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How to buy autographs on eBay; Tips to avoid fakes on eBay

My latest Collectibles Chat video is "How to buy autographs on eBay." While it has something for everyone, it is most valuable to newer collectors by providing tips to avoid fakes.

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Jackasses come and go. We do our best to curtail them.

I have an idea that this same guy hounded me at one point, complaining about our exemplar files, and saying that all our exemplars should be originals and not copies. And other garbage but that one point was his big deal.

you don't have to be an autograph expert to agree that the only way to be 100% certain is to obtain it in person.  But to each his own, some would rather travel, wait in line, hound celebs, and what we end up with is a very limited, but authentic collection.  Others would prefer to study autograph styles of those that they want to own, and take the plunge.   I have no issue either way.  I find it interesting however, that a Bridget Bardot autograph not obtained in person, can be trusted, but no others can be.  Seems a bit hypocritical. Anyway, I have a nice collection and obtained virtually zero in person.

I attend a decent number of concerts per year and get signed things at person at most of them. Obviously that'd be my preference, but I also realize that not everyone has the accessibility for that, nor does proximity mean you'll be able to get signed things) especially with bigger names). Also, there are some people who just don't like signing in person as much anymore (Florence, Billie, etc), so the store preorders sometimes offer opportunities that basically just aren't there anyway.

All that aside, if you take his statement at face value, the implication is that virtually all of this hobby is complete trash (and I'm not even talking about forgeries here). As I said, it was a particularly strange position to have for someone whose put as much into collecting as he (allegedly) had.

Thank you Steve for this great video. You're right in 100% of your words.

In the end, eBay is becoming a normal source for authentic autographs, at least in the case of re-sellers. Everything I've bought from eBay up until now is authentic, when comparing to my in-person signatures and pre-orders / promotional sale signatures. I usually get autographs either from pre-orders / official merch store, or from eBay, any time there is a re-seller who sells stuff from his collection which he also got from pre-orders / official merch stores.

Sure, I have a few autographs that I got from promotional sales and that I'm suspisious about (The Weekend, Corey Taylor, Kreator), but that's just part of the risk. Even when buying from the official store, you can't know for sure that the artist hand-signed them.

That 'Crabby Appleton' person who commented here seems to be having manic-depression. Not only is he talking crap about us, but also about himself, hehe.

This hobby has brought to me so much joy over the last couple of years. I'll never stop collecting autographs till the day I die :)

Yony, thanks for bumping this thread back up. I missed the video when it was first posted.

Excellent content and very amusing in places.

With regards to "too good to be true", what Steve says about autographs and eBay applies equally to other types of collectable and to other types of auction that have mass exposure (e.g. through "thesaleroom.com"). You have to be really lucky to beat knowledgeable collectors and dealers to bargains.

I agree with you on that, but there are some nice deals on eBay popping up here and there. I love collecting CDs which come with a signed art card, and sometimes there's an auction on such a CD and I got to win quite a few of them for decent prices. All authentic ofcourse - signed art cards are so common. It usually costs higher than the pre-order price for sure, but still decent enough to be happy about it.

In the end it all depends on what you collect. I always strive to make an educated purchase. So far it's been going great for me. I love this hobby :)

Thanks for the kind remarks. 

Bettys Beanie Hut makes warm beanies BY THE WAY...just saying...LOLOLOLLLL

FANTASTIC TOOL for the rookie auto collectors...I know for myself I have come across some bad items and felt I was getting a bargain...I also know I have gotten some monster un-authenticated beast pick-ups that I've flipped and sold as well...some I've even regretted letting gooooo...but in this game you cant keep them all and if you have a trained enough eye as we have managed over years to obtain you can really really do well...but ive noticed in the last 10 years that had become much harder then it used to be making it very difficult to scoop up cheap signed commons and un certified autos...but every now and then you can get lucky...id probably say my greatest score was 3 balls uncertified...all with Mantle on them and one of them even being single signed for $199.99 roughly 8 years ago more or less that i had recently shown to a collector that was miserable over it...lol...but he fails to understand how rare a find of that caliber was...GREAT GREAT VIDEO ON THIS SUBJECT...It was good to see you again...although not in person...happy collecting brother...talk soon...

themick.jpg  THE POSSABILITIES ARE ENDLESSSSSSS

I have a question don't know if this right area so please forgive me. Today March 25, 2024 I purchased the James Hetfield autographed book about his guitars for $810 dollars through Premier Collectables. I went on ebay and folks there are selling the book in the low hundreds and some are showing the Cert from Premier. The book is not the numbered slip cover so I feel like I should cancel the order and purchase the book on ebay because is all the listing full of fakes? as some are showing the Premier Collectables COA/Cert so I am confused on what to do. Thank You for help

Perhaps you could reword this for me anyway? 

You are seeing the very same book with the Premiere Certificate on eBay for much less money?

Which book is not the numbered slip cover - eBay? If you are seeing "the very same book" what about the numbered slipcase?

Are all what listing full of fakes? - eBay?

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