Fake Whitey Ford auto on eBay...PSA/DNA

[vintagetoppsguy]

This 1954 Topps Whitey Ford auto has been certified by PSA/DNA, but is a fake. It looks nothing like the other Ford autos that I have. Here is a good pic (not mine) of what Ford's auto is supposed to look like. Notice the "y" and the "F" look nothing alike.

[David Atkatz]

Who the hell would bother to fake a Whitey Ford autograph!?
(And even I have a hard time believing PSA really authenticated it.)

[MacDice]

What's next fake Bob Feller autographs?

[HexsHeroes]

.

I know nothing about Whitey Ford autographs, other than they are/were fairly common. But I also have no idea how scarce a signed 1954 Topps card of Whitey Ford is either. But I do know there are plenty of niche collectors of signed sportscards. And I've been told many times that the most heavy collected team-oriented autographs are of the Yankees and Red Sox. So if the ratio of signed 1954 Topps cards to other Whitey Ford autographs is a one-out-of-ridiculous high number, I could see the strong potential for someone to attempt to capitalize on such a niche market, either lawfully, or not.

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by HexsHeroes

.

I know nothing about Whitey Ford autographs, other than they are/were fairly common. But I also have no idea how scarce a signed 1954 Topps card of Whitey Ford is either. But I do know there are plenty of niche collectors of signed sportscards. And I've been told many times that the most heavy collected team-oriented autographs are of the Yankees and Red Sox. So if the ratio of signed 1954 Topps cards to other Whitey Ford autographs is a one-out-of-ridiculous high number, I could see the strong potential for someone to attempt to capitalize on such a niche market, either lawfully, or not.

I have a signed '54 Topps Whitey Ford. I doubt they are that scarce. Mine has JSA and I think I paid about 50 bucks for it.

[GrayGhost]

That number does match up in PSA's database, but there is no picture..haha.

I honestly can't fathom that being a good Ford. Ive seen autos from all thru his life, and none have looked like that.

[perezfan]

I'll play devil's advocate, and say it's real...

I've seen his signature like that, with the "flourish" absent at the end of the "Y" and the different style "F". It's a style you see less than 10% of the time, and perhaps it's his "hurried" version. But I have seen this different type continually authenticated by JSA and PSA, both.

[canjond]

I also agree with Mark. Here is another in-person auto:

[perezfan]

Yep... that's the one. Thanks, Jon, for posting it.

If I had more time, I could find a bunch more like this. I have seen quite a few in-person and authentic Whitey Ford autos in this less ornate/hurried style. They are not the norm, but definitely do exist.

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

(And even I have a hard time believing PSA really authenticated it.)

I don't - it only took me about 5 minutes of searching to find a number of PSA- and JSA-authenticated Ford autos that look just like it. Unless they're all fake, also.

[Duluth Eskimo]

One more vote for "real". For what it's worth.

[GrayGhost]

This thread is an example of one of the good things about this forum. I never had seen a Ford that looked like that, and now I'm reading about others like that that are authentic, and saw the ball. You learn something new all the time on here.

[vintagetoppsguy]

I still think it's a fake. I'm no hand writing expert, but I feel people's signatures don't change over the course of their life. Maybe I'm wrong. I do know that I obtained this Ford signature at a TriStar show in Arlington, TX probably 5-7 years ago. I also have a few other Ford autos that I didn't obtain in person, but they look the same.



Ford had a bottle of Coors light under the table and would take a drink when he thought nobody was looking. I was standing in another autograph line at the time and he caught me looking at him. He smiled, took a drink and put the bottle back under the table. Maybe too many Coors lights affect his signatures

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

I feel people's signatures don't change over the course of their life.

Actually, the exact opposite is true for anybody who picks up a pen. Each person's handwriting undergoes its own evolution over the course of a lifetime.

Also, I've seen Whitey drinking Coors Light at shows. One time, he signed his empty and gave it to a collector in exchange for a full bottle!

[71buc]

I agree that it is likely real. Here is one I got in person at show in 1994 for further comparison.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

This would have likely been signed fairly soon after the card was released.

[BrandonG]

I think its interesting you still think its a fake...You said you're not a handwriting expert, and you're comparing a flat surface signature to a round signed baseball. PSA experts say its real but you're still on the fence? Where's the logic here? I have seen many signatures change throughout the years, my own included. Even today my own rushed "I'm at the bar sign this check" signature looks nothing like my daily take my time signature. I think I'm going to side with the 98% of the responders to this thread and say 100% REAL.

(Over 99.9% of all statistics are made up on the spot)

[T206Collector]

Real.

If you're an autograph collector and you think that all signatures from the same player should look the same, then you may want to rely a little more heavily on third-party authentication -- not less.