Controversy arises over the authenticity of autographed jersey by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in charity auction
Questions have been raised about the authenticity of the autographs on a Travis Kelce jersey and other items by sports memorabilia experts and professional authentication services. Despite this, the supplier continues to insist that the autographs are legitimate.
Last weekend, a charity auction in Guelph raised thousands of dollars, with the main item being a Travis Kelce jersey signed by Kelce and Taylor Swift, which sold for $21,000.
Members of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Autograph News Facebook group, as well as top professional sports memorabilia authentication services contacted by GuelphToday, have cast doubt on the authenticity of the signatures on the jersey.
Despite concerns raised by experts and others in the sports memorabilia world, the supplier of the auction items maintains that the autographs are real. The charity benefiting from the auction has stated that none of the successful bidders have filed complaints about the items.
The auction, organized by Linamar’s Curl for Kids, raised $125,000, with proceeds going to the Guelph Wish Fund for Children, the Oakville Fare Share Food Bank, and Halton Women’s Crisis Shelter.
In addition to the Kelce jersey, other auction items included a football signed by Kelce and Swift, as well as memorabilia signed by Kobe Bryant, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Aaron Judge, and others.
Concerns about the authenticity of the signatures were raised on social media and by authentication companies such as Beckett Authentication Services and Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).
Despite the doubts expressed by experts, the supplier of the items, Scottie (Nine Toe) Johnston, maintains that the items are authentic and were donated to the charity auction. Johnston, who declined to be interviewed, referred communication through his lawyer, Brett Gallagher.
Requests for comment from Linamar, Swift, Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs went unanswered. Gallagher claimed that all items come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) from Jersey Sports Memorabilia.
While questions about the legitimacy of the items have been raised, Gallagher asserted that there have been no complaints from buyers and emphasized the positive impact of the funds raised.
Despite the controversy surrounding the authenticity of the signatures, the charity involved has not received any complaints from buyers and has stated that all buyers received their COAs for the items they purchased.
Memorabilia experts like Aaron Logan and Brian Ehrenworth emphasized the importance of COAs from reputable sources in verifying the authenticity of signed items. They highlighted the exclusivity deals that high-profile athletes have with organizations like Fanatics, Upper Deck, and ICONS for providing COAs with signed items.
The controversy over the authenticity of the autographs on the auction items continues, with experts and professionals in the sports memorabilia world weighing in on the discussion.