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The GAI Mantle, DiMaggio & Ted Williams Hoard—Are They All Forgeries?

A hoard of thousands Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams signed photos have flooded the market over the last few years. All authenticated by Global Authentication Inc., with COAs signed by former GAI executive Mike Baker.

The hoard has driven down prices on these legendary Baseball Hall of Famers by 50-percent or more, and it's not rare to find one for well under $50.

The problem?

Every baseball expert we asked is emphatic that they're forgeries. And they've had that same opinion since the hoard came out of Florida in 2008.

If the experts are right—and I don't doubt that they are—not only are thousands of collectors stuck with these worthless photos. Thousands more have unfairly suffered a catastrophic drop in the value of their genuine Mantles, DiMaggios and Williams due to the flood of fakes.

And as we all know, GAI went bankrupt in 2009 after certing thousands of forgeries of Mantle, Williams, DiMaggio, Koufax, etc.

Why Do So Many Think They're Forgeries? Let's find out!

If you're a regular collector like me, it's hard to tell good Mantles from decent forgeries. DiMaggios and Williams are easier, but I'd never buy without an expert opinion. So I thought it would be a great education for those experienced in these autographs—experts and experienced collectors—to show us why they're so widely considered forgeries.

I've included a few of the GAI authenticated photos to start with. Feel free to upload more. Ask questions, share your knowledge...and help make collecting these Hall of Famers safer for everyone!

Look at all this garbage!!!

Ugly and laughable forged Mickey Mantle with a worthless COA from GAI. I've observed hundreds of this-style forgery over the years.

Forged and mass-produced Mickey Mantle. Ugly and laughable.

Forged Mantle, Williams and DiMaggio photo with a worthless COA from GAI. Horrid-looking forgeries.

Forged and mass-produced Mantle and Williams forgeries. Worthless COA from GAI and Mike Baker.

Forged and mass-produced forged Mickey Mantle photo. Pathetic.

This is one of dozens forged Mickey Mantle business cards that were "authenticated" by GAI and Mike Baker. Pure garbage.

GAI (Mike Baker) "authenticated" hundreds of Mickey Mantle forgeries on the below image.

Laughable Mantle forgery.

Here is a mass-produced set of Mantle and Williams forgeries.

GAI "authenticated" thousands of forgeries before they went bankrupt in 2009.

Tags: authenticate, authentication, baseball., dimaggio, forgeries, gai, genuine, global, hall, joe, More…

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 7:02am

I can't speak for Mike. However, Since I was the old GAI's NASCAR expert and still am for Global Authentics. I know for a fact that Baker wasn't acting as an authenticator. As I stated, they took Steve Rocchi's name off, then Justin Priddy's name off, that left them using Mike Baker's name on the coa. I argued and argued that the actual authenticator's name should be on ANY coa. That's the only proper way to do it.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 17, 2011 at 7:06am

I agree with you, Brandon, but the fact is his name is on those GAI certs. If someone put my name on COA's for autographs that I didn't look it without my knowledge I'd be outraged. Why isn't Baker outraged?

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 7:23am

That's the thing, He approved it to be on the certs ( so I was told when I called them out on it ) ....What I'm saying is that he was not actually authenticating that I know of. So, even if he is outraged, it's a situation he allowed by the use of his name. Maybe that is why he is mute on it.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 17, 2011 at 6:49am

Chris, who is involved? What is the whole story?

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 5:55am

One thing that I notice with the Mantle examples shown, is that the "forgeries" seem to have loops appear under the M's, where the "authentic" versions come to more of a point. Then, on the "fakes", the M in Mantle has too much seperation / spacing in relation to the a compared the the "real" examples which show the M snugged up close to the a. Am I seeing it correctly?

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 17, 2011 at 5:58am

Below is a Greg Marino "Mickey Mantle" forgery. I was never impressed by Marino's "Mantle." On Net54 I wrote about the fact that it is difficult for any forger to get "it right 100%." Marino could not get the "an" in Mantle right. The photograph under the Marino forgery is the one he tried to get copy.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 7:17am

Yeap, Just as I thought. Thanks for showing that.

I wish someone could trace this "hoard" back to Fl, NY, or whatever state it came from. Maybe doing that will help close the gap on who was sitting on these.

Steve, does anyone at PSA/DNA know who offered the "hoard" to them and JSA 1st?

DB, thanks for that info, I don't know about these players enough to know that a study had been done. Do you have a link? I still don't like these players ( cause Baseball bores me) but the autograph / authentication aspect is important to me and simply fascinates me.

I would like for people to be on the look-out for any other authentication companies that appear to have authenticated items similar to the GAI "hoard". It would help determine if the problem is more widespread than thought. It looks like that we are getting a good idea of what to look for in the autograph, so....forget looking at the COA(s) and look at the signatures. Hopefully there aren't any. However, it would be fair and useful to know for sure.

I have a hard time believing that some of these forgeries haven't been certified by other companies. Let's not forget that TONS of people were fooled. Maybe even knowledgeable collectors / experts too.

I am in NO WAY defending the old GAI. In fact, those that knew me then know that I was a HUGE thorn in their side on a daily basis when it came to my end of the hobby. I didn' stand for them handing out certs for NASCAR items. So, NOTHING ppl say about non-NASCAR surprises me. NOTHING!

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 17, 2011 at 7:22am

Please note that the GAI certed garbage are not the Marino forgeries. The GAI forgeries were done by someone else. I just wanted to post a Marino forgery because I believe someone asked if the GAI certed forgeries were Marino forgeries.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 7:37am

Ok, thanks...I'm the one that asked that.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 17, 2011 at 7:35am

The GAI "hoard" is at least 8,000. Probably closer to 10,000-15,000. Only a few people know the real number and they will never tell, of course.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 19, 2011 at 7:00am

GAI's replacement, Global Authority, doesn't seem to be any more respected than GAI.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Mysinger on March 17, 2011 at 7:36am

Here are some with the loops in the points of the M's and the spacing between the M and a in Mantle. Are these real? If so, why? If not, Why not?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Mickey-Mantle-Signed-Autograph-Photo-PSA-DNA-NY-...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/MICKEY-MANTLE-DUKE-SNIDER-SIGNED-8x10-PHOTO-JSA-...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/MICKEY-MANTLE-SIGNED-AUTOGRAPHED-CUT-JSA-YANKEES...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/MICKEY-MANTLE-SIGNED-JSA-8X10-PHOTO-AUTOGRAPH-/2...

I am in no way pointing fingers, I'm just trying to get a base-line of the characteristics of Mantle's signature. This is rather fun. Scary sad, but fun.