Fraud in Autograph Collecting

Unfortunately, one of the common occurrences in autograph collecting is fraud. Countless collectors are fooled by fraudulent signatures, posing as rock stars, athletes, authors, even the founding fathers. Since the beginning of autograph collecting, con artists have been creating fraudulent pieces.

In the late 1700s, a young man by the name of William Henry Ireland made a fortune from creating fraudulent William Shakespeare signatures, deeds and letters. He even went as far as a falsified "lost play". During his rise to fame, Ireland sold countless "Shakespearian signatures".

The most important part to remember when collecting is to be sure the autograph is authenticated by an expert. Do not buy an autograph with out it being authenticated.

My other piece of advice is: "knowledge is power". Make yourself into an expert, know the product well. From the shape and form of the signature to the type of paper used. Just remember to be cautious, protect yourself with knowledge and check for authentication.

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How to Preserve your Autographed Photo Collectables

I came across this article and thought it was a good one to share! We all know that preserving your photos is very important! What is the point of collecting autographs if the photos become faded and start to deteriorate in a few years because you don't handle them properly? Take a look at these autograph preservation tips! 1. Acid free is the way to go - Whether you choose plastic bags, cardboard folders or frames to display your autographs, you need to make sure that the material you use is acid free. Standard bags, folders and frames are made with materials that release acids over time. These acids can make your photographs and other memorabilia fade and disintegrate. Make sure that the products that you buy to store your autographs is clearly labeled acid-free. If the package doesn't specify that, don't trust it with your photos. 2. Keep humidity low - Humidity causes moisture which can be devastating to paper products like photographs. To keep your a

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Recently, a baseball autograph enthusiast put her hard work towards a greater good. Jane Bell is an 83-year-old Detroit Tigers fan and since the 1980s has fought through crowds and slipped into dugouts to expand her prized collection of autographed baseballs. She is now letting charity benefit from her efforts and is putting 136 of her autographed baseballs up for action and will give all proceeds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Jane is planning to hold onto one particular baseball, personalized by Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris in 1986. Morris wrote: "To Jane Bell, my best to you, to a loyal Tiger fan." Jane hopes that her baseballs will bring in $3,000-$5,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. According to a local appraiser, Randall Paul, this is a reasonable goal and hopes she will reach it. Jane has been a Tigers season-ticket holder since 1984, and attends all 81 home games each year. According to Jane, it is through being a loyal fan t

Collecting as a matter of history

I have Reggie Jackson to thank for a recent personal epiphany. A few people before it was my turn to get an autograph last Saturday, a man had to wait as Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson put pepper on the sandwich he was eating. I snapped this cell phone picture of MLB Hall of Fame outfielder Reggie Jackson April 11 at a signing in the Twin Cities. I’d hoped to capture him signing my bat, but I failed and got him looking at me to silently ask where I wanted him to sign the bat. When it was my turn to get his autograph at the Sportsnews Production Show on April 11 at the Earl Brown Center in Brooklyn Center, I took out my phone to get a photo of the hall of fame outfielder known as Mr. October signing my bat. I looked up to see him staring at me and pointing at the bat with a look of “Where do you want me to sign this?” Without saying a word, he kept pointing until I picked

Autograph Hell

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