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Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:59 am
by mgwatson
This is obviously not TTM, but it is the greatest success I have had in collecting autographs.
I regularly look through the book shelves at my local thrift stores to find books to mail for signatures. Sometimes I find books that have already been signed, including presidents and astronauts, but this is by far the best one I've found! I paid less than $3.00 for it. I even got a 30% discount on it for taking a customer survey. This was on 7/13/09.
It's a first edition of
Where Do We Go From Here?, signed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr! The signature is in fountain pen ink, and I have compared it with images of his signature on other websites. This is the REAL DEAL! What a great piece of history from one of the most important men of the 20th century!

Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:09 am
by Borntotalk123
Uh, I'm 99.9% thats NOT the real deal! Why would that be in a Thrift shop! DUH!
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:11 am
by Ryco11757
i the singature looks printed on
-Ryan

Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:16 am
by mgwatson
Borntotalk123 wrote:Uh, I'm 99.9% thats NOT the real deal! Why would that be in a Thrift shop! DUH!
For the same reason I've found Colin Powell, Jimmy Carter, Buzz Aldrin, and others. People die, their families get rid of their books without thinking that they might be valuable.
Look up the picture of this signature on any other site that give famous autograph images. It's dead on. I have found images of the same book signed, and a few of his others, which lends credibility to the fact that he signed his books. The ink is also right for the time period; it is fountain ink, not ballpoint or felt.
It's real. I'm going to get it authenticed if I ever decide to sell it, but for now I'm hanging on to it... in my fireproof safe.
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:21 am
by mgwatson
Ryco11757 wrote:i the singature looks printed on
-Ryan

It's not printed on. If I felt like pressing the book onto the scanner to get a clearer image than what I got with my camera then you would be able to see the pen strokes very clearly. It is also not an autopen; there is enough variation between this one and the others that I compared it with to make that obvious.
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:23 am
by tbucfan
i have a couple autographs from mister king that were signed in person. as far as i can tell that is exactly like the ones i have. you are very lucky to have found that. if i were you i would get it authenticated by spence or someone like that. im sure its real and they will give you your cert to prove it. congrats.
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:43 am
by jrott
1st, congats on the find, if proven real, your under $3.00 investment is worth $$$$$$$
This same book signed is selling for over $12,000.00 on a website right now.
For your comparison, here is a side by side of yours with the book selling for over $12,000.00
Congrats again on what "might" be the most amazing find this site has seen if real

Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:48 am
by JoshProductions
WOW~! IF THIS IS A TRUE STORY, YOU MAY HAVE A NEWS AD ACROSS THE UNITED STATES!!! GO TO YOUR LOCAL NEWS STATION AND MAKE THIS KNOWN!!!! YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WEEK OF FAME!!! SERIOUSLY!! I CAN SEE YOU HAVING ABOUT A 30 SECOND SPOT ON EVERY NEWS SATION IN THE US!!!!
{thumb2}
Blessings,
Josh
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:58 am
by Sun Stroke
WoW, I would sit on this for a while before making any big stories. I can already see a court battle in progress. Congrats anyways on the success!
Re: Martin Luther King- from a thrift store!
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:59 am
by mgwatson
jrott wrote:1st, congats on the find, if proven real, your under $3.00 investment is worth $$$$$$$
This same book signed is selling for over $12,000.00 on a website right now.
For your comparison, here is a side by side of yours with the book selling for over $12,000.00
Congrats again on what "might" be the most amazing find this site has seen if real

There's no "might be" about it. See also the images at these websites:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5067264_purchas ... raphs.html
http://www.rarebookconsign.com/signedMLK/