Autograph Hell

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — Collecting sports memorabilia is big business these days — but how do you know if you’re getting the real deal? Before you buy a fake, FOX6′s Contact 6 says it’s important to know what can happen.    Baseball is America’s popular past-time, and like most sports, baseball has generated a memorabilia business worth billions. “I consider myself very knowledgeable about what a real one and a fake one is,” Mark Mench said. Mench has been an autograph collector for 30 years, and is very confident he can spot a fake. However, his batting average took a hit recently. “A Steve Prefontaine autograph you almost never see. So, he advertised for things that almost everyone would be interested in who collects what I collect,” Mench said. The “he” Mench is referring to is Carl Myer. “The way he fooled me is because – how he spoke. He knew dealers, he knew the business, he knew basically everything I knew about autographs and I`ve collected 30 ...

Autograph authentication is in such bad odor that people who do it don't like the term.  Journalist Rocky Landsverk reported in an article in the April 29, 2005, issue of Sports Collectors Digest; "One thing I've learned about the ongoing 'Authenticating Authenticators' series is that it has a bad name," Landsverk wrote.  "virtually every 'authenticator' I've interviewed said they shouldn't be called authenticators." What do these purported experts want to be called?  According to Landsverk they prefer "verifiers" or "examiners."  Here's what's up: the people who pass judgement on the genuineness of autographs want a job title that doesn't go too far.  In their minds, the most comfortable title carries the message: "Hey, I looked at this autograph sure, but don't hold me to my findings on whether it's the real McCoy or not." This spin effort, not only with job titles but with the r...

Sussing out forgeries demands a lot of skill - sometimes.  Other times, it's quite obvious that an autograph is bogus or highly suspect.  Recent history offers three striking examples. In 2007, Sotheby's Auction offered for sale the "only known autograph" of George Dixon, a 19th Century Bantam and Featherweight World Boxing Champion.  The autograph, in pencil, was on a small slip of paper it hadn't been witnessed, dated or notarized.  An authenticator had signed off on it, though it obviously was impossible to verify.  After all, there were no other known autographs of the boxer.  What could the authenticator have compared it to? In 2006, a well-known authentication company verified that an album page had been signed on the reverse side by "April Chadwick."  A skeptic asked, "Has anyone ever heard of a person or celebrity named April Chadwick?" Nope.  Turned out the authenticator apparently hadn't compared the signature to any other.  H...

The Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show Saturday & Sunday, February 11 & 12, 2012 at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center 2500 Hollywood Way, in Burbank Billy Dee Williams ("Star Wars", "Lady Sings the Blues") Tom Felton ('Draco Malfoy' in the "Harry Potter" films ) Valerie Harper ('Rhoda' on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" & "Rhoda") Martin Landau ("Mission: Impossible", "Ed Wood") Shannon Elizabeth ("American Pie") Davy Jones ("The Monkees") Paul Michael Glaser & David Soul ("Starsky & Hutch") Antonio Fargas ('Huggy Bear' from "Starsky & Hutch") Piper Laurie ("The Hustler", "Carrie", "Twin Peaks") Natasha Henstridge ("Species") Don Stark (Donna's dad, 'Bob', on "That '70s Show") William Katt (" Greatest American Hero...

Here are a few steps you can take to help recognize a pre-printed autograph.  These tips do require you to have the autograph in your possession.   1. The signature will appear to be below the surface of the glossy portion of the photo and it will often appear very ‘flat’. 2. To test this, hold the photo at an angle very close to a bright source of light. A real autograph is on surface of the photo and should reflect differently than the rest of the surface. It will be very obvious when it is a legitimate autograph signed on top of the photo. A preprint will blend right in with the surface of the photo because it is actually part of the photo and the glossy reflection will be the same in the background of the photo as well as where the autograph is printed. You may have to move the photo around to get the right angle and notice the difference in reflection but with a little practice you'll become adept at this in no time. 3. Since the au...

Johnny Cash Hand Written To-Do List Sells For $6,400 This Johnny Cash handwritten to-do list recently fetched over $6,000 at auction. Check out his hilarious handwritten to-do list!

 Last night I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. James Jackson, the founder and president of Project C.U.R.E. - an organization I am very involved in- and the author of ' The Happiest Man In The World '.  I had Dr. Jackson sign my book and took these pictures with him.  You can order a copy of my book Autograph Hell - The Truth About Collecting by clicking HERE .

I received a very nice review from a fan and fellow autograph collector who has only just begun to reading Autograph Hell!  I thought I would share with you the excerpt and remind you that if you read Autograph Hell and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate you sharing your review on Amazon .  If you haven't read Autograph Hell yet, what are you waiting for?  Order your copy now!   Are reliable sources really reliable?  These and other questions raised by readers who’ve collected autographs for years.  Dennis writes…. “Classless authenticators, I suspect, have started a blood-thirsty autograph war between good & the dark side.”  In reply, Charles reminds Dennis of three words by Ronald Regan, “Trust - but verify.”  Autograph Hell is a great resource to collectors everywhere.   - September 15, 2011 Thank you very much Dennis for reaching out and contacting me!  I look forward to reading your review when you've finished Autogra...

Websites such as Safe Box Alliance, have continued to spring up and legitimize the pastime of autograph collecting and selling. According to the website, Safe Box Alliance is a group of autograph and memorabilia dealers. They joined together to produce a code of conduct of selling autographs and memorabilia. Specifically, Safe Box Alliance , focuses on boxing memorabilia. The site tries to provide ways for buyers to establish relationships with the dealers. It offers a lifetime money back guarantee in regards to the authenticity of the autograph. The world of autograph collecting is filled with falsifications, but with the help of websites such as this, the craft can become easier and more reliable.