Mr. Counterfeit
 

Thought this was really interesting.

Autograph counterfeit ring. Forged autos from Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Also from famous entertainers like Ringo Star and Marilyn Monroe

Even showed how they "aged" new baseballs for Babe Ruth autos.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=21011515

Wow

I'm glad I am not an auto. collector. Crazy stuff.

Ditto. I'd guess the majority of vintage autographs out there are fakes.

Thanks for posting the video. I have a Babe Ruth and Ted Williams I purchased(paid shipping) just because Greg was the forger.:eek:

I still need a Joe DiMaggio forged by Greg to complete my forgery collection.

But can you get someone to authenticate the forgery as a legit Greg signature?

Just got my Dizzy Dean auto authenticated yesterday at PSA Fridays. Was sweating bullets, but it was ok. The waiting and worrying was the hard part.

I would like to know the percentage of his forgeries that passed the experts "opinion" that are good, now graded by PSA. Very good story done by ESPN and thanks for posting. Hopefully they didn't forge the 500 HR Club print which I have in the basement and bought in the late 90s.

The prick sounds so proud of himself.. it's disgusting to me..

The auto guys on this forum are great and know a lot of the main forgers so I trust their opinions on who forged what.

I have 3 forged autos in my collection. I got all 3 from this forum. People I trust posted in the autograph forum "is this real?". They just do not know that player good enough to determine it on their own. The guys that know those players and their main forgers replied that it was fake and sometimes who forged it.

They make great conversation pieces. I am not trying to fool anybody with them and explain who done them and how corrupt the auto industry is. Most people would rather look at/talk about my fake autos than any real Mantle, Williams, or Ruth cards I have.

I wasn't trying to imply that you had any bad motives. Just sort of joking about what it's come to in the auto world that there are famous forgers and that their work can be identified via their unique quirks.

Not an ESPN fan but I watched the video and glad I did. Good piece. I collect autos and get many myself but do buy from "trusted" sources. My prized auto ball is my Ted Williams which is dual authenticated by green diamond and PSA. I'm sure there are Green Diamond fakes out there but hoping this one is real. I actually had a Williams that failed GAI that I got my money back on. I think this was way back when GAI was considered legitimate.

Here's a piece on eBay

MUHAMMAD ALI AUTOGRAPHED 18x24 LITHOGRAPH COLLAGE BY ANGELO MARINO FRAMED AUTO https://www.ebay.com/i/302024050856

Just watched the video. I recently binged the whole breaking bad series and Greg sounded a little like Walter White. He was good at it, he was an artist, he enjoyed the money.

We will obviously never know as I believe the guy was that good that he not only fooled PSA, he likely fooled all of them.

Him aside, don't forget about all the fake "Authentications" out there as well that were signed by other forgers.

I have one signed card and one picture and I think that is as far as I will take my auto collection. :(

Man, if I collected autographs, I'd feel like SH*T after watching this video.

If you haven't read this book its a great read about Marino and the forgery business. I'd say 99% of DiMaggio, T. Williams and Mantle autos out there are fake.

I really don't have much faith in vintage autographs being legitimate, but seeing how effortlessly this crook 'perfectly' signed Babe Ruth brings it to a whole new level. Yowza.

That's a very high number. :eek:

I have heard DiMaggio didn't really care for signing autographs but did Ted and Mickey not care for them either?

In the blurb, it reads this is going to be a feature film.
https://www.amazon.ca/Operation-Bull.../dp/B00C0HODPY

The amazing true story of the high-flying national forgery ring that forged the autographs of sports stars and celebrities and ripped off the American public for more than $100 million, before being busted by a dramatic three-year FBI undercover investigation. As seen on ESPN, Tru-TV, and now being developed into a feature film.

There are plenty of genuine examples of all three in great numbers.

John Henry Williams made his father sign at every waking moment towards the end. Mickey Mantle signed in insane numbers as well. Even DiMaggio was a volume signer.

One of the reason sticking to early examples (outside of the autograph circuit) & unique items is probably a safer choice.

Hi Irv, I admit I got a little overzealous with the 99% statement, no doubt there are a lot.

What’s amazing to me is I can’t even get my own signature to look the same every time.

If I was famous, I'd sign my name completely differently at times, including printed out (non-cursive) and in all-caps, just to mess with authenticators.

It worked with Chief Myers until they figured out it was him.

It's not unusual in other hobbies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stamp_forgers

Forgeries by Sperati and a couple others can often have some decent value, and some people collect fakes alongside the real thing. Having the fake as a reference for comparison can be useful.

Steve B

Just be glad I didn't finish erasing the signature. :).....Best hundred bucks I ever spent on ebay, I think. Glad you got it.

Never underestimate the power of ego, money, and a degree of sociopathic behavior.

After watching the video, I went looking for the book "Operation Bullpen." I found a used copy at one website (American Book Exchange) that, wouldn't you know it, said it was "Signed by the Author."

Ah, the irony. :D

the book
 

is a scary read ,,if you collect this type of stuff.

OMG that's funny.

I wonder if there is any way to authenticate that signature... :rolleyes:

Unfortunately they are still not hard to find.

I believe Tom petty stated something similar.

interesting thanks for posting

It was scary watching the video. No doubt that the problem still exists.

A cherished item from my humble collection.

A copy of "Operation Bullpen" signed by Tim Fitzsimmons.



Attachment 291546

Funny, I have the same message written to me on my signed copy of "Catcher in the Rye"

I have the same inscription on my VHS copy of The Happy Hooker Goes To Washington!...

Friends, if you think baseball autographs are bad...look into militaria! Medals, uniforms, hats, daggers, you name it. It's best to ONLY buy from the best in the business, real experts who will stand behind their material. I've been after some of the fly-by-night TPAs for decades, and they STILL surface regularly on some of the sleazier auction and dealer websites.

Is this snide message your way of implying the signed book posted by Chris Williams is not genuine?

If you're going to make a snide comment, have the guts to post your name.

Except Walter White was dying.

Marino was great only in the volume he produced. His forgeries are not that deceptive. I'm sure some have slipped by, but not many have gotten by credible authenticators.

Note how carefully and methodically he "draws" the signatures. Trained eyes can easily identify this unnatural look.

At least Scott has his name posted for his condescending remark.

For autograph collectors, and the hobby in general, I hope that is the case.

Mine was merely a joke (which is actually how I took the one before mine, but maybe I was wrong) I was trying to think of the funniest place to read those words. Was meant to be light-hearted, not in any way condescending. I tend to call things out straightforwardly when I have a problem with them.

My apologies. Based on the effusive praise in the dedication (it's not often you see the term "selfless patriot" in book dedications), I thought that Chris had written it himself as a joke. I thought I was playing along, not being snide. If that is a genuine dedication from the author, it's very impressive. I thought Chris was deliberately being funny after I commented that I had seen a copy of the book--a book about fake autographs--advertised as autographed by the author. Again, my sincere apologies. No need to take offense.

I love this card...


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The dedication is not from the author. It is from the FBI agent in charge of Operation Bullpen Tim Fitzsimmons.