[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by MacDice

It is amazing what technology has done to the autograph hobby. I know a lot of people on this board are not into autographs but I thought that I would share with you a new trend. For autograph collectors it is very difficult to prepare for any chance encounter with an athlete or celebrity. It is impossible to always have a photo or a card of a specific person in case you get a chance to get a signature. You never know who you will bump into but technology that is no longer an issue.

Using a certain type of photo paper, a blue sharpie and a photo printer anything is possible. Once an athlete / celebrity has signed the photo paper in a blue sharpie the collector or dealer can then go and print a photo on the paper and the signature comes out perfect (assuming that it is not on a dark are of the photo that is being printed). The ink in the printer does not effect the ink of the blue sharpie. I did not believe this until I saw it done first hand. Imagine this scenario, someone gets Willie Mays to sign the proper photo paper in blue sharpie, they could later print his obituary (when he passes away) onto the paper and you would have an authentic signed obituary. Weird to think that could happen.

I am not sure you are going to find a lot of celebrities that will sign a "blank" sheet of paper with such technology available. I can think of a few untoward applications of that scenario. I guess if it clearly photo paper, maybe. I can tell you that at Spring Training I used to like to get blank sided 3x5s signed for years, you might as well leave them at home now. I got tired oh hearing, "we've been instructed by the Players Union not to sign those."