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How to Tell if an Autograph Is Authentic

Autograph collecting is a time-honored hobby with mass appeal. Because of the popularity and value of autographs, fakes exist. Familiarizing yourself with a few simple fraud-identification techniques may save you grief and money. Many fraudulent autographs are sophisticated reproductions, so it's important to test your autograph's validity in multiple ways. The more scrutiny your autograph endures without being branded a fake, the greater the likelihood you have an authentic autograph.

Instructions

- 1
  Compare the autograph to a professionally authenticated autograph of the same celebrity. Authentication services such as Professional Sports Authenticator and Beckett offer reliable authenticating services. If you can compare a genuine signature to an unauthenticated autograph, you can greatly increase your odds of making a correct determination.
- 2
  Hold the autograph up to the light. If the ink of the autograph is too light or had equal pressure applied throughout the name, it is likely a fake.
- 3
  Examine the autograph to see if an autopen may have been used. An autopen is a machine that uses a pen to replicate original handwriting. If a name is signed with a pen, the nib will cut through wet ink to produce "tunnels" and "bridges" that are visible through a magnifying glass. These "tunnels" and "bridges" will not occur if an auto-pen was used to create the autograph.
- 4
  Run your thumb over the signature. If the signature is flat, it's likely stamped on. Fakes tend to have a flat feel to them.
- 5
  Look through a magnifying glass for signs that the autograph has been stamped on. If the autograph is too smooth and perfect, it is likely a fake. Human signatures contain imperfections.

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