Certified Collectibles Group, parent company of CGC grading, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire James Spence Authentication (JSA).
“The combination of CCG and JSA will provide collectors and dealers with a seamless solution to have autographed collectibles authenticated, graded and encapsulated by the world’s top experts,” CCG stated in announcing the acquisition.
Founded by autograph collector James Spence, Jr., in 2005, JSA has certified millions of autographs and built what it calls the “world’s largest autograph database of nearly one million images.”
Spence and James Spence III will continue to run JSA after the transaction closes. Mark Pepitone, a JSA co-owner, will serve as senior advisor to the company.
The purchase by CCG will enable JSA to offer additional services to collectors and dealers, including grading and encapsulation.
“CCG and JSA are the perfect match, with a shared passion for collectibles along with an unwavering commitment to expertise and integrity,” remarked Steven R. Eichenbaum, CEO of the Certified Collectibles Group. “I could not be more pleased with the addition of JSA and the Spences to the CCG family, and I think collectors will love the simplicity and scope of our combined services.”
CCG, which was acquired by the investment firm Blackstone in 2021, says collectors had been asking for a service to have items authenticated, graded and encapsulated. While CCG has offered witnessed authentication of autographs through its Signature Series service, the company has never offered full authentication and grading service for items. Acquiring JSA will allow it to offer the combined services.
CCG cited JSA’s “strong reputation in sports collectibles” as another reason it decided to enter the deal.
“With JSA, CCG will significantly upgrade its services for collectors of sports, autographs and memorabilia through additional expertise, increased show attendance and other efforts,” the company says.
Beginning in April, collectors of signed cards, magazines and other items will be able to use a single online form to submit items for JSA autograph authentication and CGC grading and encapsulation. More services and enhancements will be announced in the months ahead.
In a news release, Spence and Pepitone called it “the ideal next chapter in JSA’s history. CCG’s mission and vision are aligned with our own, and we are excited to see what the company’s extensive experience and resources can do for autograph authentication and collecting.”
JSA and CCG will operate independently for the next few weeks while the companies work on integrating.
