Before I continue, below are links showing hundreds of examples of forged Mickey Mantle baseballs, photos, etc. found on Ebay (the most dangerous place to buy autographs if you're a casual collector or impulse buyer).…

An extremely rare Beatles-signed Meet The Beatles! album cover, one of only six known, is expected to sell for over $100,000 in RR Auction’s Marvels of Modern…

I have been blogging and writing magazine articles about autograph collecting in general since the mid-90s. I can't believe it's been almost 25 years!

My latest adventure is trying my hand at videos. While I am a professional authenticator specializing in astronaut autographs, my videos will be a mix of space-related and more general for a wider range of interests.

With that, I invite you to check out the first episode of "Collectibles Chat," which focuses on removing a Mickey…

I recently had the honor and pleasure of meeting David Proval.  The venue was SopranosCon in New Jersey.  I wanted to add his autograph to my Mean Streets photo.  The photo already had the autographs of Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese on it.

I made all of the necessary preparations.  I placed the photo into a protective folder, and then into a protective envelope.  I tested my blue Sharpie, so that his autograph would match Robert De Niro’s and Martin Scorsese’s…

Thank you Autograph Live for allowing me to find you and to allow me to become a member.

It has been 7 days and I already have read and examined more about different actors, actresses, athletes, musicians, historical figures and space travelers on 1 site than I have been able to do over the past 10 years.

I look back on my autograph collecting habits and they have changed numerous times over the years. Some of these have blended together, some were simultaneous and most I still…

On June 18, 1978, my father treated me to my first New York Yankees baseball game.  We sat in the upper deck.  It was Bat Day, and I could not wait to see Reggie Jackson play.  He put on an incredible show during batting practice, hitting one baseball out of Yankee Stadium and onto River Avenue in the Bronx.  At least that is how I remember it.  I was eight years old.  Unfortunately, his performance in the game was not as exciting.  He went 0-4, striking out four times.

Four years…

I was at a movie screening of “The Current War” (good movie), and my wife was laughing at how a movie involving Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, could involve autographs (Edison is asked, on three different occasions, to sign an autograph; one of those times being a doctor who came to treat his wife). I got home and turned on the news, and it was a less pleasant autograph story.

In San Diego, the Starlight Bowl…

As a movie critic, I’m often lucky enough to meet or interview celebrities I’m a fan of. Sometimes that happens in unexpected ways. For example, a few days ago I was driving into a radio station to do my weekly movie reviews. On another radio station (which is in the same building), I happened to hear a comedian/actor that’s one of my favorites -- JB Smoove. I was a fan even before he started creating such a ruckus with Larry David on “Curb Your…

A few random Hollywood autograph stories I thought I’d throw into one blog.

First, the new Joker movie (which was surprisingly disappointing. My review here: https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/10/02/joker/ ). 

There was a great autograph…

It was my freshman year of college in the spring of 1988.  I walked to a local convenience store to purchase a few necessaries.  While I was checking out, I noticed a box of Topps baseball cards on the counter.  I could not resist.  With the exception of one pack in the spring of 1986, I had not purchased baseball cards since 1981.  That was the year that the New York Yankees lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

I spent the entire summer of 1988 completing that set.…

This is one of those unique autograph stories that I always like uncovering. Well, I didn’t “uncover” it, two Mark Twain enthusiasts did. They spent over 20 years examining this Missouri cave that was made famous in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” It’s a cave where Sam Clemens and his friends played in. It was the mid-1800s,…

“If I played guitar, I’d be Jimmy Page,” is a lyric from a Beastie Boys song. I always thought it was clever, but since I always wanted to be a drummer, I thought I’d have the line, “If I played drums I’d be John Bonham.”

The closest I got to being like Bonham was the dad-bod and beard I’m sporting now. But this isn’t about drummers, it’s about guitarists. Arguably, one of the best in rock…

Earlier this year I posted blogs on forged autographs on counterfeit Derek Jeter 1995 Upper Deck cards and forged autographs on counterfeit Sandy Koufax 2000 SP Authentic cards.

During that time I heard rumblings about other counterfeit sports cards with forged autographs but didn't follow-up on it.

Just recently though, by accident, I stumbled upon a Willie Mays…

There’s always that debate about selling Nazi and Hitler memorabilia. Well, this one takes the cake. It’s a pair of underpants that belonged to his wife, Eva Braun. At a British auction recently, they went for more than $4,600. And before you ask...all I know is it had her initials embroidered in them. I have no other details…

I feel guilty on how I handle my Sunday mornings. I sleep in, saunter up and grab the morning newspaper and turn on the pre-football games, while the wife gets ready to go to church. I do not go to church, because I’m a heathen who only believes in...who ever is my fantasy football quarterback this year (Matt Ryan this time).

I woke up a little earlier this morning and turned on the pre-game shows, but during a…

I was saddened to wake up and hear that Edward Mahoney had died, known to most as Eddie Money. It’s not like it wasn’t expected. We heard about his stage 4 esophageal cancer last month, and he announced he wouldn’t be touring again.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of his stuff, but he had some tunes I liked. The former NYPD officer, left being a cop to pursue music, and it was a wise choice. …

I have two big regrets when it comes to Nirvana and getting their autographs. I was working as a DJ at a rock station in the ‘90s, and it was a few weeks before their huge record “Nevermind” came out. They previously had an EP, but I wasn’t familiar with it.

The band came to San Diego and did a record store appearance, where they performed and signed the new CD. About 50 people showed up. The ones I talked to said…

I came across this website when I was trying to look up a value of this Mickey Mantle autograph signed to my brother at a trade show back in 1972 or 1973. Any thoughts?…

I met Robin Williams a few times, and he was always great signing autographs. One time, he was really upbeat. Another time, he got out of his limo, and seemed really sad. He was carrying a suit with him (that he would wear onstage that night for his performance in San Diego). I had him sign my "The World According to Garp" video, as well as a picture I ripped…

When I realized that Val Kilmer would be attending Terrificon this August, I immediately thought of my Warwick Davis signed Willow photo, and how incomplete it was without his signature.  A decision needed to be made.  Was it too far away?  Would I regret not attending, since he makes rare appearances?  I did not hesitate, and I immediately purchased a ticket.…