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Peter Bria is a Rhode Island-based systems engineer who has implemented innovations in a number of technology-driven projects. With a passion for sports, Peter Bria has coached ice hockey and is a sports memorabilia and trading card collector, and has earned qualification as a professional sports authenticator (PSA).
As reported in Sports Collectors Daily, a surge in the submission of current-era trading cards has led to a backlog of PSA orders and months of delay for orders that used to take weeks to fulfill.
In a shareholder report, the CEO of PSA parent company Collectors Universe noted that the one million count backlog is largely due to “pack rippers” and “case breakers” who open new products and send off top cards for submission. Gaining a high-grade PSA label on a sought-after issue can significantly increase its value.
In addition to sports cards, there has been a significant increase in Pokemon card interest over the past three years. Unlike in the past, a prime driver of this rejuvenated market is collectors under the age of 35. Reflecting increased concerns about next generation signature forgers, counterfeiters, and other fraudsters, PSA has plans to introduce a security chip into certain of its products. Utilizing near-field communication technologies, the chip will be touched to a smart phone to generate a verification link specific to the collectible.