Authentic Number

[Natalí Stibb]

Offduty law enforcement officers working as independent contractors are assigned by Authenticators, Inc. to authenticate autographs and game-used memorabilia at every Major League Baseball game. Only those items that an authenticator actually witnesses being signed or used in a game may be eligible for authentication under the MLB Authentication Program. Once witnessed, authenticated items receive a tamper-proof hologram created by OpSec, U.S. with a unique alphanumeric combination to easily identify their authenticity.

The Major League Baseball Authentication Program is the most comprehensive league-wide memorabilia authentication initiative in professional sports. Since its launch in 2001, it has become the industry standard for autographed and game-used sports memorabilia authentication. Designed to distinguish officially authenticated MLB memorabilia from other items on the market, the program offers an objective third-party authentication system that guarantees genuine memorabilia for all MLB fans.

Major League Baseball Properties schedules third-party authenticators from Authenticators, Inc. for every MLB game. Only those items that an authenticator actually witnesses being signed or used in a game may be eligible for authentication under the MLB Authentication Program. Once witnessed, items receive a tamper-proof hologram created by OpSec, U.S. with a unique alphanumeric combination to easily identify its authenticity.

Authenticated items are offered to key retail partners of Major League Baseball Properties or on MLB.com. Fans can easily distinguish officially authenticated MLB memorabilia from other items by locating the official authentication hologram.

Once fans receive their authenticated piece of memorabilia, they can trace the unique serial number on the Authentication database located on MLB.com. This convenient reference database enables fans to easily identify all of the details surrounding their new item. Since its inception in 2001, the Major League Baseball Authentication Program is responsible for authenticating over six million items, allowing fans to ensure their memorabilia is a 100% genuine piece of their favorite pastime. It's easy to get the real goods; just check for the official seal of authentication.

In addition to the holograms featured on authenticated memorabilia, different holograms are produced by OpSec, U.S. for use on Major League Baseball Properties licensed products. These holograms, also with unique alphanumeric combinations, allow fans to easily identify merchandise as officially licensed by MLBP. These holograms are NOT used for the authentication of game-used or autographed products and, therefore, will not show up on the verification system located on MLB.com/authentication.

Unfortunately, we do not authenticate past autographs or game-used items. Currently, our system only authenticates items that are directly witnessed by a designated MLB Authenticator at the moment it is signed or used and only in conjunction with a Club or MLB Authentication Licensee.

The DB numbered hologram is not an authentication hologram; it is a hologram that designates the item as officially licensed. This hologram is never used for authentication by the MLB Authentication program for any autographed or game-used items. Authentication holograms are placed directly on the items themselves.

If you have an item which does not appear in the system, please e-mail an image of the hologram and a brief description and image of your item to [email protected]. Once we receive the image we will investigate the matter and get back to you as soon as possible.

Team Issued is a designation by an independent third-party authenticator who attests that the item was issued by the Club to its clubhouse. This designation is not intended to determine use of the item in any capacity.

This section is designed to assist in dating and/or identifying instruments manufactured or distributed by Gibson Guitar Corp. Please note that most of this information relates to serial numbers used from 1975 to present.

The pattern is as follows:

YDDDYRRR

YY is the production year

DDD is the day of the year

RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.

Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989.

Since 1989, all Gibson acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT and all Gibson electrics are built in Nashville or Memphis. Ranking numbers for Bozeman start each day at 001 and the electrics may start as low as the 300s.

NOTE - Gibson USA goes to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005..

The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1. The first 5 numbers remain the same, the last 3 numbers will remain the same. The only difference is the addition of this batch indicator.

Les Paul Classic 1989-2014: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers.

The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000.

CS Signature Models:

The list below is not an exhaustive listing but we have included many of our most popular Signature models. Please contact us at ser...@gibson.com should you have any questions.

Jimmy Page Les Paul (3 versions)

-1st 25 aged models were hand numbered 1-25 and signed by Jimmy Page, no other number is on this model.

-Limited run of 150 aged models are numbered in sequence as "PAGE xxx"

-Unlimited run of Custom Authentic models are numbered in sequence as "JPP xxx"

Note: The discontinued Gibson USA Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul has a standard 8 digit serial number.

3a8082e126