Ty Cobb Signed Ball Opinions Needed

[quinnsryche]

Hello all. I was wondering what the community thinks of this signed Cobb ball. Any and all opinions are welcome and appreciated. Never had a signed Cobb ball so I don't know the signs of good or bad.
Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays,
Tony

[David Atkatz]

It's a forgery, copied from a photo of a flat which appears on the PSA website.

[quinnsryche]

Well shoot. I had my doubts but that about seals the deal.
Thanks,
Tony

[T206Collector]

I also don’t think Cobb was signing in green until much later in life.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

It's a forgery, copied from a photo of a flat which appears on the PSA website.

Wow, great detective work. You should change your profile picture to one of Peter Falk.

[Kzoo]

That's crazy. Is that laser printed onto the ball somehow? It's literally exactly the same as the PSA example that David found..... and it even looks like it's been there for some time. I don't think someone could actually 'freehand' a forgery to be THAT exact.... or could they?

[keithsky]

I thought I remember maybe 5 years or so ago on Ebay some guy selling these reproduction balls. Not sure if he made them or someone else. I remember thinking also somewhere down the line these would try to get past off as real if not mention of them as reproduction ones. I'm sure they sit in collections as real if not knowing there fake cause they do look original

[Joecoco]

Holy crow! Great work!!!

[ATP]

David is correct, it's a reproduction/replica signed ball. I really don't like these but it's been going on for a few years now, also with signed "cuts". I see them pop up on etsy from time to time and occasionally ebay. Here's another one currently on etsy.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by ATP

David is correct, it's a reproduction/replica signed ball. I really don't like these but it's been going on for a few years now, also with signed "cuts". I see them pop up on etsy from time to time and occasionally ebay. Here's another one currently on etsy.

It is a shame but obviously not surprising.

Great Detective work and amazing what people can find/produce so fast for the forum

[Caseyatbat]

It's actually a reproduction ball, not a forgery. If you can't tell the difference you should not commenting.

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

It's a forgery, copied from a photo of a flat which appears on the PSA website.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Caseyatbat

It's actually a reproduction ball, not a forgery. If you can't tell the difference you should not commenting.

This from a guy who advises collectors to scotch tape separated autographs together, or to glue them to a backing. But that's the internet for ya. Every moron has his say. (And, looking through this thread, I see that you didn't recognize it as either.)
You really are quite a joke, Casey!

[ATP]

These replica baseballs are a real scourge on the hobby. For a little while there I was seeing Babe Ruth baseballs and cuts that were replicas popping up left and right. It was easy to spot for a period of time because for the most part they used the same two or three exemplars to make them. At one point a couple years ago I gave up because there was a new one almost every day somewhere. I have probably purchased a dozen Ruth autographs in the last ten years, all of them not authenticated and I felt confident in doing so. I don't think I have bought one in at least three years and I don't think I will buy one again without seeing it in hand before paying. It stinks because with a vast majority of transactions taking place over the internet and with photos only, they look correct and the autograph appears authentic. It takes a second level of digging, to look past the autograph itself and make sure it's not a reproduction.

[Case12]

I have one of the same ball bought directly from the seller. He is completely open and cautions these are only replicas. I will never afford a Cobb ball, so I wanted one.
I agree with Casey - folks in the hobby should already know that these exist and are legit replicas. (The guy does other players too ....you can even ask him to scuff the ball up or tone it more or etc.)
Additionally I buy perfectly legit replica cards from sellers because I can't afford real ones. Placeholders in my albums.
Of course, uninformed or forgers passing these off as legit didn't do their homework.
Just my take on it.

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by Case12

folks in the hobby should already know that these exist and are legit replicas. (The guy does other players too ....you can even ask him to scuff the ball up or tone it more or etc.)
Additionally I buy perfectly legit replica cards from sellers because I can't afford real ones.

"Legit replica"? WTF is that?
"Oh... You're a Secret Service agent? Well, here's the legit replica of a $100 bill I printed. Whatta ya think? Hey! Where are we going? Jail?!"

The actual term for "legit replica" is "counterfeit."

[Case12]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

"Legit replica"? WTF is that?
"Oh... You're a Secret Service agent? Well, here's the legit replica of a $100 bill I printed. Whatta ya think? Hey! Where are we going? Jail?!"

The actual term for "legit replica" is "counterfeit."

You have a point. These are replica signatures. I should not have used the word legit.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

If the "manufacturer" of these items wished to be completely transparent, he would brand "REPRODUCTION AUTOGRAPH" into the leather of each panel of every baseball, including the signed panel.