-sized box so shirts cannot shift. Record the carrier, service level and tracking in your log.

5) Handle export, customs and the return correctly

From Europe to the United States, declare a temporary export for service and a return to origin. Ask your carrier for the correct codes and wording to avoid import duty on the way in and again on the way back. Attach a contents list that states no transfer of ownership. Include a clear value for insurance while avoiding claims that trigger unnecessary taxes. We often use established express carriers for US routes. Keep copies of airway bills, customs forms and invoices in your digital pack. This planning prevents delays, duplicate charges and disputes on return. Confirm how your country handles temporary export before sending, and include written return instructions inside the parcel.

6) What Beckett, PSA/DNA and JSA actually do

Beckett Authentication Services (BAS)

Intake assigns an order ID and logs each Football Shirt. Specialists verify the item description and note signature placement on fabric, name set or number. Examiners use magnification and digital microscopy to study stroke order, line quality, pressure, hesitations and pen lifts. UV and IR light reveal mixed inks, printed underlayers and cleaning attempts. Comparison is against a deep exemplar library for the same signer and era. On textiles they expect ink to sit on fibres with natural pooling at stroke ends and realistic disruption across seams and textures. Printed or autopen signatures show uniform edges, repeated defects and no fibre interaction. Complex items receive multi-expert review to reduce bias.

Passing shirts receive a tamper-evident BAS hologram sticker and a COA or LOA with a unique serial that resolves in Beckett’s online database. Many records include item photos, which helps buyers match the exact shirt variant and signature placement. BAS offers a Quick Opinion image service to triage obvious failures before you commit to a full submission. Autograph grading on a 1–10 scale is optional and measures signature strength and presentation, not shirt condition. BAS witnessed services at events certify the chain from pen to sticker when a staff member is present. BAS does not use NFC chips. Verification relies on the serial, hologram and database entry.

For Football Shirts, BAS expects accurate item titles and era-correct detail. List the club, season, shirt type and competition patches in the submission so the database reads like your eventual listing. Paint markers on PU numbers are common and acceptable. Avoid crossings over ventilation holes and embossed sponsors to reduce beading and lift. If an item is inconclusive due to thin exemplars, the result is no opinion and usually no fee. If you later obtain decisive signing media of your exact shirt, you can ask for reconsideration, but reversals are uncommon.

PSA/DNA

PSA/DNA employs a multi-expert panel. Each examiner compares the autograph to an internal exemplar library using magnification and, where needed, lab tools such as spectral light sources to see ink behaviour and additions. The process evaluates stroke sequence, rhythm and natural variation. Suspect items escalate to additional reviewers. PSA/DNA’s security suite includes tamper-evident labels and a proprietary synthetic DNA component embedded in the marking system to deter counterfeiting. The serial number resolves in Cert Verification, which returns the signer and item description and ties into their financial guarantee framework.

Services for shirts include mail-in authentication with sticker plus COA or LOA, QuickOpinion for online listings, and autograph grading. For flats they also offer encapsulation, but most shirts receive a sticker and paper certificate rather than encapsulation. If you prefer not to sticker a textile, you can request the label on the LOA only, but many buyers expect to see a label discreetly applied to the number or inner hem. PSA/DNA’s In-The-Presence programme covers witnessed signings. At shows and auctions they also run pre-certification to speed listings.

For European submitters, align your item description with PSA/DNA’s categories so the database output matches your listing. Include clear photos of the exact shirt model, number font and patches so staff can describe the item accurately. Expect stated windows around 20 to 30 business days to vary with volume. High-profile signers such as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo often sit in higher fee tiers. Failed opinions are usually billed. Inconclusive outcomes receive no sticker and often no fee. Strengthen your proof pack and consider a fresh image review before resubmitting.

JSA (James Spence Authentication)

JSA runs a team-based review with one of the largest autograph exemplar libraries. Examiners study the autograph under magnification for stroke integrity, line taper, pen lifts and rhythm. The team reaches a consensus opinion. UV and IR help surface alterations and printed graphics. Intake verifies item details so the paperwork reflects the real shirt variant. On textiles, JSA looks for natural ink spread on fibres and realistic interaction over seams and textured PU numbers. Printed or traced signatures show flattening, uniform edge character and repeated artefacts.

JSA offers Basic Certification with a matching sticker and card, and a Full Letter of Authenticity for higher-value items, which includes a detailed description and often a photo. Their Witnessed Programme certifies signings attended by JSA staff. At US shows they can sticker and issue paperwork the same day for many items. The SpenceLOA online lookup matches the sticker serial to the record and returns the signer and item type. Like the others, JSA does not use NFC. Verification is by sticker, serial and database record.

For shirts, place the sticker in a discreet but accessible location such as the reverse of the number or the inner hem, then photograph the placement alongside the LOA. JSA’s broad exemplar base helps with older European signers and obscure squads. Turnaround for basic mail-ins is often two to four weeks, but door-to-door times vary with shipping and customs. Failed items are usually billed. Inconclusive items receive no sticker. Keep your proof pack tight and be ready to answer clarifying questions to avoid delays.

7) Manage communication and delays

Backlogs happen. Status can remain “In Process” for weeks. If your dashboard stalls or a data mismatch appears, phone support. Calls resolve identity or description issues far faster than email. Keep your proof pack within reach when phoning so you can supply exact item titles and the order number. Log every contact with date and agent name. Expect occasional requests for clarification if an exemplar is thin or the description needs tightening. Patience and clear records shorten the cycle. Avoid changing addresses mid-order. That adds hold steps. If you must change, confirm in writing and keep the ticket ID in your log.

8) Decisions, fees and what to expect

Authentic passes are billed and stickered. Failed items are usually billed at the selected tier. Inconclusive items generally are not billed and receive no sticker. High-profile signers such as Lionel Messi often carry higher fees, so a fail can be an expensive confirmation. That is part of the risk management. If you hold decisive signing media of your exact shirt and the item failed due to scarce exemplars, you may request reconsideration. Reversals are rare. Expect decision release close to dispatch. Many authenticators provide results only when the shipment is moving to avoid prolonged disputes. Accept the expert opinion as the market reference, then decide if you keep, resell as non-authenticated, or relist after stronger proof work.

9) Receipt, archiving and preserving value on return

On delivery, reconcile the box contents against your item list. Match each shirt to its hologram and COA or LOA. Photograph the shirt, the hologram and the paperwork together. Scan the LOA and save a screenshot of the online serial lookup with the current date. Record cert number, decision date and service tier in your register. Refold to protect signatures and numbers. Store in acid-free sleeves away from light and humidity. When listing, include the database lookup image, LOA scan and signing media thumbnails, so the buyer can repeat the checks. Keep carrier invoices and the authenticator’s receipt. These are provenance breadcrumbs that tie the certification event to the item. For more practical context, explore Knowledge Base and Collecting.

Beckett vs PSA/DNA vs JSA: methods, services, timing and locations

Selecting the right path for your shirt

Choose the authenticator that best fits your resale market and your signer. Prepare a clean proof pack and a disciplined export plan. Batch smartly. Fourteen shirts per parcel works well in our experience. Keep the description you submit aligned to the one you will use when selling. When your shirts return, archive every document and screenshot. This continuity is what turns a good signature into a liquid, verifiable asset. If a result disappoints, review your proof and description, learn from the feedback, and adjust your next submission.