Collectors, dealers await word on Global Authentic

Customers of grading and authentication provider Global Authentication have been left to wonder about the company’s status the past few days. Customers who called the California-based company to check on the status of their merchandise have received messages stating that the number has been disconnected. Global’s website has also been down.

Adding to the anxiety is the fact that at least one customer who stopped by the company’s headquarters this week found an eviction notice posted on the front door. Bob Rund said he dropped off an estimated $8,000 worth of packs last week for grading. “When I called on Monday to check on the status, the phones were disconnected. I went to check the website and that didn’t work either,” Rund said. “When I drove to the office the next day, the doors were locked, the office was empty and the eviction notice was posted. There was no note about a new location or anything.”

In a story posted on Beckett.com Tuesday, Steve Sipe, Global’s VP of business development, was quoted as saying the company was still in business, but had closed temporarily due to relocation and was moving to another office area in the same business complex.

However, Global had not contacted its customers to inform them that it would be moving or provide a new address. It has not issued any other public statements explaining their situation or provided contact information for their new location. Global president Steve Rocchi did not return a call to Trade Fax.

Debbie Ochoa, manager of the office that oversees business licensing for the city of San Clemente, said she went to the Global offices Tuesday because she had received two complaints from customers worried about the status of their submissions. Ochoa said she saw no evidence that Global was occupying another office in the complex.

Steve Coontz, an attorney representing the owner of the building where Global was leasing space, confirmed an eviction notice was served but would not comment on any other aspect of the case.