PSA/DNA’s ‘Most Dangerous Autographs’ Adds Brady, Curry, Crosby

Football quarterback Tom Brady, ice hockey center Sidney Crosby and basketball point guard Stephen Curry have been added to the latest buyer-beware list of frequently forged sports stars’ autographs compiled annually by PSA/DNA.

They join other familiar athletes’ names, including Muhammad Ali, Derek Jeter and Babe Ruth, on PSA/DNA's 2015 "Most Dangerous Autographs" list (www.PSADNA.com/mostdangerous).

“There's probably less than a 50/50 chance that autographs of many sports stars being offered in the marketplace are genuine,” cautioned Joe Orlando, president of PSA/DNA.

Here are the “Most Dangerous Sports Autographs” of 2015 as compiled by PSA/DNA:

1) Babe Ruth
2) Lou Gehrig
3) Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio
4) Michael Jordan
5) Muhammad Ali
6) Mike Trout
7) Tom Brady
8) Derek Jeter
9) Stephen Curry
10) Sidney Crosby

"There are a lot of so-called 'deals' for autographs that can be found online, at local flea markets and even at some collectibles conventions, but most of those 'deals' are simply too good to be true. Genuine autographs do not often sell for a huge discount," warned Orlando.

"Whether it's the signature of a famous sports hero, an entertainment star or an important historical figure, it's important that consumers buy from reputable sellers who use credible, expert third-party authentication."

In 2015 PSA/DNA experts evaluated more than 400,000 autographs submitted by collectors and dealers worldwide.

"Unfortunately, just as in past years, a large portion of them were forgeries. In fact, it's not uncommon for us to reject 50 percent or more of the signatures submitted to our company, especially when it comes to the more prominent names," explained PSA/DNA Principal Authenticator Steve Grad, who is one of the featured experts on the popular television series, Pawn Stars.

"PSA/DNA does not often receive obvious forgeries for evaluation. So, if our rejection rate for a particular autograph approaches 50 percent, then you can only imagine how high the percentage of forgeries actually might be in the overall marketplace," stated Orlando.

The public can see and compare hundreds of genuine sports, historical and entertainment autographs online at www.PSAcard.com/AutographFacts, including examples of how a person's signature may change over the years.

"With the proper precautions and education, collectors can participate in a safe hobby environment and avoid becoming prey for unscrupulous sellers," said Orlando.