Cash In on Autographed Collectibles

Autographed collectibles are a big business. You can find them in stores, on eBay and displayed prominently in people's homes. Whether you're just looking for 1 autograph from your favorite star, or if you're a collector and seller of autographed merchandise, you will want to protect yourself from the many fakes on the market. Here are some things to keep an eye out for when shopping for memorabilia.

One problem with autographed collectibles is the prevalence of fakes. By some estimates, about half of all autographed memorabilia is fake. Naturally, you will want to make sure what you're getting is the real thing. The only way to get an absolute guarantee of authenticity is to get the autograph from your favorite celebrity or sports star yourself. This is not possible or practical in most cases, so you will have to try other ways of identifying authentic signatures.

If you can't contact the person directly, you can try sending the item you want signed to the star's sports team. While this can work for many athletes, there is no great way to contact a movie star or singer in a similar way.

There are many signs that suggest that certain autographed collectibles are forgeries. In many cases, a photograph of the seller with the star in question, as well as a Certificate of Authenticity is a sign that the item is a fake! Take a close look at the certificate. Does it clearly state a name, address and other contact information of the certifier? Are there obvious typos in the letter? Chances are good that it's a fake.

If the seller has a credible story on how they got the autograph, see if any of it can be verified. And use your common sense. If the price is too low, it's not a good sign. Before you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a collectible, take the time to check out the seller's story and see about their reputation. If past buyers are satisfied and the story sounds reasonable, go ahead and enjoy your new autographed memorabilia!

Once you've purchased your new autographed collectibles, you'll want to carefully document the story behind it, and take care to protect it from direct sunlight, bending or other damage that could ruin the value. After all, some day soon or further down the line, those autographed collectibles could be worth a lot of money.