Top 20 Forged Autographs of 2015 – The hobby of collecting autographs from sports figures and entertainment personalities can be a rewarding and profitable experience. It is also ripe with opportunities for fraud often resulting in significant financial loss for even the most experienced of collectors.
Each year, the industry’s leading autograph authentication company, PSA/DNA, compiles a list of the most forged items the company has been consigned to authenticate in the past twelve months. In 2015, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, NHL All-Star Sidney Crosby and reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry have been added to the latest buyer-beware list of frequently forged sports stars’ autographs.
They join other familiar athletes’ names, including Muhammad Ali, Derek Jeter and Babe Ruth, on PSA/DNA’s 2015 “Most Dangerous Autographs” list.
“There’s probably less than a 50/50 chance that autographs of many sports stars being offered in the marketplace are genuine,” cautioned Joe Orlando, President of PSA/DNA.
Here are the “Most Dangerous Sports Autographs” of 2015 as compiled by PSA/DNA
- Babe Ruth
- Lou Gehrig
- Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio
- Michael Jordan
- Muhammad Ali
- Mike Trout
- Tom Brady
- Derek Jeter
- Stephen Curry
- Sidney Crosby
“There are a lot of so-called ‘deals’ for autographs that can be found online, at local flea markets and even at some collectibles conventions, but most of those ‘deals’ are simply too good to be true. Genuine autographs do not often sell for a huge discount,” warned Orlando.
“Whether it’s the signature of a famous sports hero, an entertainment star or an important historical figure, it’s important that consumers buy from reputable sellers who use credible, expert third-party authentication.”
In 2015, PSA/DNA experts evaluated over 400,000 autographs submitted by collectors and dealers worldwide.
“Unfortunately, just as in past years, a large portion of them were forgeries. In fact, it’s not uncommon for us to reject 50 percent or more of the signatures submitted to our company, especially when it comes to the more prominent names,” explained PSA/DNA Principal Authenticator Steve Grad.
In addition to the company’s list of “Most Dangerous Sports Autographs” an additional list of ten entertainment figures and pop culture celebrities were included to form the Top 20 Forged Autographs of 2015.
Here are the “Most Dangerous Entertainment Autographs” of 2015 as compiled by PSA/DNA:
- The Beatles
- Elvis Presley
- Neil Armstrong
- John F. Kennedy
- Michael Jackson
- Marilyn Monroe
- Led Zeppelin
- Jimi Hendrix
- The Rolling Stones
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens Cast
You can read the full report and examine genuine signatures of the personalities on the list of Top 20 Forged Autographs of 2015 at PSA/DNA’s official website.
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