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eBay Forum Category/Group--What would you like to see?

We're considering adding an eBay autograph and memorabilia forum, or group, to Autograph Magazine Live! where members can discuss everything from safe buying, to individual buyers and sellers, to discussing particular pieces you're interested in.

Is that something you'd be interested in? If so, what would you like to see in it, would you use it often, and do you have any ideas how you'd like it to work, including rules, etc.

Please tell us your ideas in this forum. We can implement it as early as April 1.

It you're not a member of Autograph Magazine Live! you'll need to join to comment. It's free!

Tags: autographs, buying, eBay, forum, memorabilia, safe, selling

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Coughlin on April 20, 2010 at 6:39am

So, the seller FINALLY got back to me. I emailed them for the 3rd time yesterday around 3:30, stating if I did not hear from them in the next 3 hours, I would file a claim with paypal, report them to EBay and leave negative feedback. Got an email from them around 6:25 and a conversation ensued:

Seller: f you are unhappy with the item you can return the item. How do you think they are not authentic?? Check our long track record here in ebay since 2003. When you return the item please make note of your item number.

Me: #1, I look at the Eli autograph and compare it to two Eli autographs I received in person at paid signings and there are a few discrepencies. Secondly, the COA you sent from Redzone Sports Cards looks like something I could have printed on my Commodore 64 back in 1985. On top of that, the person who "signed" the COA looks as if he was afraid to actually sign his name to the document. Finally, I did a google search for Redzone collectibles and only found a company in Albany, NY. Nothing in Omaha, NE. I even called the company in Albany to see if there was an affiliation and the phone rang approximately 20 times, no answer and no voicemail. What kind of company does not have voicemail in 2010? So, even if there was an affiliation I wouldn't be able to trust them either.

When will my money be refunded? Of course, if you are certain these are authentic, I would be happy to take them to JSA (their office is only about 1/2 hour from me) to get them authenticated.

Me: (was limited to how many characters were allowed in the message) do I send them to the return address on the shipping envelopes?

Also, if you are certain they are authentic then I can take them to JSA (their office is only 1/2 hour away from me) and I can have them check them out. If they say they are legit, I will keep the items. If not, however, I will expect you to reimburse me for their fee. Let me know.

Seller: We don't make the COA's they come with
the item when we buy it. Any refund will be given once item is returned or updated return tracking number. All refund will be done right threw ebay. Again since 2003 here on ebay with issue like you are stating. Please let us know when the item will be shipped back. Thanks!

Seller: With JSA or PSA that is only a opinon
and buyer should always know that.

Me: I understand it is an opinion, however PSA and JSA are the leading authorities in the area of authentication. The fact that you are buying these items without knowing the source of the COA concerns me, as well. Think about it, you are buying items from a company that doesn't seem to exist. I am very involved in this hobby. I know several promoters/dealers personally. They purchase items from companies as well. If the COA's are not from one of the big reputable companies, they bring the items to JSA before they even think of selling them. They buy in such bulk that they can buy the item, get it authenticated and still turn a profit. If you had your items authenticated by JSA, you would get 10x what you are getting for this item. When Eli does a signing, promoters charge $150 and up per autograph and they always get a crowd. For Peyton, they charge $250-300 and up. So, you are saying someone sold you an item sold by both for less than $30?

Then an email where she gives me the address to send the items, but they do not respond to what I said about authentication.

I had also emailed EBay earlier to ask them what I would need to do if the seller did not respond, they emailed me the steps and I responded with this:

Thank you. The seller finally got back to me after 3 e-mails and just as I was about to open a claim. They said I could return the items and get a refund. However, I seriously believe they are selling forged autographs. The COA they provide is from a company that doesn't seem to exist. I googled Red Zone Sports Cards, and only found a company in Albany, NY. The COA however, says "Omaha, NE". I did call the company in Albany thinking maybe there was an affiliation. They did not answer the phone and did not have a voicemail. What kind of company does not have voicemail in 2010? Secondly, I suggested that I could bring the autographs to JSA as their offices are only about 1/2 hour from me. I stated that if they said they are real, then fine but if they said they were fakes I would expect then to reimburse me for their fee. The seller responded saying that companies like JSA and PSA or only opinions. I then stated that I understand they are only opinions, but those two companies are the leading authorities in the area of autograph authentication. Besides, if they were certain their products were legit, why would there be a problem. I have an autographed item up for sale on EBay, and have had others in the past. I would guarantee my items pass authentication forever, but they obviously don't. So, my question is how do I report this seller so they can be investigated as to the authenticity of their items? EBay should not have sellers selling autographs who are not willing to guarantee their items to pass a 3rd party authentication service.

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on April 14, 2010 at 3:41pm

Great idea, Travis. Ebay cannot proclaim itself to be an "Open Forum" and then allow "Private Listings." I can't count the number of Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, etc. signed photos that sell for approximately $50.00. It's garbage from Morales, Stat Authentic, Coach's Corner, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hoak on April 22, 2010 at 7:59am

Hi this may be off topic but this question has been bugging me for a while. I've seen a few sellers on Ebay state in the description that "this item comes from a PSA/DNA authenticated lot" or "authenticated by PSA/DNA with a mass authentication auction house letter". I thought each item had to have its own certifcate from PSA/DNA? Do they give mass authentication? I could say anything has been authenticated then.
I tried contacting PSA/DNA but havent received a response.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Drye on April 22, 2010 at 8:13am

I've never heard of that one from PSA. I have a friend who represents various athletes and I know that once when one of them did a signing and he had hundreds of items from that person, say a couple of hundred signed photos, JSA put stickers on all those photos but the stickers did not have individual numbers on them and no COA's were provided. This service is cheaper than providing individual COA's to each item. So they just put JSA stickers on each photo in this large lot. That sounds similar to what you are saying, but I didn't hear anything about a mass authentication letter that came with the photos. But again, this is from JSA and I've not heard of anything like that from PSA. But I'm not a big authority on these things either.

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Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on April 22, 2010 at 2:51pm

PSA no longer uses those "Lot" letters, but there are plenty out there. Take them for what they are worth, almost nothing. I would rather have a PSA quick opinion or just have an idea on what it is I'm buying in the first place. It also means that the item isn't messed up by them affixing a stupid sticker. How are we going to feel when PSA goes by the way of the Global. Do a decent job for years until WHAMMO, about 20,000 fakes enter their system, then out of business, then a relaunch, then out, in, and out again and new management....Then you'll (I'll feel like a moron when I have the stupid PSA/DNA and JSA stickers on my items and I can't get them off. Just like getting Chili on your hands at Tommy's, you can't get the smell off.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on April 22, 2010 at 5:03pm

The smell of Tommy's chili on my hands 24x7 sounds like heaven. With onions please. Hmmm...think I'll go there tonight.

I'd be shocked if PSA/DNA or JSA ever went the way of Global, but besides on the back of a photo, I hate stickers on my stuff. Isn't an image that you can check against their online database good enough?

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Permalink Reply by Tom Barrett on April 27, 2010 at 6:23pm

I'm still learning the ropes around this site but it is ALL good! I really appreciate everyone's insight and expertise! My only wish is we (Ebay) could do a better job of keeping track of these forgers!

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on May 8, 2010 at 1:20pm

I agree with Travis. Finding sellers of forgeries on Ebay is easy, but Ebay is stubborn about doing anything about it since they (Ebay) make a ton of money from the sales of forgeries. In simple terms, Ebay is an accessory to those sales. What I mean by "accessory" is when Ebay is forewarned about certain sellers of forgeries and fails to act then they (Ebay) is an accessory.

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Permalink Reply by Irvin J. Gelb on April 30, 2010 at 8:08am

I think that a new Ebay autograph collector's group would be very important. Other than your message board here there really is no other autograph community group on the internet. Both new and experienced collectors need a venue to discuss different issues such as authenticity, reliability of sellers, how to get certain autographs, etc. If you do establish a new Ebay group please advise all of us so that we can join. I would also be very glad to participate as a moderator since I have been collecting autographs since I was a kid both in person, by mail and now as a dealer.

Irv Gelb

MY-MOVIE-MEMORABILIA-AND-MORE

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Permalink Reply by Keith on April 30, 2010 at 5:03pm

maybe make a list of sellers that are considered trustworthy on Ebay? Im sure a lot of u guys are more than qualified.

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Permalink Reply by Irvin J. Gelb on April 30, 2010 at 8:42pm

That's a good idea Keith but I don't think practical because there are many sellers who might be trustworthy to some but not to others. Perhaps if buyers can start to create a list of sellers who they continuously had good experiences with and start building a list on that criteria it might be possible.

Irv Gelb

MY-MOVIE-MEMORABILIA-AND-MORE

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Permalink Reply by Keith on May 11, 2010 at 10:04am

I know a few that sell strictly ttm photos and some that sell convention obtained signatures on Ebay. The ttm ones are the same I see all the time so I doubt they are obtaining unsigned photos and doing fake sigs on them. The convention sellers either run cons or attend and have actual photos of items being signed.

Yeah I only buy off 6 sellers total on Ebay. 4 run conventions or do signings with celebrities the others sell through the mail photos or have pictures and/or video of their items being singed.