Autographs on eBay: How to Judge your Friends from Foes

Over the past few years, autograph sales on eBay have gone through theroof. Sellers from across the globe have set a precedent for eBay to bea cheap and easy way to view and buy a vast variety of autographs.Although there is an incredible array of the most elegant andtantalizing collectibles available to anyone with the internet, a largeportion of the autographs on offer are not what they seem.There are many unscrupulous autograph sellers on eBay who offer some ofthe most horrendous forgeries for which people seem to be willing topay large sums of money. For example, there was an auction for salelast year for a John Lennon record "hand signed", even though thecopyright date for the record was several years after his death. Thisguide contains a few small tips to keep in mind when you are planningto purchase an autograph.Many sellers offer a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) with theirautographs. This is a document that apparently guaranteestheauthenticity of the autograph. This document is barely worth the paperon which it is printed. Anyone with a printer can produce a CoA. Forsome reason, buyers tend to be less inclined to purchase autographsunless they have this piece of paper. Keep in mind that a CoA does notincrease the value or credibility of the autograph. It is much moreimportant to trust the seller.Many buyers tend to focus on a seller's feedback. This is definatelysomething that is important, but not paramount. The vast majority ofpeople who purchase autographs from eBay are starting a collection anddo not have experience in determining forgeries. Therefore, many peoplewill buy autographs and leave positive feedback for sellers, simplybecause their item arrived in the mail. Accordingly, the seller buildsup a large positive reputation. Many of these sellers with largereputations are deserving of this praise, whereas there are othersellers who sell thousands of forgeries every month, racking up ratingsof over 100,000.The best way to discover whether or not an autograph is authentic is tocompare it to a known authentic example. Most celebrity's website willhave a scan of their autograph somewhere on it. It is highly unlikelythat the autograph you are looking to buy will look identical to theautograph on the website. Think about how different your signaturelooks every time you sign a credit card slip. The important factor toconsider is the style of handwriting. For example, look at the angle onwhich the name is written; Are there any unique calling cards, such asdouble loops or overlapping letters; does the autograph end with a longstroke or a well defined letter; Does the autograph look like it hasbeen written slowly (many forgers will trace an autograph slowly,however jaggered writing is a dead giveaway of a forged autograph);etc. After a while, you will become somewhat of an expert onhandwriting, and you will be able to identify a forged autograph a mileaway.Another important issue is pre-printed autographs. This is when an itemhas been hand signed by a celebrity, then the signed photo isreproduced (photocopied) and printed as another photo. This means thatthe autograph is now a part of the photo. The is a cheap alternative toan expensive hand signed autograph. Many sellers only sell pre-printedautographs, and this is completely legitimate. However, a seller MUSTidentify the item as pre-printed. When looing at an eBay listing, readthrough the description thoroughly before bidding. Many sellers usevery obscure wording in their description to lead you to believe thatthe autograph has been hand signed, even though they never actually sayso. If you have any doubts, write an email to the seller and clearlyask them to verify if the autograph is hand signed or pre-printed. Ifyou still have your doubts, then don't bid. There is nothing worse thanspending good money on something you don't want.Autograph collecting can be one of the most exhilarating hobbies. Thethrill received from possessing an item that a celebrity has touchedand written on is something many people crave. But you must rememberone thing: People who obtain the autographs in person spend countlesshours acquiring these autographs, and as such they would not be willingto sell them for nothing, A simple rule is this: If it's too good to betrue, it probably is. Educate yourself before spending any money anddiscover your friends from your foes in the eBay autograph world.