Why is treasureCRYPT needed?
treasureCRYPT is the missing link for existing provenance solutions that utilise Blockchain ledgers. There are various attempts to solve the same issue, however none of these provide irrefutable provenance.
One attempted solution is to take a photo with a mobile phone and upload to a database. This works for establishing prior art, but the actual document could be copied and the original is not verifiable.
Another attempted solution is to attach a tag to the artwork. A physical tag could easily be remove and replaced on a copy. They also are not suitable for all items, such as the Einstein postcards.
Where can treasureCRYPT be used?
As outlined here, treasureCrypt can be used by an auction house in combination with an intelligent buyer who wants the provenance of their item protected or verified.
Museums or collectors could utilise the treasureCRYPT system to ensure genuine artefacts are not replaced by replicas. This is a real issue as seen in this article published by the Smithsonian, where a genuine Christopher Columbus Letter was replaced with a copy in the Vatican Archives.