Fake autograph question

[HOF collecting]

My question is who trusts PSA, JSA?
I see very bad stuff all the time...
Here are some.

[Ryanpmeyer]

I do NOT trust a god damn thing from James Spence! He is a crook

[GoWarrior]

I don't trust PSA/DNA or James Spence either. Back in the late 90s when the FBI was investigating the autograph industry with Operation Bullpen I remember seeing a story on 60 Minutes or some such show where those guys were passing all sorts of forged autographs. It's important to remember that authentication services are only giving their "expert" opinion... not a 100% foolproof judgement. And as we all know, opinions aren't always correct anyway.

Back to the core topic here, one excellent signer who I always have thought was fake is Lawrence Taylor. I've been meaning to start a thread on this for a while to open it up for discussion, but the LT sigs that come in TTM I don't think match up with certified autos (Steiner, IP, etc). Taylor has been a "good signer" for a long time and the TTM signature has been consistent over time but I think it could just be that he's had the same secretary/assistant/whatever signing his mail for a long time.

[cyberer]

that's interesting. I also thought the timing of some successes around his legal troubles was questionable as well, but i never really thought about it.

[indyreds]

I have traded TTM cards and IP cards in the past. I suggest when you can get a scan I have been very happy with the trades I have made and only one guys stuff looked odd to me. I just pitched his stuff as it did not look right and I did not want it mixed with the stuff I thought was good. I only trade doubles for guys I need. It works well for the most part, but I do prefer trade partners who have a history on the site I am trading on. It is great to be able to look some of those successes up and see them posted over a year ago in something like our TTM Database. Guys with a strong track record and active on the boards are less likely to try to stiff a fellow member of their autograph community. TTM/IP trades are at your own risk in my mind on authenticity as there is no COA, but should you find out upon arrival that the stuff all looks fake then ask to reverse the trade imediately. Any doubts heading into it do not do it or ask for scans first!

[Hawaiian Bam Bam]

i wouldnt trust psa/dna, jsa or any of the autheticators here is why, look at this trevor hoffman auto, to tell you how much attention they pay to this stuff(which this shows they dont), look at what type of card they said this was..a 1958 topps #112, really...trevor hoffman of the padres played in 1958? it goes to show you that they are quickly looking at cards as more cards mean more money to them. money, money, money...the root of all evil!

take a look at it :
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

i have been collecting autos for almost 40 years, most are not certified but ttm. my 2 cents worth is, forget about getting them authenticated. if you are trying to keep them for yourself and not sell them or trade them you dont need authentication. save that money you would pay psa/dna for their "opinion" (you know what they say about opinions, opinions are like....well you know the rest!) and buy more stamps for ttm requests! really, though others opinions are just that, i mean psa/dna and jsa opinions are no different than paying a friend or neighbor $40 to tell you whether or not they "think" your auto is fake or not. id rather have an ip/ttm auto versus a psa/dna auto anyday!..as always, just my 2 cents worth.