How many fake autographs out there?

[Kaneen]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

search the #1 most searched autograph and report back to me, LOL "Mantle, Mickey", Then Jordan, Michael, Jeter, Derek...Koufax, Sandy. Trout trout pretty little trout. One more splash and come right out. 99% FORGERIES. Try "Autograph cuts" 99.9 % FORGERIES. I'd rather have cold cuts from San Carlos Deli. No chance of fake Nitrates.

So now it's "99% and 99.9% FORGERIES"...I suggest you don't stand near a smoke alarm. Every one of those Last Name, First Name guys you mentioned have tons of forged autographs in the marketplace. They also all signed their arms off for many, many years. There are tons of legitimate authentic signatures available as well (even on eBay). Your percentage figure is absurd, and you are making a case for yourself that you may indeed be nuts...no need to just rely on the members here just thinking you are.

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

Almost as absurd as my statement 3 years ago that baseball cards is a "billion dollar fraud." Members thought I was nuts. Now most with just a sliver of a brain can clearly do the math. It's a multi billion dollar fraud.

If you truly believe that that's all it is, then why are you here day after day participating? Are you nuts?

Chuck, I don't disagree with you that there are large numbers of fraudulent components within this hobby/industry...I just also happen to believe (know for a fact) that there are large numbers of legitimate, honest, well-intentioned components in this hobby/industry. I don't assert that you are nuts. (I don't know you and can't make that judgement.) I do assert that the hyperbolic numbers you are spouting are completely nuts. And I'm guessing you already know this.

[sreader3]

I think it is beyond dispute that the higher priced the auto, the more likely it is to be a fake. So, in the case of 72 Topps baseball, if it is a Clemente or Munson, the chances that it is a fake are extremely high — well over 50% (perhaps 90% or more). But those are the exceptions. If we are talking about Fred Scherman or Tom Burgmeier, or even Rollie Fingers (HOF) or Bert Blyleven (HOF), almost all of the autos on eBay are good (and there are a lot of them available). I’ll stick with 5% bad for commons and 10-15% bad for Hall of Famers averaged out—although it may be somewhat higher.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by Kaneen

If you truly believe that that's all it is, then why are you here day after day participating? Are you nuts?

.

MULTI BILLIONS!!!

"The GMV, or gross merchandise value, of cards sold on the platform totals over $2 billion so far this year, roughly $1 billion in each quarter. The number represents a 175% increase from the same six month period in 2020. " every sale was a fraud!

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

MULTI BILLIONS!!!

"The GMV, or gross merchandise value, of cards sold on the platform totals over $2 billion so far this year, roughly $1 billion in each quarter. The number represents a 175% increase from the same six month period in 2020. " every sale was a fraud!

LOL, Yes Multi Billions, Autographs and cards Multi Billion dollar frauds, both of them. And yes, I'm nuts but not stoopid

[gonefishin]

I've collected autographs for quite a while. There is, no doubt, a lot of fake autographs. It would be hard to place a percentage of fake vs authentic autographs. I find that if you look beyond an autographed card, and look at items from the 50's and prior, there is a much higher percentage of authentic autographs than fakes. I try to put all the pieces in perspective when I buy an item. If it's a group of items let's say from the 50's, and there is an autographed score card that contains the autograph of Warren Spahn and other autographs from the Braves - and it passes the "sniff" test (a real signature, compares with other known examples you have, etc.) - then it probably is the real deal. I try to take everything in the group into consideration; other items from the period such as cards, letters, pennants, etc. When I do this, and send the item to PSA it is ALMOST 100% authentic.

If someone buys an autographed ball that was made AFTER the player that supposedly signed it was deceased - SHAME ON BOTH THE BUYER AND THE SELLER! The buyer made a very uneducated purchase and the seller committed a crime (if he knew it was fake).

I do think that PSA, JSA, etc. sometimes take the easy way out by stating a particular autograph was "Secretarial". That's kind of like grading a card an 8 and then adding "MC". The autograph is real but it's "Secretarial" and the card is an 8 but it's Miscut. Crazy stuff.

[homerunhitter]

Why even collect autographs at this point?

[gonefishin]

I enjoy collecting them because it is something that has a direct link to the player and the game. Yes, there's a lot fake stuff out there from crooks. Yes, it crazy that players like Mike Schmidt charge a small fortune for their autograph.

The vintage stuff is cool to collect when you collect something, such as a letter, that contains the players thoughts, etc. Also, there are still authentic autographs out there - Warren Spahn for example (debatable but probably the best left handed pitcher to ever play the game; most wins by a lefty, 4th on the all time wins list, etc.) - that are still quite affordable. I didn't really start out collecting autographs, just kind of got into it while collecting cards. Now I really enjoy it. You know the saying "Try it, you might like it".

[homerunhitter]

I was just reading the book “baseball hall of fame autographs” by Ron Keurajian and did I read correctly that it’s estimated that 90% of all HOF autographs in existence are forged! (Including those with a TPA) yikes!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Why even collect autographs at this point?

Maybe because it's a fun hobby and if you're smart about it, you will minimize the forged examples in your collection. I'm guessing that, by and large, knowledgeable collectors, like many on this forum, set the market for in-demand autographs, including those slabbed by the big boys, not those trying to peddle bad ones. You can bet that any that seem to "fall through the cracks" in major auctions and eBay, etc., and certainly any at shows presented for sale at a big discount, have been judged by that community to be suspect. So if you want to think you're getting a bargain by paying less than the current marketplace, fine, but then don't complain about all the forgeries in the hobby or do get out of it entirely. Do some digging to find out who among the TPAs seem to really know their stuff, and even better do a lot of homework and become an expert yourself like many here have done.

[Republicaninmass]

100% of coaches corner autos are forgeries.


So there's that


I guess I'm not looking in the right place.

[Klrdds]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Maybe because it's a fun hobby and if you're smart about it, you will minimize the forged examples in your collection. I'm guessing that, by and large, knowledgeable collectors, like many on this forum, set the market for in-demand autographs, including those slabbed by the big boys, not those trying to peddle bad ones. You can bet that any that seem to "fall through the cracks" in major auctions and eBay, etc., and certainly any at shows presented for sale at a big discount, have been judged by that community to be suspect. So if you want to think you're getting a bargain by paying less than the current marketplace, fine, but then don't complain about all the forgeries in the hobby or do get out of it entirely. Do some digging to find out who among the TPAs seem to really know their stuff, and even better do a lot of homework and become an expert yourself like many here have done.

I agree 100%.
Self education is the safest road to take but this won’t happen fast or be easy . Also develop a few knowledgeable collectors as friends to trust and network with but always trust yourself first and foremost . I have found self education better than any TPA for the most part except in rare instances. If you want to rely on TPAs that is ok but seek out the best ones with your own research.