Welcome to the first issue of Flags & Fakes, the free weekly newsletter from COA Guide. COA Guide is a neutral, educational reference about who is behind the autograph Certificates of Authenticity that come with sports memorabilia. We don't authenticate items. We collect public, sourced information so you can do your own homework. Every claim below links to its source.
Beckett's lookup: still offline, with a restoration plan
Beckett's websites, app and certificate lookup have been offline since September 9, 2026 (CardGrade). In an October 2 update, Beckett said it detected suspicious technical activity during planned IT updates. It said it had found no evidence that sensitive customer information was affected and that certification records remain intact (RippingPatrol).
Beckett's plan has three phases (CardGrade):
- Phase 1: customer accounts, the submission center, certificate lookup and population reports
- Phase 2: price guide, marketplace and dealer portals
- Phase 3: Beckett Authentication Services and the mobile app
Beckett hasn't given a return date (RippingPatrol). Our guide covers what to do in the meantime: Beckett lookup is down: what to do now.
Why a COA alone isn't proof: the Mister Mancave case
In July 2025, Brett Lemieux, who ran the memorabilia seller Mister Mancave, posted a claim that he had sold more than four million items and taken in over $350 million, much of it forgeries. He also claimed to have faked holograms from companies including Fanatics, JSA and Panini (CBS Sports). Those are his claims, not findings. Westfield, Indiana police called it an active investigation, with FBI help and outside authenticators assisting with the seized items (FOX59). In January 2026, Indiana filed a civil RICO lawsuit against related parties and business entities (Value Added Resource).
The takeaway for collectors: a sticker or certificate number is only as good as the record behind it.
Lookup status this week
Our automated check ran Oct 13, 2026, 8:57 PM PT (live tracker):
- Down: Beckett (redirects to its maintenance page)
- Responding: JSA, Upper Deck, MLB, Tristar, ACOA, SWAU, GOAT Authentics, Celebrity Authentics
- Check blocked: PSA and Fanatics (their sites refuse automated checks; this isn't a sign of an outage)
- Not responding: OnlineAuthentics
"Responding" only means the page loaded. It doesn't mean results are correct.
This week's verification tip
Compare the record, not just the number. PSA warns that verifying a cert number "does not eliminate risk," because counterfeiters sometimes copy real numbers from public sources (PSA). When a lookup returns a photo or description, check that it matches the item in front of you: the signer, the item type, and where the sticker sits. Full walkthrough: How to verify a COA.
Spotted an error? Reply or email hello@coaguide.com. Our corrections process is on the methods page.
We don't authenticate items. Educational info with sources only.