Ah, thanks, Dave, and others about the REA auction info on this ball. I was unaware of that
previous sale.
And while it doesn't prove anything, it is interesting to note that the 2nd place underbidder on the Ebay auction conveniently bid that same as the REA ending price. Not conclusive by any means, but could possibly be the original owner "protecting their investment".
I may take minor leaps of faith every day of my life, but $9K leaps of faith can be a little hard to stomach.
If I was fortunate enough to have a legit Matty signed ball with rock solid provenance in my collection, I sure wouldn't want these watered-down "authenticated" versions running amok in the market.