The GAI Mantle, DiMaggio & Ted Williams Hoard—Are They All Forgeries?

A hoard of thousands Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams signed photos have flooded the market over the last few years. All authenticated by Global Authentication Inc., with COAs signed by former GAI executive Mike Baker.

The hoard has driven down prices on these legendary Baseball Hall of Famers by 50-percent or more, and it's not rare to find one for well under $50.

The problem?

Every baseball expert we asked is emphatic that they're forgeries. And they've had that same opinion since the hoard came out of Florida in 2008.

If the experts are right—and I don't doubt that they are—not only are thousands of collectors stuck with these worthless photos. Thousands more have unfairly suffered a catastrophic drop in the value of their genuine Mantles, DiMaggios and Williams due to the flood of fakes.

And as we all know, GAI went bankrupt in 2009 after certing thousands of forgeries of Mantle, Williams, DiMaggio, Koufax, etc.

Why Do So Many Think They're Forgeries? Let's find out!

If you're a regular collector like me, it's hard to tell good Mantles from decent forgeries. DiMaggios and Williams are easier, but I'd never buy without an expert opinion. So I thought it would be a great education for those experienced in these autographs—experts and experienced collectors—to show us why they're so widely considered forgeries.

I've included a few of the GAI authenticated photos to start with. Feel free to upload more. Ask questions, share your knowledge...and help make collecting these Hall of Famers safer for everyone!

Look at all this garbage!!!

Forged and mass-produced Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays forgeries. Garbage.

Forged and mass-produced Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Duke Snider photo with a worthless COA from GAI. Pure garbage.

Forged Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams photo. Laughable forgeries.

Forged Mantle, DiMaggio and Williams photo with a worthless COA from GAI. Look at this garbage.

Ugly and laughable forged Mickey Mantle with a worthless COA from GAI. I've observed hundreds of this-style forgery over the years.

Mass-produced forged Mantle, DiMaggio, Mays and Snider photo with a worthless COA from GAI. Ugly.

Forged and mass-produced Mickey Mantle. Ugly and laughable.

Forged Mantle, Williams and DiMaggio photo with a worthless COA from GAI. Horrid-looking forgeries.

Forged and mass-produced Mantle and Williams forgeries. Worthless COA from GAI and Mike Baker.

Forged and mass-produced forged Mickey Mantle photo. Pathetic.

This is one of dozens forged Mickey Mantle business cards that were "authenticated" by GAI and Mike Baker. Pure garbage.

GAI (Mike Baker) "authenticated" hundreds of Mickey Mantle forgeries on the below image.

Laughable Mantle forgery.

Here is a mass-produced set of Mantle and Williams forgeries.

GAI "authenticated" thousands of forgeries before they went bankrupt in 2009.

Tags: authenticate, authentication, baseball., dimaggio, forgeries, gai, genuine, global, hall, joe, More…

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Permalink Reply by DB on March 17, 2011 at 4:14pm

Hmmm.... look at the T

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Permalink Reply by Kyle M. on March 17, 2011 at 4:38pm

Whoever signed this has A LOT of blue ink on their hands! Looks at the smudges. Looks like a cheap ball point pen.

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Permalink Reply by DB on April 4, 2011 at 6:17am

appears someone is out several hundred dollars;

and someone didn't check the cert information very carefully... Somehow I would think a ball with a reall Mantle & Williams would be described and when they aren't - don't walk away, RUN! I'm sure seller; autograph3456 is running all the way to the bank!

GV511587 Autograph: No Item Item: No Item Description: Autograph

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 19, 2011 at 12:24pm

What does everyone think of this SP?

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 19, 2011 at 12:28pm

Piece of dung.

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Permalink Reply by E.B.G. on March 20, 2011 at 4:59pm

Do we think the Williams and Mantle were signed by the same person?

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 24, 2011 at 2:41pm

Makes me wonder if the below Babe Ruth was part of the GAI hoard. It is presently on the Coach's Corner auction site. The "GV" number below is a valid number in the GAI database.

This amazing piece is a vintage Official American League baseball from Reach, cubed in VG+ condition. It has been spectacularly preserved, and features a blue ink, sweet spot signature of the '23 AL MVP, lifetime .342 hitter and '36 HOF Inductee, Red Sox and Yankees legend, Babe Ruth. The ball comes with a sticker and original receipt from Global Authentication, Inc (GV 322662), as well as a letter from the estate of original collector and former NY Yankee, Pat Olsen! A one of a kind opportunity here, with a retail value easily into the five figure range!

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 24, 2011 at 2:46pm

Also makes me wonder if the below GAI certed Jeter forgery was part of that GAI hoard. The seller of the below Jeter has sold about two dozen of these obvious Jeter forgeries all certed by the now defunct GAI. He has two more up for auction presently.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on March 25, 2011 at 5:45am

Wow... this is laughably bad. Compared to my Jeter (in-person by me), there is simply no comparison. This doesn't have 1/10th of the flourish and complexity of the real deal.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 25, 2011 at 5:51am

Yes, Mr. Zipper, horrible. The same seller has sold about two dozen of these GAI certed Jeter forgeries. My understanding is that someone from SC or NC is doing these horrible Jeter forgeries. They are trying to emulate his "1994 Signature Rookies" autograph. Again, who at GAI certed this total garbage? This is something Mr. Sipe could help get removed from Ebay.

The above item is presently on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1992-Classic-4-Sport-Derek-Jeter-RC-auto-GAI-ce...

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 25, 2011 at 8:22am

Christopher, why don't YOU email Sipe yourself and get the answers from him?

Maybe then you will get the info you are looking for regarding what Steve legally can and can't do in relation to the old GAI items. It's not as simple for him as it once was regarding those coas.

No matter if you agree or disagree with what he tells you, you will at least have done the proper thing and gotten the information directly. It's much more honorable that way.

It's ssipe@globalauthentics.com I'm sure a LOT of people would appreciate the info.

Regarding the Mantle sigs. I think that it confuses general collectors when it's simply stated that an item is "good" or "bad". I will tell you that many collectors will NEVER be able to tell the difference between a good Mantle v.s. a Bad one if a comprehensive study isn't done, or at least more detailed information is shared.

If you really want to help the market out, and give yourself actual solid ammo to use in cases of removing the bad items out of the market, then WRITE THE STUDY! At least show examples. detail out for people what makes a good Mantle good and a bad one bad. That information is obviously needed.

I would also love for someone to study how many personal appearances he did as well. I know it was a lot. Especially in thelast 20 years of his life. This informaion would be interesting. I'm betting the numbers would prove useful in relation to the material being offered.