The eBay BS Game: Questionable items, Stephen King signatures, sellers

[Calla_Wolf]

The ones sold at Battersea were latter printings, but how do you know whether that is one of those?, could just as easily be a true first that the seller brought into the venue to have signed.

Hmmmm - good point

[Sam]

Have we had discussion about this seller yet?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1997-GREEN-MILE-...item27ad52bd8f

Plenty of very VERY VERY questionable signatures (or is just me after a few drinks tonight )

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

What amazes me is the fact he has decided the BCE (which looks like all he has) are not BCE.

Edit: I sent him a message to let him know the Carrie signed he has (of which the sig looks fake but that is a different matter) is a BCE -he states in the auction it isn't because it isn't the right size (from the SK.com site, which is in reference to the original DD BCE's that were smaller then the original books) and doesn't state the BC edition, but had no price and that means it must be a special review copy- and he tells me he has to ask the people at SK.com about this.

My god lets bother Marsha with questions that have obvious answers you really already know but don't want to have to change your listings for all your King items because you want people to think they are worth more then they really are. *breath* Sorry bit of a soapbox there. *steps down*

I reported all of his auctions with signed books, as well as the BCE ones for being fraudulent/ having forged signatures. This seller has sold forged King books in the past and continues to fraudlently list his items. I see no reason to believe the items he has up right now are any different.

[Patrick]

I know you guys like challenges... Out of curiosity, what do you think of this signed baseball?

Signed baseball auction

[jhanic]

I don't like it. I'd need more information as to just when King signed it, etc. (And then I probably STILL wouldn't like it!)

John

[Sam]

I just sent a question asking if they had any provenance beyond the COA regarding the signature. We'll see what their response, if any, is.

[tippy4]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.

2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.

3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

I am no expert on SK sigs, but it looks pretty ligit. If its a fake, the faker did his homework.

That said, I wouldnt pay 500 dollars for a signed ball, even if I watched him sign it himself.

[Patrick]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.

2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.

3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

But, Rick, that's why I prefaced my post with it being a challenge. C'mon, take a look at the ball!

[Sam]

I got an actual reply from the seller. Here it is:

I could write a letter documenting it's authenticity, detailing when and where it was signed if you would like. He signed it for me at Fenway Park earlier this year in Boston. As I'm sure you know, he is a very tough autograph, so this is a nice unique item signed by King. As you can see, it is also authenticated by PSA/DNA the leader in certifying authentic autographs.


"I could write a letter documenting it's authenticity". Hell, I could write a letter authenticating my Liberty Bell replica that's signed by Benjamin Franklin, but that don't mean he signed the damn thing.

[EXPLORER]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.
2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.
3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

reply 1.
KING DOES SIGN BAESBALLS, I have seen him do it at spring traing games in Ft. Myers and I imagine he does at Fenway.. The guy who cuts my lawn has a wife who is a King fan and in lieu of some cuts I gave his wife a signed copy of Duma Key... (2nd printing). However his big request is that I get him a signed baseball if I ever have the opportunity. To each his own...
reply 2. The sig does not look bad to me however as mentioned how neat or consistant can any sig on a baseball be.
reply 3. COA.....s leave me with bogus feelings... I assure you! When do you ever see anything in print that is not the truth?

[ChristineB]

That sig acutally looks alot like the one in my UTD he signed in Atlanta, especially the last name. It is very smooth for a baseball sig too, I would think it would be very difficult to forge a sig on a baseball and get the flurish over the first name that smooth. But, I am no expert. *shrug*

[tippy4]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.

2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.

3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

But, Rick, that's why I prefaced my post with it being a challenge. C'mon, take a look at the ball!

OK OK....

I just looked at it, and the signature actually looks good to me.

That being said, I still would not buy it because...

1. $499.99.....seriously?
2. I am always leary of those "autograph dealers"
3. COAs, as far as I am concerned, do the opposite of what they are supposed to do.

[Rahfa]

My old boss got a signed baseball at Fenway - he used to wave it under my nose to piss me off...

But I would never buy one on auction.

[redsoxfan565]

I know you guys like challenges... Out of curiosity, what do you think of this signed baseball?

Signed baseball auction

This is my signed baseball. As I have said, I will write a letter to anyone who is interested documenting its authenticity. It also comes with a PSA/DNA Certificate of Authenticity. He signed this baseball earlier this year at Fenway Park, before a game he attended versus the Toronto Blue Jays. He usually attends a few games per year, and I have had access to him at various points over the past couple of years.

If you still don't believe the signature is authentic, then I cannot tell you anything else but to check my auctions and look and compare other signatures I have of other people. I will continue to respond to the posts here, and answer any further questions.

Thanks
Nick

[Randall Flagg]

redsoxfan565

Welcome to our Collector's forum. Thanks for coming here and discussing your auction.

[redsoxfan565]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.

2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.

3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

1. Why would he sign a baseball? Why wouldn't he? He is a huge and die hard Red Sox fan. As a Stephen King reader, you should know this, and due to him being a huge Sox fan, a signed baseball is very appropriate to ask him to sign. When I got him, I was able to get him to sign 2 baseballs. He skipped over my 1st/1st It book, but signed 2 books for my friend. He is a very weird guy, and it took me about 32 hours over the course of a weekend to obtain him.

2. I don't forge any signatures. Look at my auctions and look through the signed items I have. Compare the signatures I have of King, and others to other signed items you may/may have seen. I can't say anything else besides that.

3. Not really. While PSA just offers a service of opinion, they are regarded as the number one authentication company in the business.

[redsoxfan565]

I am not going to even look at the auction and still tell you I do not like it.

1. Why would King sign a baseball? I suppose he may have, but it seems odd to me.

2. As a baseball is round amnd bumpy, I think it would be easier to forge the signature and blame any irregularitites on the non-smooth surface.

3. Any seller that offers a COA automatically sets off my fake-dar.

But, Rick, that's why I prefaced my post with it being a challenge. C'mon, take a look at the ball!

OK OK....

I just looked at it, and the signature actually looks good to me.

That being said, I still would not buy it because...

1. $499.99.....seriously?
2. I am always leary of those "autograph dealers"
3. COAs, as far as I am concerned, do the opposite of what they are supposed to do.

1. The auction is priced at $500 and I encourage people to use the best offer on my auctions. I usually tell people in a counter offer what the lowest I can accept is. It does get frustrating if people continue to make offers and bug me to accept lower then what I want, but it is what is. $500 for a unique signed item, that is authentic from King may/may not be a good price. I'm not too worried if it doesn't sell at that price, as I know how tough of a signature King is to obtain, so I know in my mind what he is worth.

2. That's your opinion I guess.

3. How so? Explain please.

[ChristineB]

3. How so? Explain please.

Many of the people on these forums have seen forged sigs that have COA's with them. This tends to taint your view of COA's in general.

[redsoxfan565]

3. How so? Explain please.

Many of the people on these forums have seen forged sigs that have COA's with them. This tends to taint your view of COA's in general.

It depends on where the COA's are from. Have you any proof that PSA authenticated any fake Stephen King's?

[Patrick]

To echo RF's post: Welcome to TDT.com, Nick! We're glad to have you here to discuss your auction, and to the extent that you are a King fan, then all of his work and your interest in it.

In regards to COA's, there is nothing inherently wrong with them, and there are certainly people in the industry of authentication who offer their true, honest opinions. Unfortunately that industry is tainted by the fact that there are many COA's offered by unknown companies on signatures that are clear fakes. So in the spirit of "Buyer beware," many collectors put no stock whatsoever in COA's.

I'm no King signature expert, but I posted the link to your baseball auction mainly because I thought the sig looked pretty good - which in my experience is not the case with non-flat signed surfaces.

Again, welcome to TDT.com, Nick.

On a side note, once you have 5 posts, more member privileges will open to you.

[redsoxfan565]

Patrick--Thank you, and if you are interested in it, send me a pm or an offer on ebay... and maybe we can find a compromise on the price and get a sale going.

Here is a closer view of the baseball:



I'd be happy to offer my opinion on other signed King items.

I guess it doesn't look like I have pm abilities, so talk to me on Ebay if you are still interested.

[redsoxfan565]

To compare, here is a Stephen King baseball that appears to be just listed, that doesn't look authentic.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stephen-King-REA...item5ad53f311d

[tippy4]

In my opinion, most COAs are the equivalent of someone saying TRUST ME. And it is my opinion that people who say TRUST ME are usually liars.

I am not attacking you personally redsoxfan565. As I said above the signature looks good to me. I have just seen a lot of autograph dealers with items that come with COAs that are obviously bogus. I have also seen many "King Signed" baseballs that looked like forgeries.

THIS ONE looks like a forgery to me, and hey look...it comes with a COA.

THIS ONE also looks like a forgery, and hey, another COA.

By my count there are at least 13 Stephen King signed baseballs on ebay right now. Most of the signatures look good to me, but I would would not be surprised if at least 25% of them are forgeries.

As far as King signing a baseball, it still seems odd to me. Yes, I am aware he is a Sox fan, but in my opinion, it would be like a Red Sox player signing one of his books. I did see at least one auction where there is a photo of what appears to be King sigining a ball...so I guess it does happen.

[redsoxfan565]

As far as King signing a baseball, it still seems odd to me. Yes, I am aware he is a Sox fan, but in my opinion, it would be like a Red Sox player signing one of his books.

Stephen is a very weird guy when going for him to sign. His book signings are very strict, and he usually never signs anything but his current book. He doesn't like to sign photos of himself, as he regards that is more for movie stars, but I have seen him sign them before. He didn't sign my book that day, so I pulled the baseballs out and he did them no problem.

I collect for myself a lot of signed baseballs, of baseball players, politicians, celebrities, etc. I also sell a lot of them as well. Getting someone to sign a baseball is unique, but it's not unheard of because of the American significance of baseball. Add that to King being a diehard Sox fan, and asking him to sign a baseball makes more sense. Obviously, the number one choice is to get him to sign a book, but it doesn't always work out that way with him.

[Randall Flagg]

I'd be happy to offer my opinion on other signed King items.

I guess it doesn't look like I have pm abilities, so talk to me on Ebay if you are still interested.

That would be welcome.

Now that you have 5 posts, you should be able to send and receive PM's-if that still is a problem, mention it in your next post.