An authenticity determination method and an apparatus for determining the authenticity of solid object having a random and readable intrinsic characteristic distributed on the surface thereof are disclosed. In this method and apparatus, reference data expressing the characteristic distributed on the genuine solid object are acquired, and cross-checking data expressing the characteristic distributed on the solid object to be determined for authenticity are derived. Further, on the basis of the reference data and the cross-checking data, correlation values of data expressing the characteristic distributed on either the genuine solid object or the solid objects to be determined for authenticity, with data expressing the characteristic distributed on the other solid object are calculated, and authenticity of the solid object to be determined for authenticity is determined on the basis of the maximum value of the correlation values obtained by the calculation and a characteristic quantity that expresses the shape of the distribution of correlation values obtained by repeating this calculation.