HBO Real Sports, "Fake" Sports Memorabilia COA's, and Ebay service

[Ze-man]

Was a repeat I believe, but one of the stories was about the huge Sports Memorabilia market (mainly items w/signature's ), and how the market has become a quagmire of forged items (w/COA's.).

The story broke down how several people set up companies, took stacks of hats, bats, glove's, cards, jerseys etc...forged the names of all the greats. Sent them in to a known sports guy (Fandigliani?sp?) to recieve his blessing, and a nice shiny COA....Then you can guess what happened, they listed all the items on Ebay, and they all sold for buckets of money.

 

The show Real Sports forged a dozen items themselves..went to this Fandigliani guy..he gave them all COA's...they then sent them to every other known authenticator, and most all sent back the items with with only a few COA's, 2 companies sent back ALL the items with no COA's.

(sidebar... I found out it pays well to be a COA guy, they charge alot!)

 

They interviewed several of the buyers from Ebay , they were the typical Ebayer who had alot of money..but not alot of time(or expertise) to research their hobby when making large $$$ buys. Gotta feel sorry for the guy holding a Babe Ruth sig. after forking over $$$$ and then finding out it was really signed by some guy sitting in his moms garage.

Near the end of the story they went back to how Ebay is offering a service to any Ebayer who is leary of any COA sports item for sale being legit. How Ebay offered an authenticating service through.. SCC/ACC(?sp) I did not dig deep..but when I went to COA Sports stuff on Ebay..that SCC/ACC link, or anything like it was nowhere to be found. Did they stop that service?

 

ANYHOOO... after seeing the HUGE thread started by Pedigreman about starting up a new comic related assc.(which I have yet to read) It got me to thinking how great it would be if ebay would offer a similar service. To ask a 3rd party/website/service/co. if the comic they were looking to buy is a fake, a stolen scan..etc.

A watchdog group so to speak with a logo on top of every comic auction that Ebayers could utilize to sniff out bogus auctions.. How this would work I have no idea.

Cost of running such an operation vs fees to use service, ebay red tape etc, (especially since Ebay habors thieves..gotta be some kind of a conflict of interest on some level)

 

I nominate Redhook for this new position...He can work full time from a small room in the basement(think Officespace), we can also pay him in Green Rivers.

 

 

Ze-

 

 

 

Lastly.. at the end of the story..Gumble asked the ever popular question.. What if the person who bought the item..NEVER finds out if the item is a fake. HE thinks it is real... HE loves it, HE has no intention of reselling it..So WHAT is the harm?

 

Kinda reminded me of pressing and comics.

[MK Ultra]

Yeah, I'm going to need you to come in on Saturday.

[THE_BEYONDER]

It's not that I'm lazy....I just don't care

[Jacey]

I'm gonna need you to *stretch* go ahead and come in on Sunday too. Mkay?

 

I never buy anything autographed because of the possibility of forgery, and COAs are practically worthless, unless myself or someone close I trust got the signature (Have an Ali program auto'd by the man himself, my father got it 25+ years ago, think I'll keep that one!)

[Mr. Zipper]

The story broke down how several people set up companies, took stacks of hats, bats, glove's, cards, jerseys etc...forged the names of all the greats. Sent them in to a known sports guy (Fandigliani?sp?) to recieve his blessing, and a nice shiny COA....

 

The fakes were taken from the warehouse confiscated during the FBI's Operation Bullpen. All the items originated from the Marino Family forgery ring.

 

The one "authenticator" they really nailed was Donald Frangipani. Anyone that knows the hobby knows a Frangipani COA is worthless; Frangipani COAs have also been banned from ebay. Frangipani escaped prosecution from Operation Bullpen, but just barely. He has the reputation among sports collectors that Comic Keys has amongst comic collectors.

 

Near the end of the story they went back to how Ebay is offering a service to any Ebayer who is leary of any COA sports item for sale being legit. How Ebay offered an authenticating service through.. SCC/ACC(?sp) I did not dig deep..but when I went to COA Sports stuff on Ebay..that SCC/ACC link, or anything like it was nowhere to be found. Did they stop that service?

 

PSA/DNA offers some sort of "Quick Opinion" service based on ebay scans. It is still available.

 

It got me to thinking what a great service it would be for ebayers to have the option to ask a 3rd party site/service/co. if the comic they were looking to buy is a fake, a stolen scan..etc.

 

Isn't this CGC for the most part?

 

BTW, one of the authenticators that passed their "tests" with flying colors was my buddy Richard Simon (www.richardsimonsports.com). I just got off the phone with him congratulating him on the story.

 

Yup. All hobbies have their crooks and scammers. The only hobby where there will be no fraud is the hobby where's there no money to be made.

[Ze-man]

Thnx Zippy.. I knew I botched EVERY name in my post.

Glad to hear your buddy is standup..kudos to him.

 

Of course CGC is a 3rd party..but if that Boy comic(or others) was listed on Ebay.. I sure would like to know it was once a 4.0 before bidding.

 

Just a pipedream idea to have such a service.

Perhaps we can just place a link to this forum on every auction page. Ebayers can then use the wonderful "search" system till they find what they need.

 

Ze-

[Mr. Zipper]

Lastly.. at the end of the story..Gumble asked the ever popular question.. What if the person who bought the item..NEVER finds out if the item is a fake. HE thinks it is real... HE loves it, HE has no intention of reselling it..So WHAT is the harm?

 

Kinda reminded me of pressing and comics.

 

Every fake in existance slightly devalues the real exemplars on the market. Try selling a real Mickey Mantle signed photo on ebay. You'll get 1/3 market value because there are more fakes than real and most people don't know the difference.

 

(Kinda like every book pressed up to 9.4 slightly devalues every "natural" 9.4 on the market.)

[Mr. Zipper]

Of course CGC is a 3rd party..but if that Boy comic(or others) was listed on Ebay.. I sure woulda like to know it was once a 4.0 before bidding.

 

Just a pipedream idea to have such a service.

Perhaps we can just place a link to this forum on every auction page. Ebayers can then use the wonderful "search" system till they find what they need.

 

Ze-

 

I think the best shot at something like this happening would not necessariliy be a "pay for service," rather some sort of datamining software.

 

Perhaps some of the programming gurus in the community can devise freeware up to the task.

[Red Hook]

I nominate Redhook for this new position...He can work full time from a small room in the basement(think Officespace), we can also pay him in Green Rivers.

 

 

I could set the building on fire.

[Ze-man]

Perhaps some of the programming gurus in the community can devise freeware up to the task.

 

 

We are only long on lawyers here...sorry..