The Power of Authenticity: How Resolution Photomatching Quadruples Value

What this episode is about

The discussion centers around the rising demand for authenticity in sports memorabilia, emphasizing the importance of photo matching as a reliable method for verification. The emergence of Resolution Photo Matching as a leading service highlights a significant shift in the industry toward transparent and accurate authentication practices in response to consumer skepticism.

Key takeaways

• Collectors demand photo proof for memorabilia—because confidence in authenticity beats taking chances on fakes.
• Photo matching isn't just a trend; it's the new gold standard in game-used memorabilia authentication.
• Card manufacturers are finally catching on: provenance matters more than ever in a world clouded by doubt.
• Resolution Photo Matching showcases the synergy between passion and value—score both authenticity and enjoyment!
• Buyers and sellers benefit equally from photo matching; it's the secret sauce that elevates both trust and price.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Ryan Alford (Host) · 13 min speaking
• John (Guest) · 8 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Resolution Photo Matching
2. 15:00 – 20:00: Resolution Photo Matching

Notable quotes from "The Power of Authenticity: How Resolution Photomatching Quadruples Value"

• When I buy memorabilia, and I don't know if it's the legit stuff. So yeah, at Resolution Photo Matching, we're authenticating game use memorabilia and we've been doing it since…

  about Resolution Photo Matching · at 1:10

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

Companies & orgs

• Resolution Photo Matching — Company · Business focus · 5 mentions · first at 1:04
  Primary subject of the episode, discussing their photo matching service for authenticating game-used memorabilia.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 I think even the card manufacturers are starting to realize that people demand to really know with 100% certainty that it was game used and when it was game used. The industry demands photo magic. That makes a lot of sense. People kind of have their doubts. Let's just say that. And certain bad players have unfortunately made it that way. But at the same time, they say um I mean proof is good to have. Welcome to the Trading Cards and Collectibles podcast on the Radcast Network. From Chasing Grails to Colin Bluffs, I'm going inside the hobby.

0:34 Are you ready to collect? Let's get at it. Here is your host, Ryan Alford. Hello and welcome to Trading Cards and Collectibles here on the Radcast Network. We want to thank you for making us a top five sports show on Apple Podcast. We appreciate you for listening. If you're watching, listen. If you listen, watch. Check us out on YouTube. We got all our highlight clips, the full episode. And hey, a lot of what we're talking about today is visual. You know, when it comes back to it, we're talking to the founder of Resolution Photo Matching. What's up, John? The only thing that keeps me sleepless is when I buy memorabilia, and I don't know if it's the legit stuff. So yeah, at Resolution Photo Matching, we're authenticating game use memorabilia and we've been doing it uh since 2016 when we started. Um at the time that resolution launched and was founded, photo matching was not the standard for

1:32 authenticating game use memorabilia. Uh there grading was a lot more popular at that time and but it really, you know, frankly was not as accurate as as photo matching. Um, and but at the time there wasn't a dedicated photo matching professional photo matching service. Uh, that that's, you know, all they did was photo match memorabilia. And so when we came out, uh, I'm really proud of the fact that I think we led to a shift in how game use memorabilia was authenticated. Um, we quickly became the top authenticator for game use memorabilia with a lot of the auction houses, the top individual collectors.

2:13 Um, and you know, within probably 2 or 3 years of our founding, photo matching and resolution photo matching was had kind of become the industry standard. Um, and I think think it's still there today. You know, now there's some different factors in the market and things like that, but but uh I'm still really proud of the fact that that I think resolution photo matching is still the uh the standard for authentication when it comes specifically to game used.

2:40 Talk to me. It's interesting. I've got some memorabilia, a lot of trading cards, and you know, in trading cards, you know, they cut up the uh memorabilia into a million pieces. Uh

2:54 the uh [clears throat] you guys get involved with any of that stuff? Like, you know, it's funny you mentioned that. We've actually even been contacted by a couple of uh of card manufacturers about doing photo matching for a jersey before it goes into the cards. is eventually one they're going to cut up and put into cards. And uh so it's not something that they've jumped into a whole lot yet, but I think even the card manufacturers are starting to realize that, you know, people demand if to really know with 100% certainty that it was game used and when it was game used, the industry demands photo matching. And so I think even we're starting to see card manufacturers uh start to to get that and start to reach out to us.

3:41 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And they're right cuz I mean people, you [snorts] know, people kind of have their doubts, right? Let's just say that. And you know the comp not certain bad players have unfortunately made it that way. But at the same time they say um I mean proof is good to have and especially when you have something of value and increasing that value. Walk me through generally speaking with resolution photo matching. Do I buy this or do I do I go do I go with a service like this before I buy I'm buying something of value expensive or if I've got a collection on the wall and I'm like I want to increase its value and increase my confidence level.

4:22 Is it is it both or one or the other? It's really all the above. So, we'll have clients coming to us right before they're going to sell. We'll have clients coming to us right before they're going to buy. It really depends. We can even at times work on items that are currently at auction if we get enough turnaround time before the auction's over. It's all different degrees. you know, maybe if you're working on it before, you know, right before you're going to buy something that doesn't currently have a resolution photo match, maybe you can get a little better price on it when you buy it. And then you can add some value after the purchase. You definitely want to have it if you're about to sell, you want to have resolution on there because it's going to add a lot more value to the piece if we're able to to make a a res match. But I always encourage people to do it early. try and and get the res

5:12 match early because then it's not just the added value financially when you sell it, but you get to enjoy it too because it's kind of fun. It's something you really can it's a visual medium where it can really even if you're displaying, you know, your jerseys or your bats or your shoes, you can put the res match photo with with the item on display, you know, we we'll put them in frames and stuff like that. And uh not only is it authentication, but it's also kind of a uh addition to the collectible, you know, on the wall.

5:45 Where are you seeing the most growth? Like is it uh people like before they buy something, okay, hey John, you know, call the team, you want to get they get it, they want to get it validated or is it like you said early on?

5:59 Yeah, I mean I think it's it's again it's all the above. Um, you know, as far as growth within the markets, we've always, our bread and butter has always been baseball, basketball, football, those have always been the three biggest. Probably the biggest growth sport we've seen in the last 2 3 years is actually soccer. Uh there's a lot more soccer collectors coming out. Still probably not to the level of of those big three, but we've seen a lot of increases there. Hockey as well, you know, various other sports. And then we can actually also authenticate non-sports items. So we'll do photo matching for stuff that's used in concerts, you know, whether it be a guitar, you know, used by uh uh we had uh one of the Rolling Stones guitars. Uh we were able to res match. Um and uh you know, we've done shirts from like major musicians and then also screen worn. So stuff that's used in TV shows, stuff

6:58 that's used in movies. I not not to give away trade secrets or anything, but like I'm still fascinated like at this process like exactly what is happening here.

7:08 We have a three round research process for every item we're researching. The first round is going through analyzing every potential image uh and then flagging the ones that are promising. And then in the second round of our research, we have kind of the checks on those promising images to see, hey, is this the potential to be a res match? The other really important part in our second round is what we call our comparison analysis process. And this is really what keeps our standards at the level they are, which is one of the things that I think really sets resolution apart is that level of standard we take before we'll call something a res match, before we call it a photo match. And then our third round of research is we have a senior most researcher and they're doing final checks and making the final determinations. But once we get to that third round, they're doing the final checks and balances. They're making the

8:01 final determinations. This image, this date is a res match based on these different characteristics. That date, you know, maybe isn't a res match. Maybe it's a a possible or probable match, but it doesn't make that that level of res match. And then we get into making the graphics, making our certification, and sending all those out to the client. It's time inensive for sure to do it right. You know, I always say photo matching isn't that hard to do potentially, but to do it at the professional level and do it at the level that we're doing it, that's where it gets difficult.

8:34 How what percent doesn't get validated? And if it doesn't, I mean, I guess you're paying the research cost because the research took place whether you got it or not. How does that work as far as you know what you're paying for, what percent

8:48 gets validated versus doesn't? It's an important thing for clients to know coming in. Not every item is going to res match. Sometimes it could mean the item is not good, but a lot of times it doesn't mean that. A lot of times it just means, you know, the right images weren't out there. You know, the characteristics were more difficult and it just didn't have the right things to lead to a res match. Um, as far as the pricing goes, you brought that up, there is actually a big discount in price if we're not able to make a res match. So, um it's depending on the the level of item, it can be anywhere from about 30 to 60% refunded back to the client. So, they do get, you know, some money back at least if we're not able to make a raise match. Obviously, we're spending a very similar amount of time either way, but we don't want the clients to feel like they spent all this money and and got nothing. So, they're at least

9:41 getting a good chunk of money back. Sometimes if an item's like a really high value, even if there's a lower chance of success, it's going to be worth it for the client because they can be risking let's say it's a $1,000 fee if a res match is going to add $50,000 in value to that piece.

9:58 Yeah. You you want to you want to give it a shot and see what happens. But broadly speaking, probably a little bit over half of items that are submitted to us were able to res match. and uh and you know the other chunk uh you know for one reason or another a res match can't be made. So

10:14 that makes sense. So I send it in and you guys are doing your research. It would be my assumption that if it's modern game worn from the last uh 10 to 15 years higher percent chance of matching versus 15 plus 20 plus good assumption. It's a little bit more complicated than that. In general, there's going to be way more images from recent items. So, in that regard, there's a higher chance of a res match. But with that said, pretty much across all major sports being good.

10:52 Well, there's there's a quantity issue. So these days players will most of the time wear a jersey for like one or two games or wear a pair of shoes maybe for one game

11:06 whereas back in the you know 80s7s60s 20s agree they wear like two jerseys all year. So, there's going to be a lot fewer images from the 1920s, the 1950s, but there's a they probably used the item for a lot longer period of time.

11:26 So, in that way, it kind of almost evens out. But yeah, I mean, in general, yeah, there's absolutely going to be way more images from more modern pieces. You know, there are also a lot of times, especially if you're talking last 10 years or so, a lot more pieces are league authenticated, meaning that they already have, you know, MLB authentication, I think, is is great where they will put a sticker on it and say, "Hey, it was used on this date, but even then, it's great to submit it to resolution because sometimes they'll only include the date that it was pulled from use, but we're able to photo match it to six or seven other dates.

12:04 Yeah. So, again, it probably won't be the whole season. Occasionally, a player will wear it for an extended period, but probably not the whole season, but but uh we're often times able to do a lot more beyond what the league authentication has.

12:18 Do I have to send anything to you? Yeah. So, we don't need physical items shipped for our process. And we discovered this early on. Back from the time we started, we've never required physical shipping of items. And that was another thing that really was able to make it easier for our clients with past authentication. You know, pre205, they always required shipping. And you know, we kind of realized they were a little bit maybe behind the times. You know, when you didn't have iPhone cameras in 2005, you know, that didn't work. But now with the everyone has this highde camera in their pocket, all we need are physical or specific photos of each item. So we need very specific angles, basically the front, the back, the manufacturer tags to where we can see everything we need to see, but then it actually saves the client the unnecessary hassle of having to ship the physical item and all the liability that goes

13:21 into that. And that's another great thing about the not having to ship is it does make the turnaround time a little bit quicker. But yeah, the standard turnaround time is around a week and a half, sometimes 2 weeks. You know, if there's a deadline of of, you know, a week, 6 days, a lot of times with with an expedited service, we can make that happen. Tell me some stories like what what's some of the coolest things you've uh res matched and you know tell me something in the audience that would be interesting or kind of cool with it. On the non-sport side, we did a Amelia Airheart cap that she wore on it was the first female transatlantic flight. So she went from across the Atlantic. It had never been done by a woman before.

14:07 And we we photo matched we res matched the cap that she wore during that flight and it it was a big you know the New York Times ran a big story on it and it got a bunch of coverage cuz it was this this cap that this guy had had passed down according to the legend Amelia Heheart took off this cap and gave it to I think it was a kid right after the flight and then uh it had been sitting in someone's attic for 75 years and Then they decided, hey, this might be worth some money. They sent it to us. We got it res matched. It ended up selling for, I think, close to a million dollars. Um, but uh but on the non-sports side, that was a really cool one. So,

14:51 that's amazing. I mean, piece of history right there. Yeah. And uh the fact that there was actually a photo, this kind of validation and service gives it that much more credibility. in in a collector's you know mind and in someone buying it just because of reality of AI and all these other things of what's real what's not and when you have something physical that you know has this sentimental and real value these services I feel like become more and more valuable

15:24 yeah well it just it tells a story you know when you're able to make a res match to something it can go from a bat that was used in 2010 or a jersey that was worn in 1985 to a jersey that was worn on July 12th, 1985 when this guy hit a home run or this guy hit the game-winning shot. And it really creates that much more of a story. It tell you know, you learn the story of the piece. You know, it it tells the story and then, you know, on the investment side, it adds a huge amount of value. you know, we're often times seeing pieces go for, you know, four times what they sold for without a res match when we're able to to make that res match. But, um, the reason it adds so much value financially is because it does tell that story and makes the piece that much cooler.

16:13 And I mean, look, a safer, more secure hobby is a better hobby. And that's why I love what you guys are doing, John, uh, at Resolution Photo Matching because,

16:22 you know, yes, it's a business and, you know, it's about financial, like you said, being transparent there, but it doesn't mean that your business is also a service to the industry that, you know, needs this kind of additional scrutiny and security and validation. when you have more and more people and more and more money in the in it. So,

16:49 hats off to you guys for everything you're contributing to it. John, I really appreciate it. Let's drop the website, the social media, all the stuff where people can learn more about what you guys are up to and inquire about your services.

17:02 Absolutely. Yeah, our website is resolution matching.com. Uh you can shoot us an email at info@resphotomatching.com. You'll find that on the contact page of the website. Um, that's the best way to get an item going in the submission process. Shoot us an email, tell us a little bit about the piece that you have or the collection of pieces that you have. Uh, and then uh our communications uh person, our our director of ops will reach back out to you, get the submission process going uh and then uh we can hopefully uh make some discoveries for you.

17:37 Hey, it's a high value service. I I'll say that. uh after hearing everything, this is, you know, like a premium uh I'm not speaking for your pricing, but just a premium service. Like this is this is I don't know the exact opposite of automation. It is uh

17:55 yeah, hightouch, high premium service. Yeah, I appreciate you saying that. And uh it's funny, we've actually done a a little bit of research and development into implementing, you know, AI and things like that. And uh what we've found is unfortunately, you know, artificial recognition software can sometimes miss some stuff.

18:17 And as [clears throat] of now, we're still fully with the real human researchers uh just to make sure nothing is ever missed in our process. So, um yeah, it is definitely uh an intense process, but I appreciate you saying it's a premium. Uh

18:36 yeah, it is. I hear it now that I understand it. I mean, I I'll say that we'll call it hti,

18:41 human like or uh something like human touch intelligence. Breaking up terms here, but John, appreciate you coming on. Hope we do it regularly. Uh and uh appreciate all you're doing for the hobby, man.

18:56 Thank you. Appreciate it, Ryan. And uh congrats on getting this show going. It sounds like it's uh about to hit the next level and really be launching here in a big way. stuff.

19:05 We're excited and uh appreciate guys like you and companies like you that come on and uh validate, you know, what we're doing. And hey, one big uh hobby family here. And uh appreciate you. And hey guys, you know where to find us. Collectibles.show is where you'll find today's full video, highlight clips, links to resolution, photo matching, all the stuff John mentioned. Go check out that subscription service. If you're a regular hobbyist, uh with game worn, game used, or if you just like all those concert worn stuff, whatever it is, uh they got you covered. Increase your value, you increase your knowledge and trust and story. And that's what this show is all about, bringing those stories to life in the hobby. We appreciate it, John. And uh we'll talk soon. Collectibles.show show is where you'll find all of the channels and learn more about what we're doing. And ultimately, hey, we want to hear from

20:00 you. You do case hits at collectibles.show. We want you to send in your favorite pulls of the week. And here's the difference. This isn't about just value. Hey, we want to see some $10,000 hits. Had a couple of those myself a few months back. But it's not just about the value. It's about what you're collecting. What means something to you? Share a story. Share a video of you holding up the card that you hit last week that was your favorite player and you nailed it. So, case hits at collectibles.show. Send in those videos.

20:27 I want to know the stories. We're going to bring them to life here on the show. We're going to do a segment each week once we get rolling and get some videos in where we share that on the show with us. We want to feature you on Collectibles show. Thanks for tuning in to the show. Don't forget to follow us on your favorite podcast platform and don't miss the full video version on YouTube. You can find us at www.colctibles.show or follow Ryan on Instagram at Ryan Ulford. Now get out there and collect yours.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Power of Authenticity: How Resolution Photomatching Quadruples Value"?

Ryan Alford (Host), John (Guest).

What is "The Power of Authenticity: How Resolution Photomatching Quadruples Value" about?

The discussion centers around the rising demand for authenticity in sports memorabilia, emphasizing the importance of photo matching as a reliable method for verification. The emergence of Resolution Photo Matching as a leading service highlights a significant shift in the industry toward transparent and accurate authentication practices in response to consumer skepticism.

What is mentioned in this Collector Nation episode?

1 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Resolution Photo Matching. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Power of Authenticity: How Resolution Photomatching Quadruples Value"?

The episode runs 21 min; the transcript is about 3,778 words in 41 timestamped sections.

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