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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 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…mantle, mickey, of, ofame, ted, williams

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John91C on March 16, 2011 at 5:22pm
Forgot to add images
Permalink Reply by John91C on March 16, 2011 at 5:24pm
What do you guys think of these?
Attachments: No photo uploads here
Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on March 16, 2011 at 7:18pm
Fudd the lowly collector likes them both, but what do I know.
Permalink Reply by DB on March 16, 2011 at 7:27pm

The lowly collector now that is funny - when did you go humble (lol).

 

Ya know what would be good though - like in the Heston where we have some very plausible and concrete signature studies to inform the unknowing.

 

Now, that would be helpful u lowly collector ;-)

Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on March 16, 2011 at 7:31pm

we have discussed it a little bit at Net54 as to what some good ones and bad ones look like. Just trying to explain a few obvious tells, like the forming of the "Man" and especially how the "M" relates to the "a" . I'll leave the actual terminology to the experts

 

After looking at known authentic samples and comparing them to fakes, for 30 minute a day over 3 years, it becomes pretty easy with 90-95% certainty. Here a some that I suspect are real and let's compare them to the one with the Global certs.

Attachments: No photo uploads here
Permalink Reply by Fuddjcal on March 16, 2011 at 7:52pm

I have been outspoken in regards to my feelings about these Mike Baker Certs, how they occurred and why they can't be pulled, and why would anyone want to keep their name or change it ever so slightly to cause confusion?\

 

If Mike Baker was not an authenticator, then who had all those post cards printed and where did the crooks get the rolls of stickers. That speaks of a crime if Baker was not an authenticator there. Who had these made? Would Global or Steve Sipe Know??? ZIPPER LIPS AIN'T TALKIN, So he is a NOT DOING ENOUGH. When I see that he is committed to starting to pull these on e-bay, I kiss his apple sac. Until then, I think he is a crook for helping the crooks perpetuate a GIANT FISH TALE by having Zipper lips. Speak up studdering Eddie. Tell us what you know. It's the least you can do for sweeping it under the rug for 3 years, pouring oil on the fire.

Who else knows anything? Let's get it out in the open!

 

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 16, 2011 at 8:24pm

Fuddsy,

You know much more about this than I do. I would love for you to invite your Net54 friends here. Even Shelly. Especially Shelly...I like him.

Here's what I heard: They went to PSA/DNA, but they wouldn't call them genuine. Then they went to JSA...same answer. Then they went to Global...and struck gold.

I heard that Mike Baker didn't authenticate them, but he apparently did sign the certs. I heard that they were authenticated by Rick Giddings of Gizmo's Sportscards, who was a GAI authentication consultant at the time.

I emailed Rick Giddings at PIRATE8@AOL.COM to invite him to join the discussion. Rick called me on 3/18 to say he DID NOT authenticate these items.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Tucker on March 16, 2011 at 9:18pm
well what i cant figer out not to sound bad cause i love PSA but i sent some cards for them to prove they was real said not sure got them from packs what do i do ther .
Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 16, 2011 at 11:29pm
I'm not sure what you're talking about. Were they signed cards? More details please.
Permalink Reply by Jeremy on March 17, 2011 at 1:02am
I would say all the GAI stuff I have seen on eBay has been just junk.  This includes but not limited to Mantle, DiMaggio and Williams.  Another one that is flooding the market now is ACE authentics.  There stuff is horrible.  So many fakes out there.  What disgusts me more is that eBay still lists them as an approved authenticator allowed on eBay.
Permalink Reply by John91C on March 17, 2011 at 1:04am
I heard the guy who heads up ACE was one of the authenticators at GAI...
Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 5:35am

ACE is operated by Justin Pridy, who in my eyes was the original reason that GAI headed in the direction tht it did in the Rocchi / Baker era. 

 

Justin is a young guy that was "created" by GAI.  He ended up causing a LOT of damage.

 

He was let-go ( quit )  pretty early once Dully and Sipe took over and figured out what he was doing.

 

 

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