How do you know if an autograph is fake?

Answer 1

Knowing the origin of the signature is important to it's authenticity. If you know for sure that it was signed in the presence of someone you trust, then the odds are in favor of the signature being authentic. If the signature was found, or the story of it getting signed is questionable then the authenticity of the signature should be in question. That includes being told that the signature was handed down from family members through the years.

Some of the stories start off like this: "Grandpa gave me the Baseball when I was a kid. He got it signed when...." The baseball turns out to be a souvenir baseball bought at the stadium with stamped signatures. It happens a lot. You will find this story on eBay at least once a month along with a souvenir baseball..

Find signatures on line that have been authenticated by a reputable company, and compare it with the signature in question. But still beware. A true artist with lots of skill and work can "paint" a Mickey Mantle signature, that has fooled some of the top Authenticators in the Business. But most forgers make common mistakes that can be picked up by even an educated eye. Sign your name 10 times on a piece of paper. First thing you will notice, they are all simalar. They vary slightly from signature to signature, but there are not any major differences in any part of the signature. For example if you sign your name with a Pointed "A" you are unlikely to sign it at another time with a rounded "A". All your signatures should have the same flow. not stopping in the middle of the signature, and re starting, or slowing down at one point, as a traced signature might show, with points of heaver ink where the pen has stopped or slowed. These are some of the things that an expert would look for. Another tell tale sign, are signatures that look too similar, and are exactly alike. Forgers will use Autopens, A mechanical device that "signs" flat objects. They will use Stamps, and even Photo copies. These type of fake signatures are easy to detect, especially when you compare them with others that are not only similar, but exactly the same. Facsimile signatures. A Facsimile autograph is not really a fake. It is not meant to fool anyone into thinking its real. It is a pre printed signature usually used on Souvenir baseballs, promotional photos, Postcards, Bats, Gloves, advertising's etc. A preprint, or facsimile is simply a photographic copy of an original signed photograph. A preprint signature often appears to be below the surface gloss of the photo, and the signature is often very "flat." Hold the photo up at an angle to a light source. A real signature is written on the surface of the photo, and should have a different level of reflectivity than the rest of the surface. A preprint will blend right in with the surface because it's underneath the surface gloss. Obviously, preprint signatures will match exactly, and the signature will be in the same exact place on each photo. On Balls, gloves or Bats, Stamps are created and printed on the object. Another way of telling a facsimile autograph is the ink is too consistent. When you sign your name, you use different angles, and pressure as you sign. This is more evident when signing with sharpie. Some parts of the signature will be darker, or lighter depending on the pressure you put on the pen, or sharpie. On a facsimile, especially a ball, it is usually all the same density, and thickness. When you cross a "T", or at the end of your signature you might tail off as you come off the page. A Facsimile might start, and end with no variation at all. When buying, before dropping down a load of cash for a Signature request better photos, ask what kind of ball is it signed on? how did the seller acquire this autograph? Chain of custody? any one with a good laser printer can create a C.O.A. Life time Guarantee? Who's life time? I bought a life time membership at a Gym. Two years later they went out of business. I'm still alive. The Bottom line is before you buy an autograph, or vintage memorabilia do your homework. You have a computer research the product, make comparisons you might just save yourself some money. This is a multi Billion dollar industry, and there are loads of scam artists out there trying to steal your money. The person you are buying from could have been fooled too, or mistaken. Either way the signature should be professionally authenticated by a reputable company. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less.

Answer 2

Unless you can identify an autograph yourself, there is know way of knowing unless you take it to a professional after you have received your purchase. If it ends up not authentic, open a dispute through PayPal and get your money back.

Answer 3

A facsimile signature is a pre printed signature usually used on Souvenir baseballs, promotional photos, Postcards, Bats, Gloves, etc. A preprint, or facsimile is simply a photographic copy of an original signed photograph. A preprint signature often appears to be below the surface gloss of the photo, and the signature is often very "flat." Hold the photo up at an angle to a light source. A real signature is written on the surface of the photo, and should have a different level of reflectivity than the rest of the surface. A preprint will blend right in with the surface because it's underneath the surface gloss. If the signature is hand signed then do a search for signatures of that player that have been properly authenticated. If after you compared your signature to others and feel that they could be authentic you should then have them professionally authenticated. An autograph that is not authenticated by a creditable company could sell at half the price or less than one that is. Two of the top, and most trusted authenticators are PSA/DNA, and James Spence Authentic (JSA). Collectors will pay more for signatures authenticated by either one.

Answer 4

This is something you can easily do at home with a magnifying glass or a loupe. Focus your lens so that you can get a really good look at the lines of the autograph. Are they uniform with no variation in shininess? Are they entirely one color (usually black) instead of a network of small dots? Can you see imprints in the paper, or is the paper undented by the movement of a pen?

These are some of the first things you look for in an autograph. A fake or printed autograph might well show the tiny grid of dots from offset printing, or, there might be horizontal lines that sometimes show from a computer printer. But a printer can't duplicate the indentations of a pen moving across paper, so dents would be a real sign of authenticity. If the signer used a ball point pen, the lines will show thinness and thickness based on the movement of the pen, but it will still have no grid of dots. Look closely at a page of a magazine, and you will see the dots I'm speaking of in any photo.

If you still have doubts, you will have to do research on the celebrity to see other examples of their signature, and also find out if your autograph comes from a specific event. If so, you might be able to find out if that celebrity actually was attending that event, which would help your case for realness.

Finally, there are some signature experts out there who can authenticate your Autographs, but I don't currently know how expensive their services are. I make sure to get all my autographs personally or from reputable sellers who have a good reputation from buyers more experienced than myself.