AUTOGRAPH CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN

You may find sellers selling Monroe, Hepburn, and big name stars all in one go, also you may find a massive amount of autographs from stars who have just appeared on the scene in a new film just weeks sometimes days after the film has just come out! These are too good to be true items in most cases, most dealers who have their own private collections can take a life time to get Monroe items and other Hollywood Greats from years gone by, so an average seller has no chance! The price also gives this away as a fake or real signature.

Films like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc all have tons of stuff available some of it good some are fakes, because people will buy them, ask yourself, how did they get so many of them. When writing to any celebrity they usually answer with one autograph in most cases and won't sign 20 plus (unless signed for a charity or at a private signing session)! In person, the stars might sign a few if pushed but these stars only came to the UK once or twice to promote the film, if it sounds too risky don't bid!

Fakes can be spotted without checking the signature itself, Elvis signed in silver pen? Sadly he never saw one in his life these new pens are only recent and were not around in his day! Recently I saw a Humphrey Bogart on a brand new index card for a fiver! Someone bid on it! Come on! it would be an old picture, or old autograph book and worth a lot more! When buying autographs think of them like buying a car, if the car was an expensive type but for sale very cheap would you buy it? Yes but only if you knew who was selling it and where it had come from! It’s the same with autographs. Some people get so carried away with autographs they pay more than they would for an average car without checking up first!

Certificates of authenticity can be written by anyone. Remember, a COA is only as valid as the reputation and experience of the person selling it! Also, be aware that a picture of the seller with the star signing the item does not necessarily mean that this is the time that they signed. The seller may have already sold that one and are now faking new ones!

In the mail autographs: Its worth pointing out that many USA stars who sign in the mail get many letters, and take years to come back, some are pre prints, or secretarial, In the UK some stars send out pre-prints others sign okay, some will never sign, it depends who they are and where they are, venues are better than agents in most cases!

Pre-prints: some stars sign one picture and it is printed over and over again, this is not a real signature, even coloured ink can be reproduced. By checking with identical pictures you will see the ink is matt & flat, will not smudge and if in the case of black marker pen will not come through the back of the picture. You have a fake.

Auto pens: normally found in the States but available in the UK a machine which holds a pen (even ones you send) and it reproduces the signature all done on computer, not by the star, most lines have wobbles, when they should not when seen close up.

Secretary: It legal for the stars to pay someone else to sign on their behalf while they are working bringing in the money! Even old stuff like Beatles signatures were copied by their manager, fan club staff and each other in some cases! Kate Beckinsale is one Uk star who uses a secretary and Liz Hurley is doubtful thanks to new reports, a fake update page is always available on www.acogb.co.uk

Rubber stamps: look for smudges. Roger Moore is a good one here, both large and small rubber stamps are used when gaining autographs in the mail from him, and lesser known stars also use them. This can be on your pictures you sent to the star to sign be aware.

Where possible, collect in person, save up go to London and the West End, theatres shows, events, collectors fairs, etc take a friend with a camera, get evidence pick up a flyer get it signed, newspaper cuttings etc all with details of the event are helpful for the signatures history and should be collected with any signatures you get and stored with them. Avoid trading unless you are happy with the person you are swapping with, and enjoy the hobby!

Keeping autographs: Slip in albums not sticky peel back holiday albums, never use tape or glue, the value drops as soon as any autograph is damaged, when framing use cardboard mount to stop signature sticking to glass, and hang away from sunlight.

Football Signatures

IN PERSON FOOTBALL AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING

Sports Autographs and Sporting Memorabilia

Sports Autographs and Sporting Memorabilia are becoming hugely popular and a big business not just in USA but now in UK. Unfortunately, there are lots of bogus sellers supplying fakes/forgeries on the marketplace, particularly Ebay. The best advice I would give is to look for the provenance of autograph - more information to where & when and date it was obtained. Review more details regarding the company/individual look for past feedback history/past sales/past comments. More importantly look for as much proof that can be supplied with autograph to authenticate the signature is genuine.

Remember you are spending a lot of money and want to spend wisely. You are also making an investment as well which may be worth a lot more money in years to come. If making a sale of a high profile star/celebrity you should look to get as much positive information to support claim that item is authentic. It should be written on Certificate of Authenticy so you have it in writing - company/sellers name/address/tel number/email address.

Don't go for cheapest price as well - memorabilia doesn't really operate like shopping for a new cd. The rarer high profile stars/celebs with good provenance/supporting evidence fetch far higher in value as more proof is offered to support claim. Muhammad Ali signed photos under £40 on Ebay. Muhammad Ali's manager has set up a company called Online Authentics these are the sole suppliers of Muhammad Ali signed items - they are not £50 for a photo or £100 but you are buying a genuine Muhammad Ali signed product and not a worthless fake/forgery. The company was set up to stop and raise awareness of the increasing Ali fakes/forgery's evident today. Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Diego Maradona and Pele' are probably the most forged items and fetch high prices. I would recommend using only Online Authentics for Muhammad Ali signed items. Its an investment in years to come a Muhammad Ali signed glove with an Online Authentics Certificate of Authenticy would fetch 10 times as much as a non Online Authentics Muhammad Ali glove with no provenance. Online Authentics do supply several memorabilia dealers in the UK. If you go for cheaper option you could still pay £100 plus for a possible worthless forgery.

Private Signings - Public Signings these are also excellent ways to guarantee you are getting a genuine/authentic autograph. Again don't be put off by the high prices this is usually due to amount of expense player/agent has charged so seller has to make a profit and a living. All sorts of costs/overheads included transport/traveling fees/location booking/merchandise expense/fee for player/agent.

Football Professional Player Issue Items - Matchworn/Match Issue

Football player issue clothing is also very popular not just in UK but all over the World. A matchworn jersey from Bobby Moore in 1966 World Cup Final wouldn't you love to have that framed on your wall!!

Matchworn - this is a term used to describe that shirt/shorts/socks/boots/gloves/ball were actually used/worn in a game. This usually fetches the higher price of Professional Player items and conforms to relevant match specifications to professional or international level.

Match Issue/Match Prepared - this means that item is to relevant match specifications to professional or international level.

Sometimes an item can be confirmed as being matchworn and a detailed game shirt/item was used in can be confirmed. If it was an English Premiership game then a English Premiership badge will be on shirt. Sometimes you know shirt is matchworn but cannot confirm exact details of game it was worn in so it stated as being matchworn in that season.

If a shirt cannot be confirmed as being matchworn then it is either Match Issue/Match Prepared it is wrong to say its matchworn if it cannot be confirmed as matchworn items are more valuable.

Specifications this is rather complicating as various specifications regarding sizing of numbers/player lettering/badges differ from each country and each event i.e domestic games to international games. Basically, a professional player issue shirt is very different to a ordinary replica purchased in a retail shop. Several reasons - Professional issue item was specifically made for team and sometimes specifically/individually for player whereas replica are made for general public - Differences in origin/manufacture, replicas may be produced in another country to professional issue item - The stitching and labelling can be different more advanced and stronger on professional issue - Additional and sometimes different material used in production of professional issue clothing. There are set regulations regarding actual sizing of lettering/numbering/badges/sponsor logos.

Beware of Bogus Sellers of Matchworn Items!!

It was brought to my attention that a seller is supplying fake matchworn proclaimed shirts. Alot of high profile original matchworn shirts are being copied in far east and being sold within UK as being genuine article. It is worth checking for more specific details on actual details of shirts i.e how it was obtained, sizing, lettering, material, origin on label etc And try to find a picture of a player wearing that shirt to as nearest to the date of the shirt i.e season of shirt

Matchworn shirts fetch a reasonable price particularly if its a high profile player and from a high profile game/tournament - David Beckhams England shirt from 2002 World Cup versus Argentina or Wayne Rooney's hatrick debut shirt from The Champions League. Always try and get as much information as you can and provenance/detail/proof are important.