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hankronBuy from people who are knowedgeable and trustworthy.
Safe things to look for: celebrity personal checks, contracts, items with the person's mailing envelope.
Long handwritten signed letters!!!! (Labeled as ALS) It's one thing to forge 'Al Kaline,' it's another to forge a 4 page handwritten letter on Kaline's personal stationary.
Long handwritten signed letters with the original envelope and the player's business card!!! In the old days, US Senators and Nobel Prize winners (working at a University) often had their signed photo or 3x5s sent with a personalized letter on personal official stationary detailing that the photo was included and in a personal official mailer dated and postmarked. Talks about a great display combination!
Significant provenance: You might someday buy a varied collection from a Senator or actors' personal estate, including his business card, snapshots, award, programs and official documents with a few signed.
As there are secretarial signatures and autopens, the collector will still have to judge the signature (does it look like his or something by his secretary). But, if you have a ALS with personal letter that you got as part of a the Senator's personal items, you likely won't have to be Mike Gutierrez to judge the authenticity.