Babe Ruth Endorsed Check

[rand1com]

Any opinions on this Ruth autograph? I saw one of these sell in the Heritage Auction last night on same check type and customer signature except for only $5.00.

[David Atkatz]

Of course it's good.

[Bpm0014]

It’s good

[w7imel]

Awesome ruth check!!!!

[gnaz01]

Perfectly fine

[rand1com]

A lot of views with only 4 opinions. Any one else?

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by David Atkatz

Of course it's good.

I was wondering why you said"of course"??

[rand1com]

To compare apples to apples, here are pictures from the Heritage Auction I referred to in the original post. Obviously, does not have the Purple Cashed Jamaica stamp which appears to be a possible issue but the Bank of Manhattan red stamp appears to be a match on the check I have to the check in the auction.

[Bpm0014]

Great information Jim thanks! Upon further review of the original check, you can clearly see where someone changed $5.00 into $500.00.

[rand1com]

So if Jim's premise that someone got a period check and filled it out to Ruth in order to forge his signature on the reverse to sell it as a forgery, what was the incentive to change the original amount from $5.00 to $500?

Why would the amount make any difference? Especially since obviously the one they would have been trying to replicate which according to Heritage is indeed authentic was for $5.00.

I agree upon a closer look that the two zeroes appear to have been added with a slightly different pen and perhaps as Jim surmised the red blotch covers an attempt to change the amount but again for what reason.

Is a $500 Ruth check worth more than a $5 one if both are perceived to be authentic as to Ruth's signature?

Also, comparing the clearing house stamps on both checks they indeed appear to be a match.

I am not trying to justify that the check is authentic as for close to 15 years I have assumed that it is not.

However, something does not add up in this case and I would just like a plausible answer.

The Ruth signature is clearly live ink. Even if replicated by a laser as Jim guesses, the change to the amount makes no sense to me.