We're an eBay affiliate and may be compensated on purchases made through clicks.

Idiot autograph vandal on the loose!

While perusing eBay listings today, I ran across the seller "patriotsfan10" who seems to have been a pretty regular customer at R&R and Heritage...and now they need to ban him!

This cretin has made a habit of buying complete historic letters of famous Americans and then cutting them to bits so he can sell one and two word segments on eBay!

Just look at a typical description:

Quote:

"You are bidding on a word clip handwritten by John Hancock. This is a rare, unique gift for those who admire John Hancock and/or American History! Why pay $7,000-12,000 for a Hancock letter when you can purchase authentic handwriting by John Hancock right here for just a small fraction of the price?

This Hancock handwritten clip consists of the following: " Intitled "

The handwritten clip is **Guaranteed Authentic** - it was clipped from a letter to the General Assembly completely written by Hancock as Governor of Massachusetts in 1782 (immediately following the Revolutionary War). We personally cut the handwritten clip from that very document. The document was purchased from R&R Auction (rrauction.com) and was originally part of the Hancock-Chase collection housed at the National Museum of American History. Please note that you are NOT bidding on the Hancock letter to the General Assembly.

You ARE bidding on the following items (all of which are pictured below):

The clip that reads " Intitled ", handwritten by John Hancock himself.
Color photocopy of the original COA from R&R Auction for the Hancock letter to the General Assembly.
Color photocopy of the original PSA/DNA Letter of Authenticity (LOA) for the Hancock letter to the General Assembly.

Unquote

This vandal has also destroyed letters and documents by James Buchanan, George Pickett, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Rutherford B. hayes, Grover Cleveland, Franklin Roosevelt, Franklin Pierce, and who knows whom else!

Now, I can understand breaking up a lock of hair, a block of wood, or a tattered flag, and on one or two occasions we've offered a few words in George Washington's hand (a letter that was cut-up years ago), but for anyone in this day and age to go out, buy a historic letter and chop it into tiny bits to sell on eBay is just criminal.

If anyone knows who this greedy, ignorant jackass is, I'd like to know so that I can refuse his bids. Please let me know by email, or better yet expose him here!

Tags: autographs, greed, heritage, idiots, rrauction, vandals

1 member likes this

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on December 18, 2010 at 6:56pm: You'd think they'd just make bigger cards for series like these, but maybe that's not practical. I'd rather they not offer them at all than cut them up like that.

Comment by Richard S. Simon on December 19, 2010 at 9:08am: They don't worry about people who don't like the idea of them cutting up the signature. They don't worry about destroying history.

As long as they can make $$$$$$$$$$$ doing this crap and it is legal they will continue to attempt to make their shareholders happy rather than worry about the people, like us, who look at what they do and criticize their actions. Destroying history is the least of their worries.

Comment by Richard S. Simon on December 19, 2010 at 9:10am: I have a lengthy list of loyal customers and maintain a database of want lists.

I have never had anyone ask me for one of these idiotic cards.

Not one person that I know has ever asked me for one of these cards.

I don't think anyone really collects them. They are just profit (or loss) making vehicles.

I think with these cards the greater fool theory truly applies.

Comment by Joseph Perino on December 19, 2010 at 9:53am: The thrill obviously for these cards is in pulling the manufactured rarity out of the pack and feeling important because it's rare, and you are the one that got it. The trading card companies make their money in this era by feeding this gambling mentality. In my opinion that is why there is little demand for these after they are pulled. There is nothing historical about them. In this regard, the trading card companies could do just as well I think without destroying history, as there are plenty of other ways to feed a gambling mentality with autographs and memorabilia from players and former players who are still living. Too bad the MLB license would likely prevent the cutting up of an Andro bottle or a steroid prescription.

But imagine the chase a trading-card company could create if they cut up a historical letter. Some wealthy fool could try to chase every word and reassemble the letter as a collection of trading cards. Until the words fade or the paper disintegrates because of the adhesive used.

Comment by Scott Scholz on January 3, 2011 at 9:52am: Bill, Start with his eBay listing... look at your database and how many buyers do you have from Johnston, Rhode Island. This is listed as his location on all eBay listings. Now encourage all your fellow auctioneers to remove him as well.

Comment by DC on January 4, 2011 at 5:02am: Makes me sick to my stomach. What idiots.

Comment by Scott Paul on September 16, 2012 at 1:23pm: I suppose one can be grateful this individual is not cutting each letter in John Hancock's name to create a new "autograph"