A disturbing trend on here.

[TheORKINMan]

It bothers me badly when people refuse to share addresses. I've done my homework to find a good number of addresses, some that people really wanted and always ALWAYS share even if it's only via PM.

[Jaffer]

Agree 1000000%.

This site is full of greedy, selfish, and jealous members. They do exactly as you mentioned by caliming something is fake when they believe the one they posted is real. Why? Only logical answer is they don't want anyone else to get them.

The witholding address thing, it shouldn't be allowed. If you can't follow the guidelines for posting a success, the thread should be deleated.

Another thing I REALLY hate is when someone gets a success for a different address but claims it came from the "database".

If someone posts a pacino, Robin Williams, SJP, or other "known" sec sender why post "Sorry but it's a sec." If Joe Johnson is thrilled to have something signed by "Robin Williams" let them be happy. It dosen't effect you so don't post. And the "Isn't it better to let them know the truth?" NO, NO they don't care. If they did they would already know about it.

And last but not least, the same 3 or 4 minions who constantly post "Fake, AP, PP, sec." when they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. One person in particular will read someones comment then sing it like gospel. Not all 15 year old's are stupid, but when someone just started in this hobby is making authenticity comments backed by ZERO documentation it bothers me.

Could not put it better myself sir

[capmonte]

I think if someone asks if an autograph is authentic, that's a different kettle of fish. But yeah, people shouldn't just volunteer opinions on the authenticity of an item.

[dobie516]

I think if someone asks if an autograph is authentic, that's a different kettle of fish. But yeah, people shouldn't just volunteer opinions on the authenticity of an item.

I agree. If someone wants to know if their autograph is authentic we have a page for that where they can post it. I never question the authenticity of anyone's items. If they are happy with it, then that's great. We're all here to have fun with the hobby.

[Marshall]

I think if someone asks if an autograph is authentic, that's a different kettle of fish. But yeah, people shouldn't just volunteer opinions on the authenticity of an item.

I agree. If someone wants to know if their autograph is authentic we have a page for that where they can post it. I never question the authenticity of anyone's items. If they are happy with it, then that's great. We're all here to have fun with the hobby.

Although I agree with most of this topic, I don't quite agree with this. I'm glad someone points out Secs or APs or PPs or whatever just because I gage what to send out based a lot on if others had some success. If no one pointed this stuff, then I'd see a success and be super excited to send to that person only to find out later it wasn't real. I mean, there's no need to be a douche about pointing it out, but it's good that it is pointed out at least in passing.

[Jaffer]

I think if someone asks if an autograph is authentic, that's a different kettle of fish. But yeah, people shouldn't just volunteer opinions on the authenticity of an item.

I agree. If someone wants to know if their autograph is authentic we have a page for that where they can post it. I never question the authenticity of anyone's items. If they are happy with it, then that's great. We're all here to have fun with the hobby.

Although I agree with most of this topic, I don't quite agree with this. I'm glad someone points out Secs or APs or PPs or whatever just because I gage what to send out based a lot on if others had some success. If no one pointed this stuff, then I'd see a success and be super excited to send to that person only to find out later it wasn't real. I mean, there's no need to be a douche about pointing it out, but it's good that it is pointed out at least in passing.

If you bother to do your own study, it is invariably fairly obvious. For something like pp/ap, if you look at three or so part successes, it is also obvious

[Nicksportsautographs]

The problem becomes when clueless people try and trade/sell these bogus autographs. This site's For Sale/Exchange Forum is littered with people who are selling these autographs. Only way to clean this up is to post saying that their autograph isn't real. There is enough forgeries on Ebay and elsewhere that we don't need more and more people selling/trading autographs that are not legit when a simple post saying: Sorry your signature is secretarial or autopen goes a long way.

[notcarlysimon]

i like to have some sign if a success is an ap etc. theres another web site where people post the 100 percent authentic Barbra Streisand/John Travolta/Liz Taylor successes etc. and i eventually stopped going there (but i agree if someone doesnt know they should scream 'fake' for no reason)

[ahsfl]

But take heart its not just this bored lolz. In my sports collecting I've seen a lot of guys (Orlando Cepeda is notorious for this) that shy of a handwriting expert or dna analyist its hard to say whether its real or not. Got flamed at a F2F because of Cepeda with 3 guys standing with me that had also just gotten him and all 4 of us had an autograph that looked signif different so I'm sure theres just as many in other industries that the autograph is never quite the same. And in anything that can be turned into competitive like this there's always going to be haters. I can understand the angle of wanting to keep fakes off the buy/trade board or if they are openly asking if its authentic but otherwise why rain on someones parade?

[HappinessStan]

Despite collecting autographs ip for forty years, I've only just started collecting ttm, and in two months have had some great successes, mostly taking heart and inspiration from this board. However, even in 2 months I've got pretty savvy about checking who sends secs, IPs, autopens etcs. The first person I wrote to is an Incredibly Famous Person, and I was delighted to receive a very quick reply. A few days later I found out it was a sec and, quite honestly, felt cheated - not just by the IFP, but by the many, many posts on here and on other boards screaming "IFP - INCREDIBLE SUCCESS!!!" when with not much research it is pretty obvious that it is not only anything but an INCREDIBLE SUCCESS, but a waste of the time and effort put into writing a sincere and heartfelt letter, and a waste of time and money getting photos printed, finding US stamps for the SAE plus postage from the UK. Since I have no intention of trading , but will show them to friends and family who express an interest, I could have saved all that hassle and signed a piece of paper myself.

It's probably the unseasonably warm weather making me ratty, but even after just a few weeks collecting TTM I can look at just the first page of 'successes' on the "Post Your Feedback" board and know that three of them are as worthless as if I'd written them myself.

If I tell my three-year-old that his picture of a cat is lovely, it makes him feel proud, and good about himself and encourages him to produce more, improving steadily in the process. Adults telling other adults on these boards that fakes are not only fake but by implication have some intrinsic value by being defaced by someone pretending to be somebody else doesn't seem either big or clever.

That doesn't mean that I'm going to start posting "Sec" on posts when it's not invited, but neither am I going to clap my hands and jump up and down with excitement when someone claims to have received a genuine IFP who has been known to have been sending only secs for (in the case of one megastar listed as a success in the last couple of days) OVER FIFTY YEARS, others who've only been sending exclusively Secs for 20-30 years, or a genuine Santa Claus sig through the mail.

In short, I'd rather know - I'd rather know before I send out, which is where boards like this ought to be able to help.

I know it's not the rules, and I respect the rules while I'm here, but after a great deal of thinking about it, I do find it very difficult to agree that this one is helpful to anyone over the age of about fourteen.