by David C. Wyld, Southeastern Louisiana University

The sports memorabilia market today is a global marketplace, estimated to generate revenues in excess of $5 billion annually. However, it is a market unlike any other due to the giant presence of counterfeit items. The official estimate from the FBI is that 70% of all signed sports collectibles on the market in the U.S. are counterfeit – forged signatures on items which themselves may or may not be what they are purported to be (after all, even official merchandise from sports leagues and special events, such as Super Bowls, World Cups, or World Series, can be faked).

Industry observers however believe the true figure to be even higher, ranging to upwards of 90% of all sports collectibles. Thus, this is perhaps the ultimate example of a caveat emptor (buyer beware) market. Thus, there is a great need to have a solution that can assure buyers – and sellers – of the authenticity of an item – not just presently, but into the future – a “chain of custody” if you will. Hmmmmmmm, sounds like a perfect case for RFID – and it is.