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Authenticity is Everything
Signs That a Dealer is Likely Selling Forgeries
How do you identify a bad autograph dealer? Whether you're at their website, in their gallery or store, or they're selling at events or conventions, there are signs to look for and questions to ask that will minimize your odds of being taken by the crooks. Share your tips, questions and experiences here.
Tags: bad, buying, dealers, forgeries, galleries, safe, tips
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joe OBrien on
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Try not to laugh too hard, here's one of neautographs items. Im figuring Bud and Lou just recently signed it. Hey any idea as to why they stopped making movies? I havent seen a new Lou Costello movie since 30 foot bride of candy rock.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on
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This would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
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Someone inthis discussion discussed requiring dealers to DEFINE what their "Guarantee" entails. Just met someone else that had that Shady experience with a dealer . The buyer had an item JSA'd and it failed. The dealer than said they didn't like JSA, so the dealer's rationale to refuse a refund. MAKE sure you REQUIRE a dealer to define WHAT, WHO they accept to back up their COA. If they say they will not honor PSA or JSA, than STAY AWAY from that dealer. Since, he is already Dis-honoring his own Guarantee and COA. As John said at beginning of this thread, RUN don;t walk.
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I think that PSA/DNA and JSA do a very good job overall. But I know a number of good dealers that don't accept their opinion in a dispute over authenticity. But they should tell you how their guarantee works, get the process in writing, and check out the process and dealer your dealing with before you buy. This forum would be a good place to check out authenticators.
If you're considering buying something in an auction, PSA/DNA, and maybe JSA, will give you an opinion for $10 or less before you buy.
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I don't think an industry with such a mixed bag of dealers, both honorable and outright seedy ( and a one or two mentally xhallenged) will ever agree on an authentication standard. The peddlers of forgeries obviously do NOT want a thrid party authentication. They just want to hand out "fake" COA's , so then when an autograph fails authentication these fruadulent dealers always have the "option" to refuse refunds with "oh I don't honor PSA or JSA or GAI or actually anyone". But, fortunately the majority of rational dealers and collectors have , it seems, accepted PSA and JSA as the most trustworthy.
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ANyone see this article this guy wrote about autograph COAs and authentication?.... pretty good information..
http://www.cvtreasures.com/autograph-collectors-don-t-ever-be-scamm...
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Seems everytime I do a Google search for autographs I discover ANOTHER Blatant Forger. Good Grief take a look at this guy:
http://www.tomsautographs.com/?CLSN_2684=1284757790268457a17e667cc6...
What HOLE are these people crawing out of?
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President of New Jersey card-grading firm files court documents accusing Mastro Auctions of fraud
Shill bidding was an open secret at Mastro Auctions, according to the complaint.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/09/24/2010-09-24...
The government has also inquired about the hobby's "Holy Grail," the T206 Honus Wagner card once owned by NHL star Wayne Gretzky. The card, previously owned by Bill Mastro, is widely believed to have been cut from a sheet decades after it left the printing press and trimmed after that, a cardinal sin in the card hobby. The card is now owned by Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner E.G. "Ken" Kendrick, who bought it for $2.8 million in a private sale in 2007.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Panagopulos on
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All you need is a sharpie, an eBay seller's account and a blank LOA form. This hobby is, unfortunately, largely shot due to the mass marketing of disreputable on-line auctions to gullible, uneducated customers who really don't care if their item is real or not - as long as it's cheap. It's all about bragging rights. If the COA is believeable enough, who cares if it's real? As long as your friend sipping cocktails and admiring your Hendrix signed guitar THINK it's real...IT IS real!
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I have always held true to 3 propositions - you know what you know, you know what you don't know and you don't know what you don't know. The problem of people buying stuff these days is that to them it's merely a hobby or as you say a bragging or demonstration piece.
In many ways they don't really care about all the hoopla - until they start thinking it's an investment but by then it's way too late in the game.
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Permalink Reply by john reznikoff on
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Bill,
It is not as bad as you paint it. There still is a vibrant hobby out there. Veteran collectors know what is good and who to trust. Hopefully newcomers will continue to flock to this site and learn to proceed cautiously. I am optimistic!!!
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Rez, and thats good being an optimist but the realist side of me digs in....
Just as an example, the thread here on "thru the mail" is a perfect example. I can't tell you how many emails I receive regarding who just received one thru the mail. I hate to admit it but I concur with Bill on this but I wish your optimism wins out.
If you don't get the item in person or go thru a reputable source (and even the latter has it moments) then one is at risk regarding authenticity. Of course, sometimes a reputable source is illusive at times as well.
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