Purchsing Autogpahed Sports Cards.  What You Need To Know.

There are certain things to consider when buying autographed items of any sort, from cocktail napkins to baseball cards, any autographed item can be fake.

When purchashing autographed sports cards, consider the following.

• Feedback

Always consider a sellers feedback when making any purchase, but especially with autographs.  I would personally reccomend a seller with at least 97.5% positive rating.

A high number of feedback is not always a good thing.

Be sure to check for negative feedback comments.  Most sellers that have been around Ebay for a while, will have a few negatives.  Things happen.  Mail gets lost.  Make sure that you read the negative comments.  If there are numerous "item not received" comments, check to see if the seller has replied to them and see if they out weigh the positive comments or not.

• Authenticity Issues

Many people, most likely people new to the collecting hobby, can easily be suckered into purchasing an autograph that has a COA (Certificate of Authenticity/Authentication) with it.  The fact of the matter is, that a COA can be printed from any printer, and more often than not, aren't worth the paper that they are printed on.

If a person is selling a fake autograph, then they won't hesitate to include a COA. 

Many COA's that are included along with cards, are just printed on business card sized paper, and just say the generic "This is garunteed authentically signed by________" 

Trust a COA only if it has at least one of the following 

1. A Hololgram Sticker
2. An Embossed Stamp

• Card Company Certified Autographs

Perhaps pne of the best ways to go about collecting autographs without worrying about the authenticity are to collect autographed cards that are certified by the manufacturer (Topps, Upper Deck, Bowman, Fleer, etc).  Any autograph that is certified by the card manufacturer has either been witnessed in person, or sent to them by the player on the card.  Some of these can be relatively cheap if you dig through some sellers' stores.

• Tips For When Purchasing An Autographed Card

Do a bit of research on the player in question's autograph.  Compare the item you wish to purchase with some other autographed items.  A simple search of google, or even other ebay listings, is the best way to do this.  If the item in question seems to match the others, it's probably alright to go ahead and make the purchase.  If it doesn't, then it is most likely a forgery and should be kept away from.

See if the seller is registed with PSA/DNA or GIA, etc.  This will hellp to ensure the authentication.

Try to get an autographed card that is in good condition and is signed in some form of Permanent (Magic) Marker.  Preferably a Sharpie.  Avoid pen signatures, and especially pencil signatures.  As both pen, and definately pencil autographs, fade drasticaly over time.  Magic Markers will fade as well, but will not do so near as soon. 

• "Buyer Beware"

There are many things to beware of when considering your purchase.  Consider the following:

1. If the seller is selling a lot of autographed items, make sure that the autographs aren't in the same hadwritting.  Many sellers will be selling differnt player autographs, but the handwritting will be the same.  This is one of the most easily avoidable scams.
2. Make sure that the player that supposedly signed the card is still living.  Many sellers will say that they got it in person a few months ago, when the player has been dead for years
3. Another thing to avoid is sellers that don't accept paypal.  Regardless of whether or not you were going to use it to pay.  Paypal is more secure that a money order or a chashier's check and shady sellers tend to stay away from it because of it's higher refund rate than money orders and cashier's checks.
4. Sellers that keep their feedback private, yet have a lot of feedback left for them, can be risky.  Since you have no idea what kind of negative remarks were left, you have nothing to judge them on.
5. Be wary of sellers that mention that they use runners at autograph shows, banquets, etc.  Often times, this isn't true and can't be trusted at all.
6. If the seller has a photo of the athlete signing an item.  Make sure the item in the photo, is the item your are buying.  Often times, sellers will have multiple listings over a few week period and use the same photo each time.
7. Use common sense when it comes to prices.  If a player charges $100 for an autograph.  You won't be buying it, not on ebay at least, for $15.
8. Remeber that COA's are often as fake as the autograph, and can mean absolutely nothing.

• Storage Tips

Once you have your autographed cards, now the question is "How to Store Them?"

There are many ways to store them.  Among the most popular are Toploaders, Screwdowns, and 9-pocket pages.

The choice is up to you.  But let me help you get to know your choices.

Toploaders -  Reasonably priced, these are perhaps the best way to store them.  The stiff plastic provides protection from getting bent, as well as scratches and smears.  Put the card in a thin plastic sleeve (Penny Sleve) to make the card go in easier.

Screwdowns -  If you're looking for a safe way to store your cards, these are by far the safest.  The extra thick plastic is impossible to bend without breaking it.  Once sealed in properly, it prevents most bugs and dust from getting in.  These are rather expensive, and I reccomend using these only for your valuable autographs.  These come in sizes ranging from the thickness of a normal CD case to 2 inch thick Lucite screwdowns.

9-Pocket Pages - If you need a cheap and efficient way to store your autographed cards.  This is the route to take.  Although certainly the cheapest, and most space saving method, they afford the least amount of protection.  The cards could get damaged going into the pockets, and the ones on the top may fall out, if tipped over. 

No matter what you put store your cards in, there is always the chance of the ink running, fading, the card fading, and attracting mold. 

Keep your cards out of direct sunlight and keep them in a cool and dry place.  Attics and Basements are bad places for these collections, and many have been ruined by improper care.

If you should have any questions about autograph authenticty, or storage, don't hesitate to email me through ebay.  I will try to help you out.