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Opinion on Pope John Paul II?

Thank you in advance

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on April 16, 2024 at 9:49am

I'd say this is likely good. The signature is in his native Polish rendering as "Jan Pawl II" rather than the Latin "Ioannes Paulus P.P. II". If it's from a reputable source, all the better in it's favor.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan on April 16, 2024 at 11:44am

I appreciate it Eddy, thank you for your input.

This is the letter that accompanies it, I have never heard of them before.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on April 16, 2024 at 11:55am

They don't appear to have run an auction in 18 years. The number provided is dead. The certificate was signed by an auction director.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on April 16, 2024 at 12:02pm

Without a photo on the cert how was the connection established?

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on April 16, 2024 at 12:28pm

Some may recall EAC. At one time they were associated with University Archives and I believe had a good reputation. Others may remember better. Judging by the tape, that cert. looks like it may have been on the back of the framed piece for awhile. I used used to tape accompanying paperwork on the back of framed pieces myself!

Anyway, here's a signed photo dated from the year 2000 in blue felt tip that RR offered. By this time, he was advancing in years and living with his Parkinson's condition.

https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/33814000510207--pope-...

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on April 16, 2024 at 12:31pm

I remember that building and a coin dealer in there but not EAC. That would have been 1995 or so.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on April 16, 2024 at 12:41pm

p.s. One caveat with the year 2000 RR piece is that it was accompanied by a letter from then Bishop (later Cardinal) Dziwisz who had been JPII's personal secretary for decades. That could either be a plus (access to the Holy Father for signing purposes) or not so much (possible secretarial?).

I would also imagine the EAC sale dates from when JPII was still living and therefore obviously also before his canonization. Both his death & subsequent canonization seemed to have spiked values.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan on April 16, 2024 at 12:58pm

Many thanks Eric and Eddy

It is from a private collector who purchased it from EAC himself back in the day

I believe the seller himself is honest. He said he called them and they told him it was signed in-person during a USA tour

There's some sort of stamp on the photo

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Permalink Reply by JK on April 16, 2024 at 1:36pm

That impression is a postmark from back when the postmark stamps were made of metal.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on April 16, 2024 at 2:59pm

I guess I didn't realize this was a postcard when I first jumped in. Maybe less likely that a Polish signature would be a fake but certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. I can't believe the recipient then would have dropped it in the mail which, if a postmark stamp, may indicate. Maybe it was already postally used before signing (some kind of an event reminder?). Is it a US postal stamp mark? It would be interesting to see what might be on the back of it.

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Permalink Reply by JK on April 16, 2024 at 3:04pm

To me, it looks incuse and without ink, meaning that the card was inside an envelope that was mailed and postmarked.

I have lots of cards and postcards with that sort of impression that I got through the mail. Unless the envelope was reinforced, a strong postmark would leave an impression on the contents.

(US postmarks are now done with rubber-stamps or, far more commonly, are sprayed onto the envelope. The old machines with the metal postmark templates were phased out a couple decades ago or so.).