Auction Term
Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
Cataloging, Condition & Attribution
A document from a recognized authority attesting that a work is genuine.
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More auction terms
- Circle OfA work of the artist’s period showing their direct influence, possibly by a close associate.
- Coin SilverApproximately 90% pure silver, common in American pieces made before the sterling standard was adopted.
- Condition ReportA description of an item’s physical state, noting visible damage, restoration, or wear.
- CraquelureThe fine network of cracks that forms in aged paint or varnish.
- EstimateThe price range an auctioneer expects an item to sell for, based on prior sales and market research.
- FoxingSmall rust-brown spots that develop on paper with age and humidity.
- HallmarkAn official stamp on silver or gold indicating purity, maker, and often place and date of manufacture.
- LotAn individual item or group of items offered for sale as a single unit during the auction.