Tony Podsada busted at National!

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

According to Mr. Zipper, he had a sign in front of his booth stating that the $40 Jordan signatures were "decorative items."

To clarify, he displayed the “decorative items” sign last year. I asked if he did the same this year.

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by Mr. Zipper

To clarify, he displayed the “decorative items” sign last year. I asked if he did the same this year.

My opinion, doesn't matter if there was a "Decorative Items" sign posted. We know his customers are mainly buying to resell as authentic, if you believe the other previous posts. . People like this are a scourge on this hobby and hopefully they get the punishment they deserve...

[Mr. Zipper]

This story does not name the vendor, but I assume it is the same matter we are discussing here.

Vendor accused of trying to sell phony autographs at popular sports convention in Cleveland

https://fox8.com/2018/08/02/vendor-a...-in-cleveland/

[RichardSimon]

As many of us here know he has a ton of the stuff. If all they did was confiscate his crap then he will just continue operating as always.

[shelly]

Well at least the Cleveland Police did there job. Unlike the FBI who has had this information for the last 10 years and have done nothing with it.
I also believe that you can not call autographs decorative items. I think you have to say reprints.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by Mr. Zipper

To clarify, he displayed the “decorative items” sign last year. I asked if he did the same this year.

Read my Comment #7.

It shows a photo from the 2016 National in August.

[Terrier8HOF]

From 2016:
"Many of the Ali autographs, which were then authenticated by eBay sellers by GFA, come from South Florida dealer Tony Podsada, who runs a company called SCM.

"At one point, I had about 18,000 Ali autographs," Podsada said. "I have about 3,000 left, mostly on 4-by-6 and 5-by-7 photos."

Podsada said he obtained the Ali signatures from 1988 to 1993, when his business, My Favorite Players, was one of the heavyweights in the industry.

Podsada's items do not come with a certificate of authenticity. Disenchanted with the authentication business, Podsada said he merely offers buyers the assurance that it's a "decorative item only."

"I believe what I have is real, but I don't guarantee anything because I know too much," Podsada said.

Podsada will sell a 5-by-7 plaque with an Ali signature for $19.99 because he says that the leading authenticators, PSA/DNA and JSA, will fail his items simply because of the quantity he has. That makes it harder, he says, to make a greater margin."

Is it just a coincidence that most of the sellers of forgeries on ebay are from S. florida, which happens to be where TP is from?

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by Terrier8HOF

From 2016:
"Many of the Ali autographs, which were then authenticated by eBay sellers by GFA, come from South Florida dealer Tony Podsada, who runs a company called SCM.

"At one point, I had about 18,000 Ali autographs," Podsada said. "I have about 3,000 left, mostly on 4-by-6 and 5-by-7 photos."

Podsada said he obtained the Ali signatures from 1988 to 1993, when his business, My Favorite Players, was one of the heavyweights in the industry.

Podsada's items do not come with a certificate of authenticity. Disenchanted with the authentication business, Podsada said he merely offers buyers the assurance that it's a "decorative item only."

"I believe what I have is real, but I don't guarantee anything because I know too much," Podsada said.

Podsada will sell a 5-by-7 plaque with an Ali signature for $19.99 because he says that the leading authenticators, PSA/DNA and JSA, will fail his items simply because of the quantity he has. That makes it harder, he says, to make a greater margin."

Is it just a coincidence that most of the sellers of forgeries on ebay are from S. florida, which happens to be where TP is from?

Does anyone actually think Muhammad Ali spent his time actually writing his name 18,000 times?

May not be out of the realm of reality with today's players over the course of a career but a retired multi-millionaire national icon - don't think so...smh...

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by chalupacollects

Does anyone actually think Muhammad Ali spent his time actually writing his name 18,000 times?

May not be out of the realm of reality with today's players over the course of a career but a retired multi-millionaire national icon - don't think so...smh...

I wouldn't be surprised if Ali signed a Million+ autographs throughout his life, a large portion of them for free.

Unfortunately there's probably 20 times that in fakes out there, because of the demand.

Highly doubt he signed 18,000 times for any one person or entity though..............particularly this scumbag.

Ali never really had any concept of money either. Likely gave most of it away. His most valuable asset to his family when he passed away, was easily his name.

[scyrkin]

Originally Posted by Terrier8HOF

From 2016:
"Many of the Ali autographs, which were then authenticated by eBay sellers by GFA, come from South Florida dealer Tony Podsada, who runs a company called SCM.

"At one point, I had about 18,000 Ali autographs," Podsada said. "I have about 3,000 left, mostly on 4-by-6 and 5-by-7 photos."

Podsada said he obtained the Ali signatures from 1988 to 1993, when his business, My Favorite Players, was one of the heavyweights in the industry.

Podsada's items do not come with a certificate of authenticity. Disenchanted with the authentication business, Podsada said he merely offers buyers the assurance that it's a "decorative item only."

"I believe what I have is real, but I don't guarantee anything because I know too much," Podsada said.

Podsada will sell a 5-by-7 plaque with an Ali signature for $19.99 because he says that the leading authenticators, PSA/DNA and JSA, will fail his items simply because of the quantity he has. That makes it harder, he says, to make a greater margin."

Is it just a coincidence that most of the sellers of forgeries on ebay are from S. florida, which happens to be where TP is from?

All the Podsada Ali signed photos I've seen were printed on inkjet printer paper. The kind that came onto the market in August 1995 or later. A shade later than 1988-93.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by scyrkin

All the Podsada Ali signed photos I've seen were printed on inkjet printer paper. The kind that came onto the market in August 1995 or later. A shade later than 1988-93.

Yep.

I possess various "Mantle" signed photos from multiple "Florida" sellers and every one was produced on inkjet paper.

https://live.autographmagazine.com/p...1155035&page=1

https://live.autographmagazine.com/p...-do-they-use-b

[david_l]

I had read that article previously. Great research. Very well done.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by david_l

I had read that article previously. Great research. Very well done.

Thank you very much, David.

[SetBuilder]

Originally Posted by thetruthisoutthere

Yep.

I possess various "Mantle" signed photos from multiple "Florida" sellers and every one was produced on inkjet paper.

https://live.autographmagazine.com/p...1155035&page=1

https://live.autographmagazine.com/p...-do-they-use-b

Christopher,

I took a look at this and the first thing that came to mind was "autopen." The signatures are too uniform and similar to be from a human hand, especially in mass quantity.

Do you think these forgers are using autopen machines?

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

Christopher,

I took a look at this and the first thing that came to mind was "autopen." The signatures are too uniform and similar to be from a human hand, especially in mass quantity.

Do you think these forgers are using autopen machines?

Absolutely possible.

When I first started in computers in the early 1970's, one of the machines I operated was called a plotter (similar to autopen).

I think I mention that in one of my threads.

[NJDeepthroat]

If this is the case then all autographs would have to align perfectly to when the photo is placed in the device. This could be the case for autopen!

[SetBuilder]

This case perfectly illustrates the gray area of the law these guys operate in. Current laws are inadequate to prevent this from happening.

The primary seller of these "decorative items," prices them at prices that would make it impossible to prove you overpaid and were defrauded. No experienced collector would have a case. Imagine the absurdity of proving that the Ali signed plaque is worth $0 and that you paid $19.99 too much for it. How would you even do that? Real Ali signatures are 10x more expensive.

So the fault here probably lies with the secondary seller, the unethical dealer who buys the $19.99 Ali signatures to flip as authentic. But, how is the primary seller liable for the actions of another dealer?