Very, very, interesting...

[slidekellyslide]

Bottom line in the autograph hobby...unless it has rock solid provenance or you got it in person you will never know for sure if it's legit..even if ABC soup has given it's seal of approval. We've all heard the stories of authenticators failing an autograph that you got in person, and we've all seen the Sal Bando gotcha video. Sure, there are easy to spot fakes, but there are also extremely good forgers out there. It's all a crap shoot.

[sox1903wschamp]

That is one sweet Ruth Ball. Thank you for posting it David.

[mark evans]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Bottom line in the autograph hobby...unless it has rock solid provenance or you got it in person you will never know for sure if it's legit..even if ABC soup has given it's seal of approval. We've all heard the stories of authenticators failing an autograph that you got in person, and we've all seen the Sal Bando gotcha video. Sure, there are easy to spot fakes, but there are also extremely good forgers out there. It's all a crap shoot.

This is my view as well. I know some on the Board believe that with sufficient education one can become an expert. That's no doubt true. But, what I've learned from this and other threads is that some forgeries are of such high 'quality' that the experts cannot agree with each other.

[David Atkatz]

That's true in the fine art world, as well. But museums and individuals still collect. And I, for one, am quite thankful that they (especially museums) do.

[mark evans]

That's true, David.

For myself, I don't think I would ever feel sufficiently confident in my opinion to be comfortable owning autographs. I do now own several but, in light of what I've learned on this Board since obtaining them, I would not expect to purchase others in the future.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

That's true in the fine art world, as well. But museums and individuals still collect. And I, for one, am quite thankful that they (especially museums) do.

I have no problem with this at all, but I have to say if it were not for this board and all the educated autograph collectors I would think anything with a JSA/PSA cert was 100% legit.

[travrosty]

A lot of people still do think that. they think 100 % legit if it has abc or xyz but the word is slowly getting out.

The well told tales like they only make 1 mistake out of 1000, or that if it has abc or xyz it is as good as gold and you can take it to the bank without any authenticity concerns really does a disservice to the collecting public.

Misinformation like these can travel halfway around the world, while the truth is still putting its shoes on.

I used to believe it, but then went looking for the truth, found it, and it was beyond my wildest dreams of what and how i thought a third party authentication firm could and should operate. totally shocking.

knowledge is power.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by travrosty

Misinformation like these can travel halfway around the world, while the truth is still putting its shoes on.

If you are gonna semi-quote Mark Twain, at least give him credit .

[mschwade]

Got the mail today and saw a brochure or some kind of advertising book aimed at Cosigners from Heritage and how much money they've sold some of their high value items at. On the cover, coming from the Lou Gehrig collection, I couldn't help but notice the Babe Ruth signature on the 1926 Yankees signed baseball. There's no slanted e in Babe on this baseball either and I have serious doubts that someone else signed the Babe's name for the Iron Horse's baseball-- if in fact, it was from Lou Gehrig's collection.