A GUIDE TO COLLECTING AUTOGRAPHS AND SIGNATURES ON EBAY

Do you collect autographs?  Are you tired of paying outrageous prices at card shows and shops?  Are you too worried about forgeries to buy autographs on eBay?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then this guide is for you!

Most of the people reading this have come to the realization that the majority of the items they want to obtain can be found on eBay, and usually at better prices than in stores or shops.  For many items, it is crystal clear and an easy choice, you just can’t go wrong.  However, there are also items that are much more difficult to deal with, such as autographs.

For those of us that like collecting autographs, and have turned to eBay as a source of acquiring them, we are regularly confronted with many questions about prices, and then the big one: “how do I know the autograph is real?”  There are a few ways to be certain but more often than not you’re left evaluating the situation yourself.  If this is what must be done there are a few guidelines that you can follow to help ensure your eBay experience keeps you safe and leaves you satisfied.

INCREASE YOUR ODDS

In opening, the only way to be certain of an autograph’s authenticity, besides obtaining it in person, is to have it evaluated by one of the independent autograph authenticators with whom eBay has established a relationship.  You can find more information about those companies, and other authenticators, here.  If the item has not already been authenticated by one of these companies you’ll have no way of being absolutely certain of its authenticity.

At this point, your only recourse is to increase your odds of purchasing a genuine item by educating yourself.  Fortunately, there are many factors that will collectively allow you to make a more educated choice.  By following a few simple guidelines you can save some money while increasing the chance that you’ve purchased a genuinely authentic article.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

While this may sound peculiar, the first thing you need to do when buying an autograph is to know precisely what you want.  Specifically, whose signature are you looking for and on what type of item?  By knowing this, and searching completed listings for similar items, you can begin to get an idea of how much money you’ll be spending and you’ll also see previous examples of that celebrity’s authentic signature so as to be more likely to recognize a forgery.  These are both important to know when shopping.  We’ve heard that “something that seems too good to be true usually is,” and that applies here.  If something is significantly cheaper than the completed listings you’ve viewed then there is an increased chance of the item not being authentic.  Another less known technique when selling forgeries is to clearly overprice the item, thus insinuating that “because it is expensive, it must be genuine.”  Be aware of this.  The final price paid is always going to vary and we all know that sometimes you can find an exceptional deal.  However, you must always keep in mind that something could be awry if the price severely deviates from what is considered the normal range.

FIND WHAT YOU WANT

Next you’ll have to find the items that interest you on eBay.  People often don’t realize the importance in this part.  Always keep your search keywords as broad as possible to ensure that you don’t inadvertently eliminate items that may actually be of interest.

For example, I’ve collected data obtained from 9 searches that I recently conducted on eBay.  I have listed respectively: a search number for reference, the exact search criteria/phrase used, and the number of results.

1. Roger Clemens Autographed Baseball - 2 Results
2. Roger Clemens Autograph Baseball - 3 Results
3. Clemens Autographed Baseball  - 5 Results
4. Rodger Clemens - 14 Results
5. Roger Clemons - 19 Results
6. Roger Clemens Autograph - 21 Results
7. Clemens Autograph - 50 Results
8. Roger Clem* Sig* - 82 Results
9. Roger Clem* Auto* - 86 Results

Notice that when being very specific, as in searches #1-3, I received extremely limited results.  There were more listings that misspelled the name, as seen in searches #4 and #5, than listings that actually appeared as you would expect.  If you’ve never used the asterisk symbol (*) as a wildcard when performing your searches you should begin doing so.  The wildcard is used to replace any combination of text that follows the typed text.  You can see an example in searches #8 and #9.  This way, I didn’t have to worry if the last name was spelled correctly or if the item was listed as “autographed,” “autograph,” “signed,” or “signature.”  You won’t believe how many people misspell in their listings.  Sometimes it is an indication that the seller is not entirely professional and may therefore be less trustworthy but other times you can use it to your advantage.  A misspelled item will not be viewed by nearly as many people and therefore has an increased probability of selling for less money than a properly spelled item.  Cal Ripkin or Cal Ripken?  Ken Griffey or Ken Griffy?  I’ve seen them all.  If you can think of a way to misspell it, give it a try; you will save money by doing this.

Also, when conducting your searches you should always be aware of the category in which items are listed.  If an item is listed under “Autographs-Reprints” then you should obviously take a very close look at the description.  It is possible that the seller has mistakenly listed it under this category but more likely than not, it’s a reprint.

KNOW THE SELLER

The reputation of the seller you are dealing with is obviously a very important factor to consider when purchasing anything, let alone autographs.  You should carefully review the seller’s feedback for anything abnormal.  Be sure to look for negatives and neutrals.  Pay specific attention to comments from buyers about the certificate of authenticity or the signature itself.  Comments left by established members with high feedback ratings should be heavily considered when making your decision.  If someone has had a bad experience with the seller you should consider contacting one or both of the members to gather insight into the problem and determine if you may be affected in a similar fashion.  It is important to see what other buyers have left for this seller.

In addition to reading the feedback comments it is advantageous to review purchases made by the seller.  Looking at the items that a seller has purchased can sometimes provide insight.  Is the seller buying autographed items on eBay?  If so, are they being resold?  If that’s the case, you should find out who is selling them cheaper, probably not the seller that’s doing the reselling.  Another important factor to consider under “the reseller” scenario is the feedback of the original supplier on eBay.  The person you’re buying the items from may have good feedback but if they are buying from a seller that has received negatives for selling forgeries then there are increased odds that you’re looking at forged items. 

If you want to know the personality and professionalism of a particular seller just send them an e-mail.  Ask a question about the item.  If you don’t have a question about the item, make one up.  Ask a question that’s answered in the description if you want to, it doesn’t matter.  This will provide you with several hints.  First off, did you get a response at all?  If not, what do you think service is going to be like once your money is already in this person’s pocket?  If you did get a response, was it timely, courteous, and professional?  If not, what does that say of the seller's product?

CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY

Another very important factor to consider is whether or not the seller is offering a certificate of authenticity, or COA, with the item.  If so, who is it from?  The companies that have established relationships with eBay are the most trustworthy, however there are many authenticators out there, some more reputable than others. 

When viewing certificates you will have to use your best judgment.  If the certificate appears to be something that you can make on your computer given time, then the chances are that someone else has done exactly that.  The more reputable companies have begun using matching holograms on the items and certificates as a means of combating forgery.  Unfortunately, this does not entirely eliminate the problem.  If you are uncertain as to the authenticity of a COA you can always run the company name through an internet search engine to obtain some information.  If you don’t find much information about the company on the internet then you have reduced odds that the certificate is valid and you may be dealing with a forged item. 
 
You can review eBay’s autograph policy, including a list of authenticators that have been deemed unacceptable to eBay, by clicking here.

SOURCE AND HISTORY OF ITEM

You can also use the source, or history, or an autographed item as a factor in determining its authenticity.  You’ll come to realize that genuine items obtained by individuals, and not companies, usually come along with an elaborate or heartfelt story.  If it’s from an autograph hound or a big sports fan it’s usually a story that you’ll hear even if you don’t want to.  A true autograph enthusiast will be ready with every detail about how and where they met this star or how they managed to get the autograph.  Be weary of items being advertised as obtained in miscellaneous “lots” or at the ever ambiguous “estate sale.”  If someone says they got it at a card show or signing they should have the date or a little story to go with it.  Again, it doesn’t mean you’re looking at a forgery if there is no story and it came from a garage sale.  However, you’ve further decreased your odds of obtaining an authentic item if this is the case.

RETURN POLICY

You should always pay attention to the seller’s return policy and the details therein.  If a seller is auctioning a genuine item, and has no worries as to the item’s authenticity, then they should have no problem offering a full refund in the event that you are not satisfied.  Offering a refund is a simple guarantee of satisfaction for the buyer.  In this case, the only satisfaction required is authenticity.  Therefore, if someone is unwilling to offer a refund then they are not guaranteeing the authenticity of the signature.  Now we have someone selling “authentic” autographs but they are not even offering their personal assurance that the autograph is actually “authentic.”  I doubt you’d buy my “Brand New” car if I couldn’t at least give you my personal guarantee that it is “brand new.”

We all understand that a seller may be inexplicably opposed to offering refunds as they don’t want anyone “pulling a switch” on them.  Like all of the other factors we are considering, this one alone does not solely indicate authenticity or a lack thereof.  However, it seems pretty logical that if someone does not offer a refund they do not have confidence in their own item’s authenticity. 

QUICK OPINION

Last but not least is one of the invaluable services that eBay now offers in conjunction with two of the most reputable autograph authenticators in the industry.  PSA/DNA offers a QuickOpinion on their website and through ebaysports.com.  For $7.49 they will evaluate any item being sold as an autograph on eBay and give a quick opinion as to whether or not the item is likely genuine.  Understand that this is not a 100% guaranteed authentication but only an opinion as to whether the item is likely genuine.  This service is the best choice you have in getting a reliable and reputable, yet quick and cheap, opinion as to the authenticity of an autograph.  The added benefit here is that they work in conjunction with eBay.  Therefore, items that are determined as potential forgeries are reported to eBay so that the items and the sellers can be dealt with accordingly.  Every time a fake is found you are not only saving on a bad investment but you are making eBay a safer place for everyone to conduct business.

If you are purchasing an item for more than $20 then you should really consider using this service.  After all, if you’re not willing to spend a few dollars to ensure your investment is worthwhile then how interested are you in protecting yourself?

CONCLUSION

Have you done your homework on the item?  Did you research your seller?  Is there some history or a COA?  How do your odds look?  Can you get the item at a fair price?  Once you’ve gone through and thoroughly answered these questions you should be able to formulate a more educated decision on the item that you’ve been thinking about adding to your collection. 

If you are confident that the item is genuine, go ahead and buy it.  If not, consider paying a professional to help protect your investment.  After all, if you’re not satisfied that your item is authentic then you might as well save the time and money and buy a reprint!

Good Luck!!