One of the premier sports autograph authentication services, PSA/DNA, recently released a list of the "10 Most Dangerous Autographs" to purchase on the secondary market in 2013, and it included a big surprise. Check out that article here.
The list includes the typically cast of athletic greats; like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan. After all, these are the kind of names you would expect to see forged. The more famous and legendary the star, the greater the likelihood that fake autographed merchandise will be manufactured to sell to unsuspecting collectors. But, there was one name on the list that threw me for a loop.
Yasiel Puig's name was on it, and they named him the 5th most dangerous signature. Considering his quick and sudden rise to fame, I shouldn't really be surprised. Puig came out of nowhere, so fans and collectors alike flocked to card shops like it was Black Friday to grab a little memento. Unfortunately, many of those signed items are likely fakes.
From PSA/DNA's story:
Yasiel Puig - ($150 for a signed photo to $300 or more for a single-signed baseball.) In Los Angeles, a young star emerged in baseball by the name of Yasiel Puig. This highly-touted prospect from Cuba, showed immense power, a rocket arm and an overall level of athleticism rarely seen on the field. Now, at only 22 years of age, Puig seems poised for a bright future. When word got out about his first private signing in 2013, the autograph tickets sold out immediately and at an unheard of price for a rookie - $150 per flat item! If the Dodgers can be competitive moving forward, Puig will be able to play on a big stage. As a result of his sudden rise and the general lack of genuine Puig autographs available to collectors, a large number of forgeries entered the market during the past year. In fact, PSA/DNA estimates that nearly 90% of the alleged Puig autographs submitted in 2013 were rejected. It will be interesting to see where his career and autograph market go in 2014.
The last part is the kicker. Nearly 9 out of 10 Puig autographs submitted to them were regarded as fake. Wow!
For fans interested in added his John Hancock to your mantle, all I can suggest is getting it in person. Spring Training or the upcoming FanFest might be your best bet. Or, you can try to snag one of those Puig autographed certified Baseball cards that can be found on eBay (this is an expensive proposition).
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| (pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013) |
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