jrott wrote:Sadly, this is a debate that true collectors will never win.
In my opinion, there are 2 categories
!) Memorabilia collecting (PP, AP, Sec, stamped)
2) Autograph collecting – Authentic
Since this site and most others class autograph collecting as all of the above, a true collector has to sort through the fakes and use his or her best judgment when requesting autographs.
As a true collector of autographs, I understand this and follow the rules of the forum and believe that all the true collectors here should also follow the rules. That being said, I do understand why this rule is hard for some to follow. True collectors want to preserve the integrity of AUTOGRAPH collecting
Until there is a website forum dedicated to real autograph collecting, we should follow the rules.
My biggest concern as a collector is how many of these fakes will end up on eBay being sold as real or offered in the trading/selling forum because the person selling / buying or trading for it is not educated or REFUSES to be educated
I agree with all your points except for one, your statement of "Until there is a website forum dedicated to real autograph collecting" - because there are. autographccf.co.uk is one, 90% of the time when a PP/sec/AP/stamp is reported as feedback, its reported as a failure rather than a success (unlike on here, where 90% of PP/sec/AP/stamps are "successes")
An autograph by its very definition is when a celeb puts pen to paper. PPs, APs, Secs, stamps, none of these are autographs. They're reproductions and worthless.
Apparently its wrong to tell someone this. Why? If a member says "I got an authentic", then others write and get the same fake, they've just wasted postage. The "rule" is a joke, but its never, EVER, been an official rule on here, so everyone who says "follow the rules", well, its not one. LOL.
Classing non-authentics as successes (or even worse, classing them as authentic) is massively damaging on all kinds of levels.