Autographs are one of the most exciting parts of sports memorabilia, but also one of the riskiest.
This category focuses on signed items, COAs, holograms, authentication companies, signature changes, fake autographs, and the small details collectors should pay attention to before buying. That includes Michael Jordan, Upper Deck Authenticated, Fanatics COAs, LeBron signature changes, Maradona, Pelé, fake PSA slabs, and other authentication issues in the hobby.
A clean signature is not always safe. A shaky signature is not always fake. The item, surface, signing period, provenance, authentication, and seller all matter.
I write about autographs from a collector’s point of view: what looks right, what feels wrong, where the market puts trust, and why paperwork alone is not always enough.
I recently saw a Diego Maradona mural on the wall of a bar. That is not unusual. Maradona is still everywhere in football culture, especially when Napoli, Argentina, or the number 10 are part of the setting. What caught my attention was the painted signature next to the mural. This was obviously not a real … Read more
Today I want to look at a question that matters a lot in modern sports memorabilia: Are Fanatics COAs legit? I am using a real example from my own collection: a signed Victor Wembanyama basketball from Fanatics. Wembanyama is already one of the most important young names in basketball, and after becoming one of the … Read more
LeBron James autographs have always been among the most important signatures in the modern sports card market. But if you look closely, his autograph has not stayed the same over time. That is especially interesting now because new Topps cards have appeared with LeBron signatures that look noticeably different from what many collectors are used … Read more
Over the last few years, fake PSA slabs have become much more common across marketplaces, Facebook groups, trade forums, and private sales. A lot of collectors still assume that a PSA slab automatically guarantees authenticity, but after recently inspecting several counterfeit slabs in hand, I no longer think a certification number alone means very much … Read more
Photomatching is still one of the strongest ways to verify game-used sports memorabilia. A jersey, shoe, helmet, bat, glove or ball can sometimes be matched to a real game photo by looking at details that are unique to that item. That can include stitching, stains, loose threads, wrinkles, dirt marks, scuffs, manufacturer quirks, number placement, … Read more
Autograph grading autographs — or any signed collectible — has become more than just a way to verify authenticity. It’s a financial strategy. A slabbed signature carries weight in the hobby, adds legitimacy, and can drastically increase resale value. But the real question is: Does grading actually maximize your return on investment? Everyone loves to … Read more
Great news may be on the horizon for U.S.-based trading card collectors: PSA grading turnaround times could see a significant improvement — at least temporarily — as the company has paused all international submissions to its U.S. facilities due to newly expanded tariffs. Following a wave of steep tariffs announced by the U.S. government, PSA … Read more
The historic baseball that Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit out of Miami’s LoanDepot Park last month has now become the most expensive baseball ever sold at auction. At an auction hosted by Goldin, the ball fetched an astounding price of $4.39 million. This ball marked Ohtani’s 50th home run of the season, making … Read more
Long before fans could read the sponsor logos, they already knew who was coming. A bright yellow helmet with green and blue stripes appeared in the distance — and everyone instantly recognized Ayrton Senna. Even decades after his final season in Formula 1, the design remains one of the most iconic visual symbols in motorsport … Read more
