Why fake certificates are so common
A traditional certificate of authenticity is a signature on headed paper — both of which can be copied. Because most buyers have no way to check one independently, a convincing forgery often passes unchallenged until much later. The fix is not a fancier piece of paper, but a certificate whose integrity anyone can test.
The checks that catch a fake
- 1
Does it verify at all?
Open the certificate and confirm its signature validates against the registry's published key. A forged or edited certificate fails this check — the single fastest way to catch a fake.
- 2
Does the timestamp hold up?
Check that the record is in the registry's daily, independently timestamped anchor. If someone tried to back-date a history or insert an earlier event, the anchor won't match.
- 3
Does the image match?
Compare the work with the image the certificate commits to. A swapped image is a classic move — attaching a genuine certificate to a different, fake object. For flat work the fingerprint flags this reliably.
- 4
Is everything single-party?
Read the trust tier. If every important fact rests on one party with nothing corroborated, treat it with caution — genuine histories usually accumulate confirmations from more than one side.
- 5
Does the issuer and key check out?
Confirm the certificate was signed under a legitimate, published key. A certificate that points to no verifiable issuer or key is a certificate you can't rely on.
- 6
Do the details contradict the record?
Cross-check the title, year, edition number, and dimensions against the registry record. Mismatches between the paper in your hand and the verified record are a strong warning sign.
Red flags in a traditional paper certificate
- No way to verify it beyond contacting the seller.
- Photocopied or scanned signatures, or a letterhead that can't be traced to a real issuer.
- An edition number or details that don't match the work or its known edition size.
- A certificate for a high-value work with no supporting provenance at all.
- Reluctance to let you verify independently before purchase.
What to do if you suspect a fake
Don't destroy or alter the certificate or the work — it may be evidence. Stop the transaction until the questions are resolved, and seek an independent expert opinion on the work itself. If the certificate or record is on Attesian and you believe it is false or misattributed, report it to trust@attesian.com; because the registry is append-only, false entries are addressed with visible corrections and, where appropriate, referred to the authorities.
Honest limits
Verification catches forged and altered certificates and swapped images, but an image fingerprint can't tell edition copies apart and does less for three-dimensional work. For those cases, identity rests on the registry record and attestation — and, for anything high-value, expert examination of the piece itself.