Collectibles and Memorabilia

Are You At Risk Of Falling For Sports Memorabilia Fraud?

The sports memorabilia market has long been a target for fraudsters and scam artists. It has been all too easy to pass off a collectible with a fake signature or an item presented as the real deal. If you want to know how to avoid falling for some of the tricks and protect yourself from losing substantial money then read on.

Your first duty is to shop with reputable dealers who you trust. You can feel confident that the collectibles you purchase are authentic and high-quality. If a dealer cannot show proof of authenticity then walk away.

Always remember the golden rule that if a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Ask yourself this, would a reputable dealer dramatically under price something? You may well get lucky and find a private seller who doesn’t realise what they have…but the chances are slim to say the least.

The area that is toughest to avoid forgeries is when you’re collecting cards or autographed items. It will come as no surprise that the most well known cards are the most forged. Do your research as to which ones are most at risk and find out how you can distinguish between authentic and fraudulent.

If you’re shopping online for easily faked autographed items then you’re asking for trouble. According to a study done by PSA, a major grading company for sports collectibles, less than half of all autographed items on the market today are authentic; only 20 percent of all Lou Gherig items found for sale were genuine. When buying online make sure that you can return it for a full refund if an authentication service determines that it is a fake. Even better, make it your policy to only purchase  items that have been pre-authenticated by a reputable company.

If you can, examine the autograph next to a known autograph of the player. Clearly it should look very similar, however, identical is not necessarily a good thing. Athletes sign thousands of items and often do it at speed so there is likely to be slight variation.Identical suggests clever printing machinery.

Many dealers provide photographic or even video evidence of the signing session where a particular item was signed. Still, this is not fool-proof. It is likely that the particular athlete in question has signed many items that appear similar to the one you’re interested in purchasing. There is no real proof that the item in the photograph or video is the actual item being offered for sale, but it is still a good sign that the particular shop is trustworthy.

Be wary of those who claim to have a whole stack of items signed by the same star. Most athletes will be willing to sign a shirt, a card, or a program for a devoted fan, but they won’t be willing to sign a whole stack of items for someone who’s clearly a dealer. Plus, most athletes charge for their autographs.

If an athlete charges $175.00 for his autograph, you are not going to buy it fo $25.00. Some stars have affiliated themselves with one dealer to ensure that it is clear that any item provided by another dealer is unofficial. Autographed Sports Memorabilia is not run-of-the-mill. If you see an unknown dealer offering items from nearly every popular athlete, be wary. There is almost no way that this no-name vendor could amass such a collection.

Dealing in authenticated or graded collectibles is a great way to avoid fakes.Many authenticating services specialize solely in autograph authentication. These companies have dealt with thousands of such autographs, so they are skilled at spotting the fake ones. Despite this, there is always a chance that a fake will get authentication.The only way to be 100% sure that the autograph is authentic is to watch the athlete sign it yourself.

Be very careful around collectibles that come with a Certificate of Authenticity.A fake COA printed on a personal computer gives the buyer a false sense of security. Many new collectors forget that this is simply a piece of paper, and it too can be forged. Many COAs from reputable companies now include hidden watermarks and other features to prevent counterfeiting.

Not only autographs, but also game-used memorabilia, must be authenticated. Otherwise, who knows who actually wore that kneepad or jersey on the field Remember that game-used collectibles should not look untouched or brand new. Authentication is the only way to show who wore the item, and in which games. If you’re considering purchasing a game-worn or game-used item, do your fact-checking first. Make sure that the player played in the game, and that the game actually occurred. A price guide can also help you determine whether the collectible you are considering is at least plausible. You may be surprised how many collectibles exist for games that never happened!

About the Author

Mark Lewis is author of the exciting new book Your Sports
Memorabilia Guide. To get a complimentary report on how to collect the best sports cards without wasting time and money visit

http://www.yoursportsmemorabiliaguide.com

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