How can you tell if an autograph is authentic?

It is sometimes impossible to tell if an autograph is authentic or a forgery based on the signature, ink, or paper.

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That's a very difficult subject. First of all, there is history. If you get a letter written on the proper stationery with the proper ink, it has the smell of authenticity. You have a real problem when dealing with newer autographs. If someone says they have a Harrison Ford autograph with a big H on it and a line then a big F and a line, it's very hard to tell if it has been forged. There has been speculation that 80% of all entertainment and sports autographs are not signed by the real person. There are even people who make a living signing George Washington and Thomas Jefferson's autographs. Authenticity is a problem as there are people who set themselves up as experts, but they have all made mistakes. The UACC publishes a magazine every two months about spotting forgery. When you are talking about buying something for $100, $1000, or $10,000, you can bet somebody will forge it.

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