While the recent exposure of some phony autographs on genuine T206 cards isn’t the biggest scandal in hobby history, it may be in the early stages and certainly worth the discussion it’s generating. On Wednesday, more fakes emerged including a Frank Baker, fully authenticated, that sold at auction for over $24,000 just one month ago. It's the latest in a … [Read more...]
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Editor’s Blog: Autographed T206 Forgeries Uncovered
Signed pre-War baseball cards can sell for a pretty penny. Authentic examples are rare, largely because collecting autographs on cards wasn’t really a widespread practice until much later and many of the players were dead when it became commonplace. Authentic autographs on T206 and Goudey sets are out there, but they're generally limited to players who lived long … [Read more...]
Philly TV Investigative Report Focuses on Coach’s Corner
A Pennsylvania man who says he spent $13,000 over two years on autographed items purchased through Coach's Corner Sports Auctions says he's now learned he bought forgeries. Paul Wedding contacted the investigative unit at Philadelphia ABC-TV affiliate WPVI and the station aired a story during its 11 PM newscast Tuesday. For years, Coach's Corner has been a lightning rod … [Read more...]
New Video Shows Dealer Ejected from NSCC Over Suspected Bogus Autographs
Newly released police video taken at this summer’s National Sports Collectors Convention shows the dealer whose booth was shut down over autograph authenticity concerns claiming the signed items he was selling were “decorative items.” At the same time, Tony Podsada says those same autographs “are real. They’ve been looked at by our experts.” Podsada, … [Read more...]
Updated: Dealer Booth Shut Down Over Fake Autographs
A dealer at the National Sports Collectors Convention had his booth shut down and his autographed items confiscated by police Thursday at the I-X Center. Fellow dealers alerted show officials and investigators from the Cleveland Police Financial Crimes Unit soon arrived on the scene, confiscating numerous containers, wrapped items and boxes believed to be carrying phony … [Read more...]
Notes: UK Autograph Forgery Bust; Bee Hive Hockey Exhibit; Panini Honors ’98 Redemption; Brady Still on Fire
Think sports autograph fraud is only a North American problem? Think again. Prosecutors in the UK say they've arrested 46-year-old David Rennie, charging him with running a phony autograph scheme that lasted nine years and defrauded 4,500 people to the tune of over $1 million U.S. Law enforcement agencies say Rennie and his estranged wife would buy replica … [Read more...]
Sports Illustrated Chronicles Rise and Fall of Fake Autograph Ring
For the past three years, we’ve been following what turned out to be a major sports autograph fraud ring, spearheaded by a former college and semi-pro baseball player from Ohio. The case, which was prosecuted by the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office but also involved agents from the FBI, involved the sale of over 27,000 fake items sold on eBay over several years to … [Read more...]
Owner of Steel-Town Memorabilia Pleads Guilty to Selling Fakes
A 38-year-old South Carolina man has pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking in counterfeit goods including some autographed memorabilia that wasn’t real. Evidence presented at a change of plea hearing established that Joshua D. Korb ran an online eBay store called Steel-Town Memorabilia. The investigation was initiated from a request by the NFL … [Read more...]
Confiscated Equipment from Phony Autograph Case to be Donated
When investigators shut down a phony sports memorabilia ring in Ohio, they discovered thousands of items that were being used to hold those fake autographs. Stacked on pallets were jerseys, helmets and enough baseballs, footballs and basketballs to equip more than a few athletic teams. It seemed like a shame to throw it all away but the items that had fake autographs … [Read more...]
Maryland Man Gets 5-Year Sentence for Selling Fake Autographs
A Maryland man who sold fake autographs signed on fake jerseys will have plenty of time to think about it. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Friday that Joshua Aaron Shores, age 44,has been sentenced to five years in prison for the $2.5 million dollar fraud scheme. According to United States Attorney Bruce D. … [Read more...]
