Disturbing Confession ...

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

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

That’s what everyone thinks. I try to buy mostly checks but even that isn’t infallible. There’s just too many Robinsons, Clementes, Aarons, signed vintage cards and sets, that suddenly pop up in every auction in the hundreds every month. Did collectors who owned them not realize they had value until recently and were hiding them, refusing to sell them?

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by calvindog

That’s what everyone thinks. I try to buy mostly checks but even that isn’t infallible. There’s just too many Robinsons, Clementes, Aarons, signed vintage cards and sets, that suddenly pop up in every auction in the hundreds every month. Did collectors who owned them not realize they had value until recently and were hiding them, refusing to sell them?

The avalanche of signed Goudeys from obscure players that suddenly all surfaced at once in the past 3-4 years was particularly ridiculous.

Lots of 80 year olds (or their heirs) woke up one day and found the same stash of signed Goudeys. Remarkable.

[Fandom0610]

Unfortunately this hobby is filled with greed and its only getting worse. The damage has already been done. At this point unless you personally see the player sign the item I wouldnt feel comfortable buying any modern player auto.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by fandom0610

at this point unless you personally see the player sign the item i wouldn’t feel comfortable buying any modern player auto.

+ 💯

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Fandom0610

Unfortunately this hobby is filled with greed and its only getting worse. The damage has already been done. At this point unless you personally see the player sign the item I wouldnt feel comfortable buying any modern player auto.

I don't really understand the allure of modern autograph collecting...most modern sigs aren't signatures at all. They're lines...or squigglies. Most are unintelligible as signatures.

[Snapolit1]

Quite a few players appear to be illiterate. And/or just don't give a shit. Modern baseball and basketball . . . . signatiures are a joke. Many guys now just do their initials. I've even seen one initial as a signatue.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Quite a few players appear to be illiterate. And/or just don't give a shit. Modern baseball and basketball . . . . signatiures are a joke. Many guys now just do their initials. I've even seen one initial as a signatue.

This is my NFL team’s QB’s signature. It is of NO surprise he doesn’t have the work ethic or processing ability to do the job. He did make me decide I wanted nothing to do with modern autos after getting back into the hobby.

[Fandom0610]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I don't really understand the allure of modern autograph collecting...most modern sigs aren't signatures at all. They're lines...or squigglies. Most are unintelligible as signatures.

Exactly. Its just a quick scribble or sloppy initial. Theres a few modern players I would be interested in collecting but technology and fakes are getting better every year so who knows what I'm really buying. And if I had any I would never feel 100% certain I had the real thing unless I was there to get the signature.

This problem is only going to get worse. Theres too much money to be made with all these celebrities, "influencers", and kids entering the hobby.

[bleeckerstreetcards]

Originally Posted by calvindog

That’s what everyone thinks. I try to buy mostly checks but even that isn’t infallible. There’s just too many Robinsons, Clementes, Aarons, signed vintage cards and sets, that suddenly pop up in every auction in the hundreds every month. Did collectors who owned them not realize they had value until recently and were hiding them, refusing to sell them?

of course the occam's razor and logical answer here is that the prices have gone up in the last 3 years, so people are more willing to sell than ever before. they are now often one of the central focal points of many auction catalogs (post-war section) and 10 yrs ago would be buried in the back pages or put in lots.

it is not reasonable to assume that forgers are now passing the most scrutinized and high value autographed cards by Keating/PSA and auction house experts. it is also important to note that most auctions that showcase a significant amount of signed cards are due to consigners who were graphers/TTMers in the 50s and 60s that are now ready to part with them, or have passed on and the collections have been consigned by descendants. i have been personally involved in 4 such cases.

yes, i know what my signature says and the old tagline "no conflict, no interest". FWIW this ring has been primarily focused on modern stars (Judge, Gretzky, Brady, etc.) so they can sell high volume into high demand markets through ebay and online stores, not the best of the best in auctions.

[ruth-gehrig]

A bit more detail

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/b...008C7489478H2S