A certificate of authenticity (COA) is a signed document that verifies an artwork is a genuine, original work by the named artist. It records the work's title, year, medium, dimensions and edition, and is signed by the artist, their studio, gallery or estate. It travels with the work as part of its provenance and supports its value on resale.
At minimum: the artist's name; the title, year, medium and dimensions of the work; the edition or a statement that it is unique; where and how the work is signed; a unique certificate number; the date of issue; and the signature of the issuer (the artist, gallery or authorized representative). A small reference image and a provenance note are useful additions.
The artist is the strongest issuer for living-artist work, followed by the representing gallery, publisher of an edition, or the artist's estate or foundation for deceased artists. A COA is only as credible as the party signing it, so it should be issued by someone with genuine authority to authenticate the work.
No. A COA does not need to be notarized to be valid; its authority comes from the credibility of the artist, gallery or estate that signs it. Keep a matching copy for your records, number your certificates, and consider adding a reference photograph. Those steps do far more for credibility than notarization.
Yes. The tool is free to use in your browser with no signup required. Nothing is installed, and you can run as many calculations as you need for planning. Confirm critical figures with product data or a licensed professional before construction.