PCDFix Autograph & Provenance Guide

PCDFix reviews signed collectibles using observable evidence, era-correct autograph references, signature placement, source context, promotional markings and other available documentation.

Our assessments are intended to help collectors understand the evidence associated with an item.

PCDFix does not authenticate or certify autographs and does not guarantee autograph authenticity.

How We Assess Signed Collectibles

Signature Characteristics

We review signature shape, structure, placement and other visible characteristics for consistency with known examples.

Reference Comparison

We compare signatures against relevant examples from the artist, group and approximate release period where suitable references are available.

Provenance & Context

We consider the item's source, release format, promotional status, markings and any available documentation or history.

Evidence We Consider

We look for consistency in overall form, stroke patterns, proportions, placement and other visible characteristics. Natural variation is expected, and visual similarity alone does not establish authenticity.

Signatures can change over time. Where possible, we compare an item with relevant examples from a similar period rather than relying on a single reference.

Seller history, original source, event information, documentation and previous ownership history may provide useful context when available. Provenance can vary significantly between items.

Album format, label or distributor information, promotional markings, serial numbers and other release-specific details may help establish what an item is and how it may have been distributed. These features do not by themselves authenticate a signature.

Example of an official album-signing process. Credits: MWAVE

비매 / Not For Sale / Promotional Markings

KOMCA / 비매 Hologram Labels

Often found on Korean promotional copies and may include serial, distributor or release information. Placement and label design vary across companies and eras.

NOT FOR SALE Labels / Stickers

Some NOT FOR SALE labels are printed directly onto the album, some use a sticker. Type and placement varies by company and album era.

Label / Agency / Distributor Contact

Some promotional copies carry agency, manager or distributor contact information, providing additional context about how the item may have been circulated.

Promotional markings can help establish how an album may have been distributed. Promotional copies are commonly produced for industry use, media, broadcasting, staff, business contacts or other promotional purposes.

These markings are useful provenance evidence, but do not authenticate the signatures themselves. Their presence does not prove an autograph is genuine, and the absence of a particular marking does not automatically mean an item is retail.

Example of artists exchanging signed albums with one another.
Credit: ILLIT / BE:LIFT LAB YouTube

What We Don't Claim

PCDFix does not authenticate, certify or guarantee autograph authenticity. Our reviews are collector-focused assessments based on the evidence available to us.

비매, KOMCA, NOT FOR SALE markings, serial numbers and other promotional indicators may help establish an item’s release or distribution history, but they do not prove that the signatures are genuine.

Not every collectible has a complete ownership or signing history. Where provenance is limited or unavailable, we do not represent assumptions as established facts.

Disclaimer

PCDFix assessments are provided as collector guidance based on the item and evidence available at the time of review. They are not third-party authentication, certification or a guarantee of autograph authenticity.

Promotional markings, serial numbers, provenance and reference comparisons may support an assessment, but no single feature should be treated as conclusive proof.

Buyers should carefully review the full listing photographs, item details and disclosures before purchase.

Nothing on this page is intended to exclude or limit any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable consumer law.