Choice to Make?
 

Ok. I now have a great authentic Connie Mack signed program.

But, I still have this piece shown below. Do I toss it? Earlier advice is that it is not real. I respect that. In fact, I could find very few instances of this shape of "i" in Connie. Then again, there are always variances.

The paper and age looks right (old autograph book), the ink looks right, the indention looks good. The flow is mostly ok.

What gets me is that the "with best regards" and "Mack" look nearly perfect to exemplars. (I have include a pic of a PSA one).

So, is this one far enough off to toss? Jim Stinson once told me that any real auto can have something that makes experts question it??

Opinions? Shred it?

Thanks all, Casey

I would send off for a third opinion... There was a thread where someone was going to shred what he thought was a fake auto, shredded it it and then a bunch of folks here thought it was real...

On second thought see what people say here first...

You're going to get diverse opinions. Because, unless you were there when it was signed, it's only an "opinion".

I know there are signatures that are over-the-top obvious forgeries, but real signatures change over time and circumstance. As you yourself state, it has multiple indicia that make you believe it's real. I would enjoy it as it is, because it's not "off" enough to be an obvious forgery.

But, I don't hold myself out as an expert, by far. This is only my "opinion".

Another very close "with best wishes", and "Mack" exemplar. Only the "i" again????? I appreciate opinions. As for TPA - the cost is not worth the risk for me since I already have a known good one. BTW, I wouldn't sell this one for these reasons anyway. Just should I display or toss? I am really scratching my head. Any other opinions?

...unless it is/was an obvious, grotesque fake, why would you toss it? I have some autos that I know are real that the TPA's did not authenticate. Enjoy your collection!

I would say that first one is NOT good for a few reasons.

1) it says “Best” rather than “Besh” like the others
2) it uses real “n”s in Connie, not “n”s that look like “m”s
3) it has a real “i” in Connie. The others are lost

I think the forger couldn’t help but spell out real letters when Connie just signed like he learned to at a young age and never bothered to fix.

Number 2, and 3 bother me most. The n's and 'i' are always the same throughout his entire life even up until his death. I have examined many of his hand written letters and can find text/letter variations. But never a different 'Connie'.

It's hard for me to shred something so close. On the other hand, looking at it displayed will always leaves me questioning. So I think I'll box it away with a note on it.

I assume this happens to collectors/curators all the time? Whether Mack, Ruth, Cobb, Hornsby, Washington, Lincoln, etc.?

I’d either keep it or send it to me :). I grab Mantle autographs occasionally and have two obvious fakes (most likely a parent signing for their kid), and it doesn’t bother me as it is on a vintage medium (I bought it primarily for the item it was in) and it is was it is. If you’ve got a real one already, you’ve checked that box off. Who cares whether this one is fake? For whatever it’s worth, I do share some of your views regarding the similarities between yours and the PSA one.

If you don't want it I'll take it and get it authenticated

You should send it to a TPA. If it comes back not authentic, you're not out a grotesque amount. If it is authentic, then someone agrees with your opinions as to why it is authentic, and you can sell it in the future if you desire.

As for me, I don't like the starting curl of the W, in both the WITH and WISHES. That is what stuck out to me.