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Question on reputable dealers and what I should pay

Hello,

I came across this site while looking for reviews on Verified Autograph. I read one of the forum discussions and was hoping that someone could be so kind as to lend a hand.

I will admit that I know nothing about autographs so here is my predicament.

I am looking to buy a Christmas gift for a very good friend of mine who loves the Patriots and Tom Brady. I have called around my local memorabilia stores for something with Tom Brady's signature and only one store had something in stock and it was a signed football for $999 but they were willing to sell it to me for $750 which is still so incredibly out of my price range that I turned to the internet. A friend of mine suggested ebay but after five minutes of searching I came to the conclusion that I really couldn't trust ebay due to the high number of absolutely identical items from one or two sellers.

After looking around a little more I came across Verified Autographs. The price seemed reasonable for a Tom Brady Signed Mini NFL Helmet at $124.95. However given what I was told the price of a football at a local store was I'm wondering why their prices are so low.

Has anyone heard of them and whether or not they are reputable. If they aren't could you please give me an idea of where to look for a trusted seller. Also I was wondering how much I really should expect to pay for something like this and whether I should try and find something else. I have no idea whether I'm looking at fakes or not. The friend I'm buying this for is an incredble friend and I would hate to get him anything that isn't genuine but I am also not flush with enough cash to afford to spend more than $250. I considered emailing the man himself but I've heard he is......prickly at best. I don't know if this is the right forum for this post but any help would be incredibly appreciated.

Thank you,

Brooke

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on December 14, 2011 at 6:24pm

They are based in my hometown. Not really sure if they have an office anywhere. I had contact with them when they first opened via e-mail. They originally started as just authenticators and only offered Cardinal items. They do everything via PO Box and have continually grown their inventory.

I've looked at some of their stuff. I know their Cardinal stuff is authentic.Quick glance I think the rest is as well. Not sure where they get it. Looks like they get some in person and some through paid signings. Reason I think this is the Larry Fitzgerald signatures. They have both the short in person version and the full sigs that I've only seen him sign at a paid signing.

They have the lowest prices I've seen on Brady and Manning signed items too. Been awhile since I;ve looked but used to offer lifetime guarantee.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 14, 2011 at 7:21pm

Brooke,

It's hard to find genuine Tom Brady signed items for less than about $400. He can run twice that or more depending on the item. I'm not sure who he's done private signings for besides Upper Deck (maybe Tri-Star?), but I'd only buy one authenticated by PSA/DNA or JSA if it's not from a recognized private signing. There's a PSA/DNA 8x10 on eBay for $250 right now, but the image isn't clear and large...you'll want to get a better one and perhaps post it here. I see a lot of GAI ones for $300 or less, but they could be forgeries--it wasn't a reliable company for authenticity purposes.

A mini-helmet for $125 doesn't make sense. They could sell it wholesale for twice that or more.

Here's the link to the one on eBay for $250: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOM-BRADY-SIGNED-AUTO-PHOTO-PSA-DNA-COA-/12...

Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on December 15, 2011 at 7:05am

strange, that auction ended, and it said it sold for 100 bucks???

Permalink Reply by kevin conway on December 14, 2011 at 8:09pm

The reality is (regardless of what you may read online about anti 3rd party authentication), if it not JSA certified or PSA (for sports primarily), don't take the risk. Not just for authenticity verification but also marketability as without it, it will be difficult to resell .

Permalink Reply by DB on December 15, 2011 at 3:12am

To answer the question of what you should pay: Brady is a 3x SB winner & 2x MVP. Led his team to a pefect winning season (even if they did choke in the SB against the Giants). Considered a HOFer already. Thus, a "real one" is going to be pricey. Will there be deals, perhaps!

I have enough of Brady from his rookie season, a few certified and a number from other reputable places including tri-star and inperson... so I have come to see the signature. There are very slight variations.

I too once thought that PSA & JSA were proof positive. From a novice perspective you have a better chance of getting a "real" one but they make their share of mistakes as well and genuinely fail on multi-signed items. Thus, you need to understand the signature rather than just look for a bargain as unlike retail stores in collecting you get what you pay for most of the time.

I believe I asksed a question around here about Verfied Autograph around here as far as authentications go some time back. Will have to see if there were any responses. You should always post the URL of a place when you are aksing a question so we don't end up at the wrogn place as some have very close web sites and we have had people mistype them.

If I found the right place; http://www.verifiedautographs.com/component/virtuemart/?keyword=Sig... then there is one that has possibilities and the others I would want to know alot more about (as in provenance) including the PATs one. Typically a mini that you don't worry about is in the $500.00+ range and replica & authentic FS at $900+

so you have to satisfy your own "purse" and insight... here however are some authentic ones of both brady and welker (which causes me to question some of the VA one(s). Notice anything that strikes you about the VA Welker one? The VA ones follow the without question the authentic ones.

Permalink Reply by DB on December 15, 2011 at 3:16am

and the VA ones;

Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on December 15, 2011 at 4:08am

this is an interesting discussion. I have been studying Brady's signature for years. A while back there was a discussion about who is the most forged, and I suggested it was Brady. If you look on ebay, probably 90% of the items supposedly signed by Brady are bogus. As for JSA on Brady, this says it all:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOM-BRADY-auto-sig-signed-FRAMED-11X14-PHOT...

I am not an in person collector, so I have to rely on items from private signings, but I have never seen this style.

You mentioned you have some from his rookie season. would you be willing to post some of those? The ones you posted above certainly look good (the top ones), but they appear to be more recent? If you look at some of the Tri-star photos, the Brady is quite a bit different, especially the B. I am still trying to figure out the time line and what his early signatures looked like, versus now.

I do have a signed football that I got at a very good price, but those are few and far between.

Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on December 15, 2011 at 4:12am

I have not had this authenticated, but I think it is good.

Permalink Reply by DB on December 15, 2011 at 5:46am

wow, maybe he was signing it as the Team Bus was pulling out! Must be some interesting provinance from that ebay posted one.

I dunno about the one above as that one for me appears to be on the "exception" fringe although comparable to the latest scribble in the initial ones posted. His signtures has really deteriorated. I'll have to get the ones out of the case (a pia exercise) but the early ones have alot of similarity to the flying elvis from VA. This one is the one(s) I am most comfortable with.

Permalink Reply by DB on December 15, 2011 at 6:11am

Training Camp in RI was the only place I ever saw him sign anything ('cept for the occassional and rare Tri-Star shows) and that was long before anyone, except himself, knew who he was and who he would become. Come to think of it I have some other rookies that never made it as well but with all rookies you just never know. Incidently, that was the only time I observed him using his jersey number. He also does Patriot Charity events and will/has signed for the kids as well.

I do concur on the notion that how can you obtain never mind sell one for such low prices nonetheless especially in the commercial market.

Permalink Reply by Brooke S on December 15, 2011 at 6:29am

Thank you everyone so much for your responses.

(this is the site I was looking at http://www.verifiedautographs.com/ this item in particular http://verifiedautographs.com/sports-collectibles.html?page=shop.pr...)

I thought it was a good sign that they offered a "Money Back Guarantee of Authenticity that never expires" However the lack of a real address, only a post office box (which I didn't notice until Mr Meyer pointed out) , and the lack of a phone number on their website are both things that usually raise red flags for me when I'm shopping online.

I have emailed for a better quality picture of the one Mr Cyrkin pointed out on ebay and I am still awaiting that. As for GAI, in the short time I've been looking for this I have read enough negative reviews to know to stay away from them.

I suppose I will either have to save up for something PSA/DNA certified or find something else to give this friend as a gift. A shame too, he's been through an incredibly tough year and I know this would make him ecstatic.

Thank you for all your advice and help gentlemen. I really very much appreciate it.

Permalink Reply by DB on December 15, 2011 at 6:40am

If you look at the contrasted picture you will see that both are very comparable. The one on the left is from a "private portion" signing with Tristar in '08 while the one on the right is the VA helmet. Close enough to be considered but were they both signed by Brady. The one on the left we know was and sells for upward to $13k as it is an oil painting. The other if it really is "authentic" is a steal at that price. So much of a steal that it sets off the red flags of collecting 101.