Authentication

Who We Are

At Helping Hand Group, trust is everything. Since 1997, we’ve worked alongside charities, corporate partners and collectors to deliver fundraising auctions featuring genuinely special pieces of memorabilia. Over that time, we’ve built our reputation the right way, through long-standing relationships, industry experience, and a genuine passion for the stories behind each item.

We understand that when someone bids on or purchases a piece of memorabilia, they’re not just buying an object. They’re buying a moment in time, a connection to a person or a piece of history. That’s why authenticity sits at the core of everything we do.

What Our Certificate of Authenticity Means

Every item sold through Helping Hand Group comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Our certificate is our way of standing behind what we sell confirming that an item has been carefully reviewed and verified through our internal processes.

In many cases, there’s a clear story behind the piece whether that’s a private signing session, a trusted supplier relationship, or documented provenance. Wherever possible, we aim to provide that line of sight, so you can feel confident in what you’re buying, gifting or collecting.

How We Authenticate Our Memorabilia

There’s no single checkbox when it comes to authentication. Across the business, we draw on decades of hands-on involvement in the memorabilia space. Many of the items we offer come from direct signing sessions or long-established, trusted sources we’ve worked with for years. From there, we take the time to assess each piece properly, looking at signature characteristics, understanding how and when items were signed, and, where needed, tracing their history.

It’s a process that’s built on detail, but also instinct, the kind that only comes from being immersed in this world for a long time.

Should you wish to verify the certificate of authenticity of an item, please provide the registration number to info@helpinghand.com.au

Meet the Experts Behind the Process
Richard Ernster

Richard Ernster, co-Founded Authentics.com in 1995 and Helping Hand Group in 1997, based on his history in trading Collectable trading cards and Memorabilia.

Over the past 30+ years he has built a strong reputation for his deep expertise in the field, particularly in the areas of authentication, valuation, and historical significance. With years of hands-on experience, he has developed a keen eye for distinguishing genuine items from reproductions, making him a trusted figure among collectors and investors alike.

His knowledge spans a wide range of memorabilia categories, including sports artifacts, entertainment collectibles, and rare historical items. Richard is especially valued for his ability to trace provenance—connecting objects to their origins and verifying their authenticity through detailed research and industry networks.

Beyond identification, he brings strategic insight into the market itself. He understands trends in collector demand, rarity factors, and long-term value potential, allowing clients to make informed decisions whether they are buying, selling, or preserving items.

Richard’s approach combines meticulous attention to detail with a genuine passion for preserving history, ensuring that each piece of memorabilia is not only assessed for its monetary worth but also appreciated for its cultural and historical importance.

Oliver Slobodetsky

Oliver Slobodetsky is widely regarded as a trusted authority in the world of signed memorabilia, with decades of hands-on experience ensuring authenticity and integrity in every piece he handles. One of the original Founders of Helping Hand Group, and now an authenticity consultant, his reputation has been built through meticulous attention to detail, deep industry knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to genuine signatures.

Over the course of his career, Oliver has conducted hundreds of private signing sessions with some of the most celebrated names in sport and entertainment. These include global icons such as Pelé and Diego Maradona, as well as cricket legends Sir Don Bradman, Mark and Steve Waugh, Sir Ian Botham, Sir Viv Richards, Matthew Burke, and Sir Garfield Sobers, among many others. His direct involvement in these sessions provides a clear and traceable chain of authenticity that collectors can rely on with confidence.

Oliver’s expertise extends beyond simply witnessing signatures. He has developed a comprehensive understanding of signing practices, signature variations, and authentication standards, allowing him to identify genuine items with a high degree of accuracy. This knowledge ensures that every item offered has been carefully vetted and meets the highest standards of authenticity.

For collectors, trust is everything. With Oliver Slobodetsky’s proven track record and personal involvement in the signing process, customers can feel assured that each piece of memorabilia is not only a valuable collectible but also a genuine part of sporting history.

John Ellingsen

We purchased a deep sea fishing charter out of the Gold Coast. The service and experience was excellent.

GIANNI PALUDETTO

Our family recently attended the Vivid Cruise on Sydney Harbour and on all accounts we couldn't have had a more pleasurable and relaxing experience. The 2 hr twilight cruise was limited to our group of 8 and we had the opportunity to see the sights of the harbour and we were provided with light refreshments. Very friendly crew. Enjoyed the night immensely.

Grant Devine

Our family went on the Helping Hand Sydney Yacht cruise around Sydney harbour. It was an epic event with great skipper and assistant. Service and information was excellent and skipper positioned the boat under the bridge to get the fireworks. Highly recommend!

Steve Fanale

A huge thank you to Oliver, Jacqui and the team at Helping Hand Group for their fantastic support with our 400 Club Charity Challenge. Jacqueline was an absolute pleasure to work with. She put in a tremendous amount of effort setting up and managing our silent auction, was incredibly organised, responsive, and made the whole process easy from start to finish. Our event was a great success, raising almost $10,000 on the night, with the silent auction playing an important part in that result. If you’re running a fundraising event and looking for a team that genuinely cares and is committed to helping you maximise your fundraising, I highly recommend Helping Hand Group. Thanks again, Jacqui and Oli.

Monique Cassidy

We have utilised Helping Hand's services on many occasions to help fundraise for our charity events. There is a huge selection of items, which I can cater for my expected demographic, items are delivered to the venue and picked up- so easy. Their staff are great and very attentive. It's an easy way to auction off items with no commitments, our guests love the memorabilia and its all round great option!

ian thubron

Christ Church Claremont worked with Helping Hand on our recent fundraising dinner. The Helping Hand team were efficient and personable and managed the entire process flawlessly. The Auctioneer was engaging. Ultimately what mattered was that we had a record fundraising event - and 70% of that was down the Helping Hand's Auction and Ballot Bidding. I recommend considering them.

craig robberds

The Helping Hand Group made our fundraising night a huge success. They had some amazing live and silent auction items. Their staff lead by Jacqueline were very helpful in the lead up to the event and also on the night itself. I would definitely recommend using them for your event.

Alana Lewis

We used Helping Hand Group for a recent event are were so impressed with the service, quality of items and the ongoing advice and support from the account manager. If you have an event requiring an auction, please give them a call! Thanks again NSW team.