[El Gato]

Since there is no evidence with which to challenge it, it remains prima facie evidence, self authenticated per the Federal Rules of Evidence and enforced by the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution.

All that only applies if the thing is presented in Court, and if it really has a raised seal and appropriate signature. Since it was only after folks pointed out the lack of a seal that, lo and behold, one appeared, hyper-visible, in the Fart Check photos, we can surely be forgiven for doubting the reality of that raised seal. Not to mention other "irregularities, in the information, such as BHO, the father's race as African, rather than the expected (in 1961) "Negro".

[EnderWiggins]

"All that only applies if the thing is presented in Court, and if it really has a raised seal and appropriate signature."

Well... in a court, or presented to the State Department for a passport, or stuff like that. Any and all official uses.

"Since it was only after folks pointed out the lack of a seal that, lo and behold, one appeared, hyper-visible, in the Fart Check photos, we can surely be forgiven for doubting the reality of that raised seal."

Actually, the raised seal was also visible on the original scanned image too. Not quite as clearly as when the certificate was held in better light by the FactCheck reporters, but it was definitely there. Even Polarik said so:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2040531/posts

" Not to mention other "irregularities, in the information, such as BHO, the father's race as African, rather than the expected (in 1961) "Negro".

Here's an even earlier Hawaii COLB that shows the father's race as "American." That's not a race. It's a continental designation. Just like African.



So, not so irregular after all.