Mantle/GAI/Burczyk/Forgeries/TT2

[RichardSimon]

Fuddj - these autograph sellers, they are not autograph dealers, buy these autographs on non ebay auction sites, along with their very cheap jewelry, perfume, t-shirts, watches and other items that they think they can make a profit on. The ads on these sites say Mantle autograph photo, authenticated by bird-sick or whoever the authenticator flavor of the day is, comparable value $499.99. All the items on these sites are advertised this way. They buy the autograph for $19-$29 or so, thinking they can get a bargain and make a profit. Too bad for them. They then learn the hard way. The really upsetting thing is that I know of at least two disabled veterans who have been duped this way.

[Exhibitman]

Nice work.

Of course, anyone buying a Babe Ruth autographed ball for $300 is an idiot of the purest, most gullible sort.

I've been burned a few times, fortunately not on anything expensive (the worst was a George Harrison cut about 20 years ago). I will not buy a significant autograph absent either a 100% legit source (like The Topps Valut--I figure their contracts were signed by the athletes in question), a certified card product like Topps Co-Signers, or a JSA or PSA/DNA certed item. I completely agree that the vast majority of the materials on Ebay are forgeries. I spent the better part of a decade looking for a legit Sean Connery autograph (finally landed a PSA/DNA certed 1960s vintage signed PC) and run searches on Ebay every so often just for a laugh at all the trash out there purportedly signed by Connery.

[Fuddjcal]

I posted this on another site and I thought it would be nice to post this here as well to see if anybody has anything to add to the story...

Here's the best of the best of the fish stories from an E-bayer that he sent me to "set the record straight". I have been very vocal in this fight on blogs and to e-bay security, trying to remove all this from E-bay and I can tell you, it ain't going to happen. New collectors are going to find out the hard way. Here's the story as it was told to me

He states that he "has a letter from Mantle and his attorney, Roy True and that Mantle himself concurred with burczyks findings. I know this because I have the letter, I sat with Mantle, I watched him sign over 200,000 items, that's right 200,000. I do love your passion and I would never say that you are being vindictive. I realize that you feel strongly about your views, but I have verifiable court documents to prove what I'm telling you. so even if you disagree with the findings of Burczyk, remember Mantle did not and it was I who fought scoreboard and it was I who beat them, and it was I who sat with Mantle at over 200 signings over my 31 plus years in this buisness. oh yes it was I who produced all the product for home shopping, qvc, j.c. penney's etc.,etc., etc.. so please forgive me if i disagree with you. but i do respect your opinion. by the way Mantle loved Burczyk when he met him. respectfully yours, tony p."
In the back of my mind, I do remember something to this effect coming to light in the late 80's, early 90's about Dimaggio having to go to court in a forgery case and he couldn't pick his signature out from the fakes. Then there is this Greer Johnson chick who actually helped Mantle books shows and make what the man had coming to him. I think there was a case of some sort, where she was accused of forging or having some Mantle stuff forged? Could this be the stuff? Maybe Mantle said they were his to protect Skank Johnson? Anyway, does anyone think that Tony P. is Tony Podsada of My Favorite Players? Most of their stuff, was authetic, though most of the Mantle's have always been suspect.

Do any of you long time collectors know this story, know Tony P?

Personally, I still don't like everyone of those Birdsick items. I wonder if Dimaggio liked Birdsick, What about Ted? Did Birdsick and Ted hunt & fish together?

There is also some talk about the photos all being copies of prints anyway, then pasted with the STAT. GAI and Birdsick cert. That make sense, because if the signature was a photo copy, it would'nt fade. Have you ever seen a faded Birdsick piece, I haven't. I left one out in the sun for 6 months and the signature didn't fade.

Personally, I think Tony P. is an honest guy. The one thing that I noticed by his e-bay buying habits is that he obviously know the real Mantle from the fakes. He is not buying Birdsicks and Stats and GAi Mantles. he is spending quite a bit of $$$ on the real thing .

[Fuddjcal]

http://cgi.ebay.com/MICKEY-MANTLE-SI...item2eb1390eee

Here's a copy of the Contract that Mantle signed with Scoreboard. The photo copy this seller has looks like a Genuine Mantle signature while the item he is selling does not appear authentic. Let's call it what it is, Actually fake as hell.

Is this the contract that people are talking about? A copy of this contract is common among fake Mantle ball sellers with STAT Authentication, now it's showing up on pictures?

[tinkereversandme]

Let me get this correct...before six months ago, nobody had ever heard of Burcyk and now the hobby is flooded with these photos and these photos appear everywhere and the prices that they get is little. Was there a stash somewhere?

Many of these photos come with both Scoreboard cert and a Burcyk cert and I had purchased from QVC and I never got a Burcyk cert with anything I bought.

I think something is very off here and if someone put their detective hat on, could actually find out the truths, essentially by contacting Mantle's old agent, the man who ran Scoreboard (was it Ken Golden?) and of course the location of Burcyk himself. He is alive, right? Where is he?

Larry

[thetruthisoutthere]

Interesting that you mentioned purchasing from QVC; don't forget those Home Shopping Channels got duped into purchasing approximately $750,000 in forgeries that was eventually sold to consumers. I still see a ton of those "500 Homerun Club" forgeries that are still all over Ebay and a ton of Mantle forgeries.

[Ladder7]

TT2, Your doctor called. You've got to ease back on the caffeine.

Seriously, Great, hard work youre doing.

And don't be discouraged by the petty whiners on these boards. It's just a few naive collector wannabes, that were stuck with fakes and trying to save face. Steve

[chaddurbin]

i enjoyed the vids TT, more info and transparency is always good. thank you for the effort.

now you're making me question my psa/dna ted williams auto