When it comes down to truly tough signatures, I've never failed in recouping my investment on an inferior specimen if an upgrade was found. Some pieces take longer than others to sell; the ability to discern the near-impossible from the pedestrian is certainly the key. For in-demand signatures that are fairly easy to procure, you can't go wrong with keeping up quality control. On the other hand, there is most certainly a market for off-quality material that many collectors avidly pursue. The mentality of being happy with any example (provided the price is right) is highly prevalent and will not soon go out of fashion. That being said, there are numerous collectors who would still shell out five figures for an undoubtedly authentic Hoss Radbourn even if it was run over by a fleet of eighteen wheelers (anymore, a nice example wouldn't dip below $100K).
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