What Is a Certificate of Authenticity and Why Do You Need One?

In the 1995 case Greenwood v. Koven, Jane Koven sold a pastel attributed to Georges Braque through art auction house Christies for $600,000, relying on strong provenance but without an external certificate of authenticity.

After the sale, the buyer, Barbaralee Diamonstein, demanded expert verification. Claude Laurens—recognized as the authority on Braque’s work—refused to issue a certificate, declaring the piece inauthentic. Christie’s, under its consignment agreement with Koven, exercised its contractual right to rescind the sale and refund the buyer, then sought to recover the proceeds from Koven. The court ruled in Christie’s favor, emphasizing that the auction house acted within its contractual rights and in good faith. 

This case highlights how the absence of a certificate of authenticity—even in the presence of credible provenance—can lead to financial loss for the seller when expert opinion later casts doubt on a work’s authenticity.

This cause illustrates a fundamental understanding in today's art market: authenticity documentation isn't just paperwork—it's financial protection.

As art forgeries become increasingly sophisticated and the global art market continues to expand, proving an artwork's genuineness has never been more critical. Whether you're a seasoned collector, emerging artist, dealer, auction house, art museum, or unsuitability, understanding the importance of credible and authenticated Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) and how technology can help to avoid fakes, immutably record documentation, and enrich provenance could mean the difference between a sound investment and a costly mistake.

What Exactly Is a Certificate of Authenticity?

A Certificate of Authenticity is an official document that verifies the genuineness of an artwork and provides essential information about its creation, history, and condition. Think of it as a passport for your artwork—it establishes identity, proves legitimacy, and essentially enables safe passage through art markets. 

Every comprehensive COA should include specific key elements: the artist's full name, complete artwork details including title, medium, dimensions, and date, a detailed physical description and condition report, provenance information documenting ownership history, and clear contact information for the issuer.

Yigal Ozeri's hyperrealist paintings are unique works and highly sought after. Certifying that uniqueness, with clear provenance, is essential for any art collector.

The credibility of a COA depends heavily on who issues it. The most reliable sources include the artist themselves, the artist's estate or foundation, and galleries officially representing the artist. Secondary sources, such as recognized authentication boards, qualified appraisers, and established auction houses, also carry significant weight. 

Today, innovative blockchain-based authentication platforms are emerging as highly secure third-party options that combine traditional documentation with cutting-edge technology.

Why Certificates of Authenticity Are Essential

The financial impact of proper authentication cannot be overstated. Authenticated artworks consistently command higher prices at auction and resale. Insurance companies frequently require COAs for coverage, and may not process claims without them.

Beyond financial protection, COAs provide crucial market confidence. Collectors can purchase with greater certainty, while sellers find it much easier to place authenticated works with reputable galleries and auction houses. Institutional buyers, including museums, often won't consider acquisitions without proper authentication documentation.

And it’s not only the risk of buying inauthentic works (as in Greenwood v. Koven), but also the risk to sellers in vastly under-selling works that have been misattributed. 

In Thwaytes v. Sotheby’s (2015), collector Lancelot Thwaytes sued Sotheby’s after the auction house sold his painting—attributed to a follower of Caravaggio—for £42,000, only for it later to be claimed by some experts (notably Sir Denis Mahon) as an authentic Caravaggio potentially worth millions. Thwaytes alleged that Sotheby’s had been negligent in not recognizing the painting’s true value and failing to consult external experts or conduct a technical analysis. The court ruled in Sotheby’s favor, finding that the auction house had acted reasonably and met its professional standard of care based on expert opinion at the time.

From a historical perspective, COAs serve as permanent records that preserve accurate information for future generations, contributing to scholarly research and catalogue raisonnés that define artistic legacies.

Types of Certificates of Authenticity

Traditional paper certificates remain the most familiar format, typically featuring official letterhead, detailed artwork information, and physical signatures or seals. While legally recognized and widely accepted, paper certificates face significant vulnerabilities—they can be easily forged, lost, damaged, or destroyed, and storage becomes problematic over time.

Digital certificates offer enhanced security through electronic databases and online verification systems. These provide easier access, better preservation, and simplified transfer processes, making them increasingly popular with tech-savvy collectors and emerging artists.

The future of art authentication lies in blockchain-based certificates that create immutable digital records virtually impossible to forge or manipulate. These systems often integrate with NFT technology, providing instant mobile verification capabilities and seamless ownership transfers. The Fine Art Ledger's Certificate of Authenticity exemplifies this innovation, embedding authentication directly with the artwork through NFC and other technology, making verification as simple as tapping your mobile phone.

What Makes a Certificate Valid and Reliable?

Jackson Pollock's unique drip technique is highly distinctive.

A credible COA can include comprehensive artwork descriptions with high-quality photographs, clear provenance documentation showing ownership history, verifiable issuer credentials and contact information, professional presentation with official letterheads and seals, and cross-references to established catalogues or databases when available.

Warning signs of questionable certificates include vague or incomplete information, unverifiable issuers without established reputations, missing or poor-quality photographs, suspiciously low prices for supposedly authenticated high-value works, and certificates from unknown or questionable sources.

When You Need a Certificate of Authenticity

COAs should be obtained for any fine art purchase. Collectors rely on uniqueness and authenticity, and no collection is worth its salt without verified authenticity. In short, ‘authenticity is everything for art collectors and art collections. 

COAs establish market credibility. Limited editions, including prints, sculptures, and photographs, require documentation to verify edition size and authenticity. Emerging artists benefit enormously from establishing proper authentication early in their careers. 

Beyond art being its own reward, preserving value in art as an asset necessitates proper and credible documentation. Beyond buying and selling art, everyday life circumstances require accessible and easily verifiable COAs. Divorce proceedings involving art division, deceased estates and probate,  tax deductions for charitable donations, import/export documentation, and loan agreements using art as collateral are just a few examples.

The Risks of Inadequate Authentication

Without proper COAs, artworks face dramatically reduced resale values, potential insurance claim denials, legal liability in cases of misattribution, and difficulty selling through reputable channels. The recent surge in sophisticated forgeries demonstrates how authentication challenges continue to evolve.

Real-world consequences include collectors losing hundreds of thousands on unverified purchases, heirs discovering family collections lack proper documentation during estate settlements, and galleries facing reputation damage from selling inadequately authenticated works.

The cost of obtaining authentication after purchase often vastly exceeds the original investment in proper COAs, while the risk of discovering fakes increases exponentially without adequate documentation.

How to Obtain a Certificate of Authenticity

For primary or secondary fine art purchases, always request COAs before buying. Verify issuer credentials independently, ensure all information appears complete and accurate, and consider obtaining multiple forms of documentation for high-value acquisitions.

For existing artworks lacking COAs, research the artist's authentication process and contact relevant estates or foundations. Work with qualified authentication experts, consider reputable third-party services, and thoroughly document your own provenance and purchase history.

When selecting professional authentication services, research their reputation and track record, understand cost structures and timelines, clarify what the authentication process involves, and distinguish between authentication opinions and guarantees.

The Future of Art Authentication

Clyfford Still's 'Jamais' at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Venice, Italy (left).

Modern authentication increasingly embraces digital solutions. Blockchain and NFT-based certificates provide immutable records resistant to forgery, while mobile verification systems enable instant authentication anywhere. QR codes, NFC tags, image recognition, machine learning, object and asset recognition, and other artificial intelligence (AI) applications create seamless connections between physical artworks and their digital records,  with AI-assisted tools enhancing authentication accuracy.

Major market players are rapidly adopting these technologies. Collectors, galleries, dealers, and artists increasingly embrace blockchain authentication, with collectors appreciating the enhanced security, management, and ownership convenience these systems provide.

Real-world applications demonstrate how cutting-edge authentication technology enhances both security and visitor engagement, creating richer experiences for all art market participants.

Practical Guidance for Art Market Participants

Before purchasing any artwork, always request authentication documentation and thoroughly research the seller's reputation. Verify certificate details independently, compare with known authentic examples, and consider second opinions for significant investments.

Protect your investment by storing certificates securely, updating insurance coverage with proper documentation, maintaining detailed purchase records, and upgrading to blockchain and NFT-based certificates for enhanced security, immutability, organization, and management. There is nothing so simple as having your art itself store its own information and record of authentication, virtually instantly accessible with a tap or scan of your mobile phone. 

Red flags include sellers reluctant to provide authentication, unusually low prices for supposedly authentic works, high-pressure sales tactics, incomplete or suspicious documentation, and a lack of verifiable provenance.

Your Authentication Strategy Moving Forward

Proper authentication serves as insurance for your art investments, protecting both financial value and historical integrity. As technology continues evolving, staying current with authentication innovations becomes increasingly essential for anyone serious about art.

The art market's future belongs to those who combine traditional expertise with modern technology. Whether you're building a collection, managing a gallery, or creating as an artist, treating authentication as essential infrastructure rather than optional paperwork will serve you well.

Don't wait until you need to sell or insure your artwork to discover authentication gaps. The time to secure proper documentation is now, while the process remains straightforward and cost-effective.

Protect your art investment with cutting-edge authentication management technology. The Fine Art Ledger's blockchain-based Certificate of Authenticity provides immutable documentation, mobile verification, and seamless ownership transfers for both physical and digital artworks. Join artists, collectors, dealers, and galleries who trust FAL to secure their art's authenticity and provenance. Visit our blog for more insights on art authentication and market trends.