Disturbing Confession ...

[Lucas00]

The sort of items he sold seem to be the ones I would see and immediately think, that's fake. It's almost like junk wax the amount of signed jerseys, 8x10 generic dime color photos, footballs, baseballs, large oversized "art". You see with superstar Autographs at low tier auctions and many shows.

Those booths have always just been instant passes because I just have never trusted them.

I feel like the amount of framed jerseys especially, all framed the exact same way all in the exact same layout and style all with perfect autos all using super low quality chinese jerseys was a dead giveaway.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

The sort of items he sold seem to be the ones I would see and immediately think, that's fake. It's almost like junk wax the amount of signed jerseys, 8x10 generic dime color photos, footballs, baseballs, large oversized "art". You see with superstar Autographs at low tier auctions and many shows.

Those booths have always just been instant passes because I just have never trusted them.

I feel like the amount of framed jerseys especially, all framed the exact same way all in the exact same layout and style all with perfect autos all using super low quality chinese jerseys was a dead giveaway.

100%. I’m sure these dealers specifically wish this news came out 2 weeks AFTER the National instead of before, so they could get one more big pay day.

I have one item that I now doubt its legitimacy — a multi-hologram Mike Tyson Punch Out 11x14 that’s gotten WAY too visible the last couple years.

[ClementeFanOh]

This is just wretched enough to be true. I've never been a big auto guy, and
this is exactly the reason why. Trent King

[ruth-gehrig]

It pains me to read rambling....maybe later

[ullmandds]

i'lll pass on reading that mess. Moral of the story...don't "invest" in autographs!

[bk400]

I'm hoping that my low end autographed cards, like my 86 Topps Wally Backman, are safe.

If this guy wrote a self-aggrandizing confession and then drunkenly offed himself, it wouldn't be the biggest tragedy in the world.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by bk400

I'm hoping that my low end autographed cards, like my 86 Topps Wally Backman, are safe.

If this guy wrote a self-aggrandizing confession and then drunkenly offed himself, it wouldn't be the biggest tragedy in the world.

Your 86 Topps Wally Backman is safe (good)

[jingram058]

There was a thread in the net54 autograph forum a while back stating the overwhelming majority of autographed items are fake. I agree with the above: "What did you see?" "Iceberg, right ahead, sir!"

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by jingram058

There was a thread in the net54 autograph forum a while back stating the overwhelming majority of autographed items are fake. I agree with the above: "What did you see?" "Iceberg, right ahead, sir!"

I suspect the thrust of the thread was “the overwhelming majority of autographed items are fake … except for the ones I buy …..”

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jingram058

There was a thread in the net54 autograph forum a while back stating the overwhelming majority of autographed items are fake. I agree with the above: "What did you see?" "Iceberg, right ahead, sir!"

There have been several of those threads in the 10+ years I have been on here. Then the bigger auto collectors and sellers always come on and say don't worry it isn't true most autographs are real.

I find it funny all the people saying that is why I stayed away from autographs when the same exact thing is and has been going on in the card world. If you think fake slabs aren't a HUGE thing, LOL, good luck with that. The grading companies adding pics of graded cards anyone can lookup has greatly helped. At least now you can't crack a newly graded card and put that flip and a lower grade card into a newly made slab without everybody knowing the card is different.

There is a fake copy of pretty much everything made being. I hear southeast Asia is a good place to find those items or find someone that will make them for you.

[philo98]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

The sort of items he sold seem to be the ones I would see and immediately think, that's fake. It's almost like junk wax the amount of signed jerseys, 8x10 generic dime color photos, footballs, baseballs, large oversized "art". You see with superstar Autographs at low tier auctions and many shows.

Those booths have always just been instant passes because I just have never trusted them.

I feel like the amount of framed jerseys especially, all framed the exact same way all in the exact same layout and style all with perfect autos all using super low quality chinese jerseys was a dead giveaway.

Completely agree. Seems most are decorative items for mancaves.

[Fandom0610]

I 100% believe this. Ive seen so many Panini and PSA stickered photos pop up on ebay that coincidentally have no loa or coa and when Ive done PSA quick opinions on the ones im interested in they never pass. Especially with the modern stuff gaining alot more popularity its no surprise something like this would happen.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

The sort of items he sold seem to be the ones I would see and immediately think, that's fake. It's almost like junk wax the amount of signed jerseys, 8x10 generic dime color photos, footballs, baseballs, large oversized "art". You see with superstar Autographs at low tier auctions and many shows.

Those booths have always just been instant passes because I just have never trusted them.

I feel like the amount of framed jerseys especially, all framed the exact same way all in the exact same layout and style all with perfect autos all using super low quality chinese jerseys was a dead giveaway.

Again, I think it’s all about this market right here. These sellers are neck deep in modern + the biggest names of the past 50 years, especially all-time level QBs and wrestlers. I’ve seen wayyy too many JSA, Tristar, and Fanatics stickers on cheap bagged and framed items to make sense. Anyone who’s been to a show has. It’s like in ‘98 when dealers had stacks of McGwire and Sosa but they’d barely signed anything.

Fanatics knew about it for 7+ years and now own the modern hobby. F—k those guys.

The good news is, your vintage slabs should be safe (at least from this operation).

[Brent G.]

The truth is likely somewhere in between what the dead guy said and this Fanatics statement. I’d probably lean more toward dead guy, who caused them to create a new sticker (silently, I assume) two years ago. i suppose no company would admit to 80% of merch bearing their seal being fake.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Brent G.

The truth is likely somewhere in between what the dead guy said and this Fanatics statement. I’d probably lean more toward dead guy, who caused them to create a new sticker two years ago.

I agree. Dead Guy was copying product from multiple companies, and over a long period of time. If a single autopen was being used, and I'll guess an experienced operator could get 2 signatures a minute, the guy working 8 hours could crank out about 1,000 signatures a day. Even at half that, an addicted criminal could conceivably make around a million fake signatures a year. How many years was he doing this before Fanatics got wise to it? Then add the two years it took for the operation to be brought down. Any way one looks at it, it's a huge number.

I also think the fact modern autographs are often merely scribbles, or sloppy initials, made them much easier to fake convincingly, and quicker to make.

It will be interesting to see how the "hobby" responds. Will it just be one collective shrug of the shoulders, or will people bail out of modern sigs and turn their attention to other sports collectibles, like memorabilia, game used, etc.? Everything can be faked, but autographs are by far the easiest, and Dead Guy has apparently thoroughly saturated that arena with fakes, at least modern.

My guess is, Fanatics and other companies will come up with better authentication/verification methods, and business will continue as usual. Autographs were never my thing, and I collect absolutely nothing that is modern, yet I feel very bad for all the people who have been victimized or are worried they may have been.

[Brent G.]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the FBI agents on the case make that quick drive from Westfield to Rosemont in 12 days to shut down the people selling this crap.