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Permalink Reply by James on September 10, 2015 at 7:25pm

Very sad no doubt. Because if we assume that most of these buyers are collectors who were in search of one nice "real" Mantle, these people are now out of the market for a Mantle-signed item. So now the demand-side of the market is nominally decreased by one for every sale of a fake item. And less demand equals lowered prices overall for any Mantle item, but especially genuine ones because they are naturally higher priced.

If the only Mantle's available were truly the genuine ones, then the wannabe collectors would have no choice but to pay the higher prices that genuine ones command.

So I do think these fakes are driving down the values of everyone's legitimate stuff.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 11, 2015 at 3:52am

James, well written.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on September 11, 2015 at 3:26am

Truly shocking and sickening. Not only are these mass produced fakes ripping people off, they are DESTROYING the hobby for everyone... Even the collectors smart enough to avoid them.

They should enjoy their ill gotten gains now, because there is a very hot corner in hell for the criminals behind all this.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 11, 2015 at 3:54am

This crap is truly destroying the hobby.

I could have posted further screenshots showing the extreme high number of GFA-certed forgeries that monopolize the "Sold Auctions" under the category of "Mickey Mantle Autographed Photos."

It is totally disgusting!!!!

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on September 11, 2015 at 5:45am

this has no place to go but down, it will just take time before these criminals are exposed.  the value of legitimate items will find its place again, you just have to be patient. it may take years but it will happen.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on September 11, 2015 at 5:51am

what I really dont understand is what GFA is actually charging for an authentication.  see this link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mickey-Mantle-Ted-Williams-Dual-Hall-of-Fam...

how can you sell the "lipstick on a pig" frame, the signed photo AND authentication for 129 or BO???  

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on September 11, 2015 at 6:25am

A quality matte, frame and UV glass alone would cost almost double this price... not counting the cost of an authentically signed photo.

Autograph = junk
Authentication = junk
Framing = junk

Any questions?

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on June 25, 2022 at 5:09pm

I've always loved this post by Steve Zarelli.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on June 25, 2022 at 5:20pm

Haha. Glad you like it Chris. The sad thing is it’s now seven years later and these junky fakes are  still plaguing the hobby. It’s the autograph version of COVID. 

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on June 25, 2022 at 5:34pm

Steve, that's even better than your previous comment.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on September 11, 2015 at 6:29am

After Chris first posted this I did a search of sold Mantle items myself. It is jaw-dropping.

I had to scroll and scroll and scroll before I saw an authentic Mantle. You will find a real one like a needle in a haystack of this GFA framed and matted garbage.

This nonsense is RUINING the hobby!!

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on September 11, 2015 at 7:14am

a year ago, when the EMR program was in place, it was the other way around.  its like they stopped the chemo and the cancer is taking over.

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