OT: Calling All Autograph Experts

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Posted By: Rhys

Dan

There are a few pretty easy ways to tell if it is stamped or signed in ink. First, feel it with your fingertips and see if the ink is raised at all. Most stamped signatures were done in a process that leaves the ink noticeably higher when you feel it. If that is inconclusive than get out a manifying glass and look for indentations left from the steel tipped pens of the era, or look for pressure points where the ink is darker and lighter in some spots. Age spots should be visible where the thinner ink spots will brown faster than the thicker spots and turn a sort of rusty color. Looking on the reverse might help too since a stamp would not leave any trace of pressure and a pen usually will unless the paper is really thick.

By doing the above things you should be able to tell.

The stray pen mark below the signature and the look of different ink and pens makes me think it is likely a real signature, but most certificates like this were stamped so it is tough to say without examining it in person.