Authentication?

[dhuxos]

I have 2 mike schmidt cards i got ttm. I heard he had a ghost signer. My "autos" match up pretty well with the ones on steve carltons website. I was going to send one to psa until i found out how much it was for return shipping. I would pay 25 bucks for authentication, but there is no way I am paying 18 for return shipping. I came upon this site called richardsimonsports.com -has anyone had any dealings with him? If so, is he reliable? Thanks

[RealBrianD]

I wouldn't risk it man. No way. I'd just pay the money for a respected authenticator, or not do it at all. Going through a psa type is pricey, but increases the value greatly. If u sell down the road, collectors won't touch something that isn't from the big 4

[cyberer]

Your auto is almost definitely fake if it's schmidt TTM, even if it passes PSA I would still never believe it's real. PSA and other entities are just a tool of raising value of an item for sale. They have nothing to do with "proving" an auto is real or fake to you as a collector.

And never pay for anyone but the big guys in the authentication business. That other guy you posted about would pretty much be the same thing as an ebay COA i.e. meaningless.

Sorry to be so hard on this issue, but it's one I feel fairly strongly about. If it's for your collection and never going to be sold, you should NEVER authenticate.

[yankeesfan1324]

And on top of that, it isn't worth it if you want to sell. You likely can't make the price of authentication + shipping back for it, and people will always doubt it.

[MrBelvedere]

For what it's worth, I was also on the Carlton web site recently and thought the same thing. The purportedly ghost signed Schmidt autographs posted as "success" in the TTM Manager look like the autographs for sale on Carlton's site. It made me wonder (i) if people here are wrong about the ghost signing or (ii) if Carlton is selling fakes at $100 each or (iii) the ghost signer is doing a great job through the mail.

[cyberer]

Good ghost signer. Have you ever met schmidt? Yeah... that guy isn't doing TTM.

Carlton is an awesome dude. Humble as hell. Schmidt is a jerk.