Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators COA (GFA): What Methods Do They Use? Billy Martin Mantle Signed Photo

Immediately below you will find a link to my Part 1 of "Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA): What Methods Do They Use? Please read that before you continue with this blog.

https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/guaranteed-forens...

There will be a final Part 3 following this blog post.

Below you find another GFA-certed purchase of mine. We have observed the below image of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin sold hundreds of times on EBay with certs from GFA (Stephen Rocchi and John Gorajczyk) and numerous "Florida" COA's.

Mickey Mantle passed away in 1995 and Joe DiMaggio passed away in 1999.

Billy Martin was killed in a car crash in 1989.

Let's examine the below image.

My own "Forensic" examination of the paper under my ProScope.

As you can definitively see, the image was produced on inkjet paper.

The dry erase marker test immediately below. As you can clearly see, because inkjet paper is porous, the dry erase marker cannot remove the signature from the surface of the image.

If it was near to impossible for Mickey Mantle to have signed an image of himself produced on inkjet paper, then how the heck could have Billy Martin, who died in 1989, sign the above image that was produced on inkjet paper!!!

Question to Stephen Rocchi and John Gorajczyk:

Again, what "Forensic" and "Scientific" methods are you two employing to determine that the above four autographs are "genuine?"

From the GFA website:

"Without having the proper training experience, education and exemplars, a third-party authentication is just an opinion, not a scientific fact of determination."

From the GFA website:

As of Sept. 2011, the sports memorabilia authentication companies have used collectors and dealers as their authenticators. These authenticators, highly respected in the industry have for their collecting and selling expertise have had little or no formal training in forensics and document examination.

Stephen's background in law enforcement along with his years of experience in authentication, working with well-trained forensic and document examiners, combined with today's latest technology, can produce scientific proof that signatures are authentic or counterfeit.

All of the above, and "Forensics," and "Today's Latest Technology" were unable to determine that the above Mantle, DiMaggio, Ford and Martin image was produced on inkjet paper!!!

And with Rocchi's "Years of experience in authentication" why was he unable to determine that the above image was produced on inkjet paper!!! The feel of an image produced on inkjet paper and photo lab/file paper is significantly different, which begs the question "Did anyone at GFA physically examine any of the photos I have posted during the past six years" that were certed by GFA?

Below is an image that sellers of GFA-certed "autographs" were using in their auctions to enforce Rocchi's so-called authentication skills while he was at PSA.

They never posted the full COA. Here it is below. Notice the "In The Presence" on the COA.

Below are completed auctions showing the image of Mantle, DiMaggio, Ford and Martin.

I've observed that image being sold on EBay (with GFA COAs and Florida COAs) in the hundreds and I would bet my life that all of them were images produced on inkjet paper.

If this isn't incompetence, then what is it?

I will also add that since GFA started in Sept. 2011, I have yet to see an authentic Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, etc autograph with a COA from GFA that is actually authentic. Not one.

Tags: Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators John Gorajczyk Forged Signed Mickey Mantle Billy Martin Photo

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Comment by terrier8HOF on January 16, 2018 at 4:25pm: Incompetence would still allow them to opine correctly once in a while (a blind squirrel finds an acorn etc). I haven't seen anything to support the possibility that this is incompetence.

Comment by CJCollector on January 16, 2018 at 4:28pm: Neither have I, Terrier.

Incompetence or "Business?"

Comment by Fuddjcal on January 16, 2018 at 5:37pm: Great Blog again CW. I hate to contradict you and Terrior, but I think I actually did see one about 2-3 years ago on E-bay? I thought about saving the picture or screen shoot it, but thought someone else might do it. If I recall correctly? Seems to ring a bell? But, knowing my track record, as the most interesting man in the world, It's easy for some to doubt me. Either way, it's a complete cluster scam.

I was looking about a week ago on E-bay as i was bored stiff. 19 of 20 Mantle listings for auction were these clear cut forgeries. Wow. Then the sold listing were hilarious. from $25 to $60 was a sweet spot. Just think how much demand there still is for this goof! Prices are still pretty solid for the PSA, JSA, becket, UD stuff, but the dealers look like they have them all, for all the money which is understandable. If those fakes were pulled, the real ones might even go up? DiMaggio is hard to find too on a 8 x 10 as the fakes are dominating. Fake balls just everywhere. Fake Fake Fak.

Didn't see too many non-certed real ones sold, but you are better off buying a Mantle with-out a Forensic cert.... better Odds of buying authentic, IMHO.

Maybe it's time to "Sell Mortimer, Sell" the Lowly Mantle collection.

Comment by CJCollector on January 16, 2018 at 5:40pm: Thanks, Fudd. I have yet to see one.

Just think, if all of that crap was removed by Ebay, the authentic ones would skyrocket.

But Ebay can't remove them; too much money from the sales of forgeries.

Comment by Fuddjcal on January 16, 2018 at 5:46pm: I guess e-bay does make out on the volume of sales, but what crappy sales prices realized for the decorative pieces LOL

It is extremely shortsighted from a conglomerate of commerce, IMO.

Comment by CJCollector on January 16, 2018 at 6:10pm: No one will ever change my mind that Forensics has nothing to do with opining autographs.

Comment by Steve Zarelli on January 17, 2018 at 6:05am: There is no doubt the mass amount of forgeries on eBay has suppressed the sales price of authentic examples. How could it not? Essentially, autograph sales prices on ebay are wholesale.

When I look at other collectibles fields that are NOT prone to outright counterfeits (comic books, coins, etc), prices realized are much stronger. You can actually list a comic book on eBay and if you have good pictures and a description, you can get a strong price for it. Why? Because comic books are generally not counterfeited and the market supply is not watered down with counterfeits. (Granted, there is fraud in the form of over grading or hidden restoration, but in general, it would be nearly impossible to convincingly completely counterfeit a vintage comic book.)

Regrettably, autographs are a field of collecting where almost anyone has the means to produce counterfeits. I'm afraid, over time as the sheer volume of fakes accumulates, it will eventually hit a point of critical mass and the market will collapse.

By then, these mass fake sellers will be long gone and onto the next scam... sealing old ladies driveways with used motor oil or selling timeshares to swampland in Florida, etc., etc.

Comment by Fuddjcal on January 17, 2018 at 9:14am: Steve +1

CW

"No one will ever change my mind that Forensics has nothing to do with opining autographs."

LOL but Chris, forget that the letter formations are a mess and all identical, you proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that these GFA certed items are forgeries by using that big microscope!!! There's a new forensic guy on the block so watch OUT! LOL, just like our buddy Christopher Moralass.

Comment by goodcat on January 17, 2018 at 10:00am: I completely agree w/ you Steve, except this statement...

"By then, these mass fake sellers will be long gone and onto the next scam... sealing old ladies driveways with used motor oil or selling timeshares to swampland in Florida, etc., etc."

I think you might be giving them too much credit. These occupations would require them to leave the house and their computer and actually do some kind of physical labor HA HAA

I get the impression that most of these dweeb scammers are some of the laziest people on our planet and wasting our good oxygen supplies. And now I know a few of these ebay lowlife's are actually reading these posts on AML.

Comment by Steve Zarelli on January 17, 2018 at 10:50am: @Goodcat53 sez, "I get the impression that most of these dweeb scammers are some of the laziest people on our planet and wasting our good oxygen supplies."

Good point. Scamming people in-person takes some guts and there is the risk of getting smashed in the face.

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