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Autograph's Johnny Cash Signature Study — Be Part of It!

Has there ever been a nicer, more humble, more fan friendly superstar than Johnny Cash?

Johnny was the Babe Ruth of Country Music—the top-ranking Country artist of all time and the most loved. And Johnny loved his fans as much as they love him. So while like the Babe, Cash signed untold numbers of autographs, the supply could never meet demand...and probably never will.

Fans who couldn't meet Cash in person often requested autographs through the mail. The common belief is that he personally autographed those requests. But between his demanding touring schedule and later, his failing health and vision, it seems impossible that he could have signed even half of the mail he received.

A growing number of collectors and dealers now believe that many if not most Johnny Cash through the mail autographs were secretarial. We want to see if we can identify any secretarial styles, and at the same time build a reference collection of no-question genuine Cash exemplars to help identifying forgeries.

Are There Johnny Cash Secretarials?
If So, How Do We Identify Them?
Help Find Out!

You can be an important part of the study in three ways:

Upload into this discussion images of Johnny Cash autographs that you personally received through the mail, and tell us when you received them. (The year is fine, but if you know the date, even better.)
Upload images of Johnny's autographs that YOU saw signed by Johnny yourself. Include the date or at least year, too. If you didn't see it signed yourself (like pre-signed ones sold or given away at shows), please don't upload it.
As more and more images are uploaded, see if you can identify characteristics that are commonly found on Johnny's through the mail autographs that are rarely if ever seen on ones signed in person.

With your help, we can identify Cash secretarials if they're out there. Over time this should increase the value of genuine Johnny Cash autographs, and help protect future fans and collectors against autographs that aren't authentic.

Once we finish this phase of the study, we'll go on to identifying genuine Johnny Cash autographs from forgeries.

Let's go!

Tags: Johnny, autographs, cash, genuine, mail, secretarial, the, through

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on August 9, 2011 at 4:12pm

That's the beauty of America...sellers can price things for anything they wish. Plus, Authentic Johnny Cash autographs just aren't cheap.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Sledz on August 9, 2011 at 4:43pm

Yes they can. And buyers can choose to buy something else, too. Non Vintage Johnny Cash does not cost 700 dollars unless one lives in the land of Oz.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Sledz on August 10, 2011 at 11:24am

I think prices for purchased autographs should always be included in these discussions so people can be aware who is making money and who is bilking it. Why would this wonderful magazine here online have The Sanders Autographs Pricing Guide up on it's advertising pages if it did NOT deem it worthy of Evaluation as part of this Autograph Hobby? So it is not a double standard to have discussions on the autograph as well as the Prices of sellers from who they are purchased from. It HELPS the consumer. Isn't that a good thing for the Hobby? Autograph Magazine thinks so or else it would never advertise IT.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on August 11, 2011 at 2:56am

Here is the thing. Autographs and other collectibles are only worth what someone is willling to pay. Period. The price guide is simply a guide. Not the law or rule. People can list items for whatever price they want. If someone pays that price, then that's what that item is worth at the time. Like I said earlier, AUTHENTIC Johnny Cash autographs are more rare than anyone thought. In my opinion, if hateful old Mickey Mantle can bring $500+ for a signed item....then a real legend like Johnny Cash can bring $700+ every day.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Sledz on August 11, 2011 at 1:49pm

Not true. Sure. You can price anything then at 3,000 based on your supositions.. That is not true. A diamond's price is based on it's quality, color, precision, and it even has a market value. I grant it is different from Collectibles. But even collectibles have limits. If somoene prices Johnny Cash consistently at 50-75% value of what the standard is and THERE is a standard, That seller is worth being called a BILKER not a seller of esteemed autographs. Tell me, how much did Johnny Cash Charge for his autogrpahs? I wonder? Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by David K on August 10, 2011 at 1:14pm

Hi! A LITTLE LATE--but I had to FIND my scan disc..this is my Johny Cash AND Family signed one of a kind Washburn acoustic !! This is signed by Johny, June, Roseanne, cindy, Joe and Janet Carter, Cousins (?) Paul, laura, and I have to check to see who the Carter signed member is on the very left BOTTOM..can anyone identify that?I have the info INSIDE the guitar box--but thats nto readilt avalaible for me to open right now lol...Anyway they are ALL there at the annual Carter family event in the 90's except Roseanne who I got to sign this at NBC/COnan O brien 2 weeks later!!

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