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I have been collecting autograph for close to 35 years. I have always took a picture of the person signing. I have over 6000 autographs and all of them comes with pictures and negatives. In the beginning, I just thought it made a great display and I thought everybody was taking a picture of their autograph being signed.
But, then I went to a stick & ball sport convention in Rosemont, Il.. Their were at least 40 to 50 people in line that just paid $100.00 per autograph from a football player. I could not believe that not one of them took a picture of the player signing as I watched. And just around the corner was a authenticator was just around the corner that was all smiles, knowing that if not now, maybe later, that he will be charging $50.00 to authenticate that same autograph that you did not get a picture of him signing.
I can't believe in this world of all our new technology, I phones, and the greed and forgeries that is know, associated with autograph collecting, people are still getting autographs without pictures. Either in person, sending away for them, and/or buying them on EBay.
Even the authenticators are not perfect. They are human. They to sometimes make mistakes no matter what company they work for. They can mistakenly say a forgery is genuine, and visa-versa. In the world of autographs, they are almost like gods, they decide what autograph lives, all at your expense, just because you didn't take a picture of the moment. But for right now, having authenticators to police the collecting autograph industry against Forgers.
Unfortunately, there is not a full proof way to prove the authenticity of a autograph of the past. They did not have cameras way back when, and if they did, they were big and bulky. But now cameras are everywhere. Help stop greed & forgeries by every time you have a chance to get a autograph. Take a picture of the signer signing. If you are buying autographed, demand that you will only buy an autograph if it comes with a picture of them signing. If a company that is supplying a COA of a live autograph session, then they can certainly afford to take a picture of that autograph session.
Come on all you autograph hounds, let's put all theses forgers and authenticators out of business. After taken pictures of every 6000 autographs that I have, I know I am doing my part.
If you don' t help, then you can not complained from getting cheated from buying a forgeries, or a authenticator has charged a incredible amount from proving a autograph was not authentic even you knew it was because you received it in person.
Good Hunting!!!!!! Fred

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Replies to This Discussion

I know that everyone that read this is saying that this guy is crazy, how can he expect everyone to take a picture of revert autograph . And you are right, it is not easy. It takes a lot of planning.
I use to get a $50.00 pit pass at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway that was goog for 3 days, and you were not just allowed in the pit area, but it also allowed you to have access to the garage area of the trucks & Busch series race which was held on a off week end of the Winston Cup series, so as many as 8 to 12 Winston Cup drivers would come in to do the 2 races. I would do my home work and find out exactly what drivers were coming there.
So I would carry a big bag that was full of items for each driver and I large item, a board, that every driver could sign, so when I meet a driver, I would do what I call my autograph dance,
My autograph dance is I would try to get the driver to sign a least 4 items (1/24 diecast, blister pack, magazine, and the board) I had to carry 2 cameras because I needed at least 5 pictures on the one camera because I needed the 4 pictures for each autograph, and 1 more for which people call now, a selfie. If I didn't have enought pictures on camera 1, I would have to go to camera 2. I would ask the driver a question about his pass career so while the driver was answering the question, he did realized how many things he was signing all the time I was taken pictures of him signing. I would ask when he was done signing, if I could get a picture together? That was kind of hard from a 33 m camera and you would not know how it turned out until the filmed was developed.
I would end up with at least 250 to 350 autographs per a 3 day week end. Now the hard part would come. After I would have the 25 to 30 rolls of film developed, I would separate each negative to its photo, then put each photo to it's operated autograph.
No it is not easy. But each of my autographs are picture proof and I don't have to pay a authenticor to authentic that each autograph is legit.
You have to realize that if you do not sell your autograph collection. Someone will, someone always does. If by chance, you suddenly, accidentally pass away, wouldn't you be more at else knowing that you did your best to help out your family to get the most money out of selling your collection then having a collector short changing them just because they didn't have any proof on any autograph
I know I sleep well at night knowing I have done my best for my family when that unexpectfull day comes.
Take pictures of your autographs being signed and only buy autographs that come with picture of the item being autographed!!!!

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