Super Bowl Footballs Marked with DNA

Content orginally published by sportscollectorsdaily.com on 30 January 2008

For the tenth consecutive year, the National Football League will use PSA/DNA Authentication Services to certify all footballs used in the Super Bowl.

PSA/DNA will mark each game-used ball with a synthetic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) strand that can be seen only when illuminated by a specific laser frequency.

“This technique combats potential counterfeiting," said Joe Orlando, President of PSA/DNA. "Many of the game-used Super Bowl footballs are sold by the NFL through charity auctions, and the PSA/DNA certification helps assure future owners that the ball is genuine.”

More than 120 footballs are expected to be used in the game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants this Sunday. A PSA/DNA representative will be in Phoenix to photograph, then carefully “tag” each ball with the synthetic DNA ink.

“The mark is invisible to the naked eye, but fluoresces green when illuminated by the proper laser frequency. The DNA ink has an astronomical 1-in-33 trillion chance of being accurately reproduced by potential counterfeiters,” explained Orlando.

A letter of authenticity accompanies each Super Bowl XLII football certified by PSA/DNA. The certificates have tamper-evident labels with individual, serialized numbers that can be verified at PSA/DNA.com. Information on each ball is available to any third party interested in its authenticity.

“The value of Super Bowl footballs can vary significantly depending on the importance of the particular ball. For example, was it caught for a touchdown or used for a game-winning field goal?,” said Orlando.

In recent years PSA/DNA has authenticated the $1.3 million bat used by Babe Ruth to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium in 1923. The certification also has been used for Mickey Mantle’s 500th career home run baseball, Mark McGwire's 70th and Sammy Sosa's 66th home run baseballs. Other authenticated historical items include Hank Aaron's career 715th home run baseball and bat, and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's famous "Black Betsy" baseball.