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Is everything from GAI fake?

I was thinking recently about the amount of fakes that are authenticated by GAI, so I went through my items and located 5 pieces authenticated by them. I looked up the corresponding number on their website (what's left of it anyway) and found that two items aren't even listed. The database shows no item exists. Two of the three items I know are legit as they were from a private Willie Mays signing a few years back and included the Say Hey authentication plus the MLB authentication. The other three I believe are bad. Two are Stan Musial 8x10's and one is Bart Starr 8x10.

What I find interesting is that you would assume that people who have legitimate authentic photo's used the GAI service. There should be a quantity that are real! But, it appears that almost everything I come across is FAKE! Did they authenticate anything real, or did they have a network set up where they had people produce known forgeries and then they authenticated them? It seems to be the latter. I wish I could remember who I bought these three from and contact them. You wouldn't think they would spend their time on Musial and Starr. Any opinions on this?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on June 9, 2011 at 5:14am

It appears that the Mantle, Mays, Williams, DiMaggio, etc. that come with the GAI Mike Baker COAs are almost certainly 100% fake. I have not seen one yet that I judge to be authentic.

Reportedly, the Steve Sipe signed GAI COAs are supposed to be more reliable. I have not seen as many of these as the Baker COAs, yet, I am not comfortable with much of what I see with a Sipe signed COA. As an example, I have been studying Mariano Rivera autographs for the past few months. There are a ton of them with GAI/Sipe COAs and they almost always look consistantly different from the Steiners, PSA and JSA. And they are always priced significantly less than similar items certed by one of the other companies. Take that for what you will.

Hopefully others can chime in with more details.

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Permalink Reply by CEE GEE on July 20, 2011 at 10:39am

I agree with MR.ZIPPER...you can tell especially with Mariano Rivera autos....there horrible...most commonly by the R in the Rivera comes to a more sharper point and the last name is usually a straight line....those are dead on forgeries...

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on July 20, 2011 at 10:48am

Agreed. The last name is almost always little more than a straight line.

Also, the M appears to be very heavy with a lot of pressure. The real Mariano has a much lighter touch.

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Permalink Reply by CEE GEE on July 25, 2011 at 5:55pm

Rivera's auto has changed over the years for sure I have got his auto about 4 times in person...all autos have strong similarities but his auto has changed slightly over the years since I have first got him in 1999 and even at that time Riveras auto has changed from his original auto as a rookie....but as far as G.A.I Riveras are all garbage....there Jeters as well

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Permalink Reply by CEE GEE on July 26, 2011 at 5:09am

Here is a quick example of a Mariano Rivera I got signed in person at Wrigley Field during batting practice 8 years ago...1000 percent authentic...Rivera often signs his last name with less attention then his first name which is always in full in this authentic example when hes signing in a crowd...other guys signing in a crowd will often sign there auto more rushed and not as neat as a show appearance to make certain all fans get a piece...Jeter on the other hand almost all the time signs really bad when its for free as does Alex Rodriguez...it may possible that the garbage G.A.I forger may have been using an authentic rushed Rivera as an example to copy from....but with a keen eye you can determine the real from the fake every time...the forgers will never be close !!!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on July 26, 2011 at 5:51pm

I have several Rivera sigs I obtained in-person at shows. At a show, he signs slowly and methodically.

Here is a Rivera ball I obtained in person at a Yankee Fanfest in January or February of 1996:

I bought this from a reputable in-person collector and I believe it to be authentic. It also has a JSA COA. This was signed 4/11/2010. The M and R are radically different than his rookie signature and the once clear letters are now a series of loops.

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Permalink Reply by CEE GEE on July 27, 2011 at 4:42am

Spot on zip !!!....Rivera's auto has changed at least 4 times over the years...although his "Mariano" remains basically the same for the exception of his right to left leaning motion...his last name had some modifications...mostly with his "R" all variations stem back to his original rookie auto as you have posted which had more of right leaning motion as his most current auto leans to the left...Know doubt...both pieces are authentic...iam going to be doing a couple of forums of how some players autos changed over the years including Dimaggio, Jeter, Mantle, and Rivera...Good eye !!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on August 8, 2011 at 4:42pm

Here is an especially rancid Rivera. SLOOOOOOWLY drawn forgery. The seller big.johnreds stole the in-person image from another auction. I can't pinpoint it, but I've seen this image before on an item that was good a few weeks ago.

ebay auction

Stolen in-person pic.

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Permalink Reply by CEE GEE on August 9, 2011 at 4:44am

I WOULD BY THAT BALL IN A SECOND....THERES A PICTURE OF RIVERA SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS IN THE PICTURE....ITS A GREAT PIECE....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOT !!!!!!!! THAT ME BE THE WORST RIVERA FORGERY I HAVE EVER SEEN....THATS FLAT OUT GARBAGE....WOW

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on June 9, 2011 at 6:07am

What they had was a hack of an "authenticator" ( the one that has his own company now ) that simply passed out THOUSANDS of coas. The old Global paid dearly for it and thankfully, Sipe is doing his best to clean it up. Just contact him with your concerns.

This same "authenticator" that ruined GAI is still demonstrating the same behavior at his own company.

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Permalink Reply by Steve on June 9, 2011 at 1:59pm

Here is what I don't understand. In order to hand out thousands of coa's, they would have to receive thousands of bad signatures. It's like a certain group is aware that if they send it to GAI, it will pass, but not if they send it to other companies. Therefore, they must be in some type of arrangement with them, in my opinion.

But, what about legitimate signatures being sent in? You would think that at some point someone, somewhere has sent them legit signatures to be authenticated. How come we never see those being sold anywhere? There has to be some good signatures with GAI stickers on them. How is it that we only see the bad. So it seems like they have their own ring going on.