Dan Morris, founder of renowned Georgia Coca-Cola museum, leads powerhouse team with expertise in automobilia, petroliana, soda pop, tobacciana, breweriana & country store items
EPHRATA, Pa., Sept. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In any business or industry, information is the most valuable commodity. That certainly holds true in the antiques, art and vintage collectibles world, where authenticity and knowing accurate market values are essential to any transaction. As the demand for sports cards and memorabilia; coins, and vintage comic books continues to grow exponentially, collectors, investors and auction houses are increasingly turning to independent services that can provide accurate grading and authentication of their items. This trend has led a group of prominent, well-respected experts in the field of antique advertising to launch a new company: Authentication & Grading Services, or AGS.
AGS’s principals include Dan Morris, founder of the renowned Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia in Georgia; and John Mihovetz, who is known throughout the automobilia and petroliana hobby for his stellar track record as Head of Automobilia & Petroliana at Morphy Auctions. Morris assumes the post of president and will manage day-to-day operations and the Coca-Cola/soda pop division, while Mihovetz, who serves as founding CEO, will oversee all activities pertaining to gas and oil collectibles. AGS’s board of advisers includes legendary Coca-Cola, soda pop and general antique advertising dealer Gary Metz; and Carter and Irene Davis, esteemed pioneers in the field of country store advertising. The five principals have a combined 100 years of experience in the antique advertising hobby and trade.
AGS offers three tiers of service: authentication, authentication plus grading, and a top tier that includes authentication, grading and current-market valuation. “The highest level would be of particular interest to anyone wanting to make sure their collection is adequately insured,” said Morris. As part of the service, each item is inspected and given a custom-printed sticker showing its assigned grade and a unique QR code. In addition, each customer receives a full-color certificate bearing a photo of their item and its grading information.
Primarily but not exclusively, the categories of advertising assessed by AGS include automobilia and petroliana; soda pop, country store, tobacciana and breweriana. The company will be expanding to offer its suite of services across many other popular collecting categories.
To have their items authenticated and/or graded, customers can either bring their pieces to AGS at its Lancaster County, Pennsylvania location, ship them to AGS for authentication and return shipment, or take them to any antique show or auction where the AGS team is set up. AGS will have a booth at the Indy Ad Show on September 22-23, 2023, as well as at Morphy Auctions’ September 29-October 1, 2023 Automobilia & Petroliana sale. At both events, items can be graded and AGS-stickered right on the spot. Special arrangements can be made to accommodate any client wanting their entire collection to be evaluated at their home, office or other location.
The first major collection graded and stickered by AGS is the Bobby Knudsen Jr Automobilia, Petroliana & Soda Pop Advertising Collection (Part III), which will be auctioned at Morphy’s on September 29, 2023.
AGS’s website will go live on September 15, 2023. Visitors can scan a QR code or search an item number to view how any given item received its grade. A strong social and interactive component is also planned for the site.
To contact AGS, call 770-546-1748 or email [email protected]. AGS is located at 501 Alexander Dr., Ephrata, PA 17522. Online: www.agscertify.com
Media Contact:
Dan Morris – President, AGS
Tel. 770-546-1748
[email protected]
SOURCE AGS – Authentication & Grading Services
