The Basics of Collecting Sports Autographs

It's estimated that up to 90 percent of all sports autographs are fake, according to the FBI. You might be wondering why this statistic is so high. For one, some sports stars simply do not sign autographs. Many of them just don't have time, or don't feel comfortable giving out their signature for various reasons. One notoriously difficult autograph to obtain is that of Michael Jordan. Jordan has rarely ever signed autographs because the frenzied crowds clamoring for his signature posed a safety risk. Tiger Woods is another sports star whose autographs are rare and valuable.

Certain athletes will sign autographs for their fans. For example, boxer George Foreman will give autographs to fans, but is rumored to keep the names of all fans requesting autographs in his computer so when a new request comes in he will know if the person is an actual fan or a collector seeking more merchandise to sell. If you're seeking an autograph from your favorite sports star, there are a couple ways to go about it. If you can safely approach the athlete in person, that's one way. The most likely method of obtaining a signature is writing a polite request for one. However, even if you do that you may not be granted the autograph you're seeking.

Autographs from sports legends are always a hot commodity in the collector's market. For example, a genuine autograph from a baseball legend like Babe Ruth or Joe Dimaggio can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, if not even more than that. Historic autographs from sports stars are not only rare, but many of them are extremely valuable. If you're interested in collecting rare and expensive autographs from legendary athletes, find a good authentication service that can verify and provide authenticity for all your autographs.

The business of collecting sports autographs is one that is full of scammers waiting to take advantage of honest consumers. After all, how hard is it for a dishonest seller to sign an autograph themselves and pass it off as authentic? The unfortunate fact of the matter is that many customers have been duped by scammers who were never brought to justice. To avoid getting ripped off, learn as much as you can about verifying the authenticity of athelete autographs and never pay for something until you know without a doubt that it's the real thing.

Copyright 2007 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Cristiano Ronaldo signing autographs

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