Before you start
You are checking two things: that the certificate is genuine and unaltered, and that the history behind it is coherent and corroborated. A modern registry certificate lets you confirm the first with certainty and gives you the evidence to judge the second. You do not need an account for any of this.
Step by step
- 1
Find the certificate or QR code
Ask the seller for the work's certificate link or scan the QR code on the certificate. A verifiable certificate should have a unique reference you can open directly.
- 2
Open it — no account needed
Verification is public. Opening the link loads the certificate and runs the checks in your own browser; you should never have to log in or pay to verify a work.
- 3
Confirm the signature validates
The page recomputes the certificate's fingerprint and checks its cryptographic signature against the registry's published key. A forged or edited certificate fails this check outright.
- 4
Check the timestamp and anchor
Confirm the record is included in the registry's daily anchor, which is independently timestamped. This proves the record existed and was unchanged as of that date, so it can't have been quietly back-dated.
- 5
Read the trust tier
See which facts are confirmed by everyone involved (two-sided attestation) and which are noted by a single party. A two-sided history is far stronger than an uncorroborated claim.
- 6
Look at the gaps honestly
Follow the chain of custody and note any gaps. An honest record shows a gap as a gap; be wary of a history that is suspiciously seamless or vague about dates and names.
- 7
Cross-check the image
Compare the work in front of you with the image the certificate commits to. For flat work the image fingerprint is a strong tie; for three-dimensional or editioned work it is weaker, so lean more on the record and attestation.
Red flags to watch for
- A certificate that can't be verified independently, or only 'confirmed' by the seller.
- A provenance with no dates, no named parties, or unexplained jumps in ownership.
- Pressure to buy before you've had a chance to verify.
- An image on the certificate that doesn't match the work you're being shown.
- Every key fact resting on a single party's say-so, with nothing corroborated.
What verification can and can't tell you
Verification proves that a certificate is genuine and that the record hasn't been altered, and it shows you how well each fact is corroborated. That is a lot — it removes the easiest and most common frauds. What it can't do is replace expert examination of the work itself, or certify condition. Treat a clean verification as strong evidence and a solid foundation, not as a substitute for connoisseurship on high-value pieces.