Authentic Signature

Authentic Signature

How Do You Know If An Autograph Is Authentic?

Nowadays, fake autographs are everywhere, especially on the internet. Even though Ebay and other popular auction sites have been busy trying to clamp down on autograph fraudsters, some fakes are still slipping through the net. If you are a person who collects autographs or signed memorabilia, then the chances are you are a pretty passionate person or are very interested in a specific person, event or activity. If you have gone to the trouble of collecting pieces of signed memorabilia, then there is nothing worse than finding out that the autograph is indeed a fake. It is a very disappointing and disheartening situation to be placed in. It could even put you off collecting all together. It can be very hard to tell a fake from the real deal. The fraudsters who produce fake autographs are getting better all the time, and if you aren't experienced or aware of the tricks of the trade then you can be easily caught out. It can really be very disappointing to find out later that you have been had by a fraudster. However, there are a few things that you can look out for to help you be on the look out for fraudulent autographs. Sometimes, fake autographs are mechanically reproduced. Experts recommend if you run your finger over the signature on a photo and if the writing feels flat against the surface then it could be a fake. If you can feel the texture of the ink on top of the photograph then this suggests that the ink has been added afterwards. Even then the actual signature could be a fake. You can check this against the celebrity's real signature by looking at their official fan website which usually will feature an official signature. These are a few tips on how to detect a fake signature on a photo, but a piece of signed memorabilia such as a shirt or a cap can be very hard to assess whether it is fake or not. This is because the fabric soaks up the ink without leaving a raised appearance like photographs do. However, experts say that there are some visible clues in the ink. You can actually be trained to spot the most obvious signs of a fake, and this may be advisable for serious collectors who do not want to be disappointed by con-artists. If in doubt it is advisable to seek the advice of a professional. They have a few tried and tested ways of detecting fakes and will be able to give you a yes or no answer. Sometimes, fake autographs are produced by using a rubber stamp but when the stamp is used; all the ink is applied at the same time and squeezed out to the edges of the rubber. Experts say that when the autograph is put under a magnifying glass, you can actually see that there is more ink on the edges of the lines than in the middle. This is a classic giveaway that a rubber stamp has been used, and that the autograph is a fake. Other fraudsters use a machine to print signatures. With this method, the big giveaway is that all the ink is applied the same moment and the result is a smooth effect. Usually when a signature is produced by hand with a pen, the nib will cut through the wet ink where the letters over-lap. This creates ‘bridges' and ‘tunnels' that are visible when put under magnification. Another popular method of producing fake autographs is to use an autopen. This is when a machine uses a pen in order to replicate a person's handwriting. It is thought that the Royal Family depend on using autopen machines to complete their extensive Christmas card list. The autopen can be detected under scrutiny as you can see that dot when the autopen first touches the paper and another dot when the autopen leaves the paper. This doesn't relate to the normal process of producing a signature by hand. Even though there are a lot of con-artists out there selling fake autographs in order to make themselves some quick money, there are also genuine companies that sell 100% authentic signatures. Genuine Memorabilia is one of these. They are a family run company with a catalogue of over 6,000 signed pieces of memorabilia. If you are interested in purchasing some genuine memorabilia then why not
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How much would authentic Pantera signatures sell for?

I have a fake skull I got the whole band to sign (dime bag, too) a long time ago and I've been thinking about selling it. Does anyone know how much it could sell for?

Anywhere between $6-$200.

Chase's 2009 Sp Authentic & Signature Football 2 Box Break