What is your opinion on the authenticity of this Tim Tebow Autograph?

StarSpangledBanner

Hello everyone,
I bought this signature of Tim Tebow on eBay for a relatively cheap bid.
I've noticed that his signature is different from college and from the NFL.
The seller claimed that he got it from Jet's Training Camp earlier this year.

Here is the item:


Here is a closeup of the signature:


The photos aren't great because I took them from my iPhone but please let me know what you guys think.

Thanks for your time and have a nice day.

magikbilly

Hello,

It would be highly irresponsible for me to make any evaluation from a photo of a paint pen signature under glass. It does not appear to have much in common with what I have seen, but to me his autograph is very new. His signing habits are not yet established in my mind. Can you point to any known authentic exemplars online? Understanding the form with an abbreviated signature like this is key. It is like a Shatner autograph. Until forgers understand he is signing his full name they will continue to write what they "see" - "Bill" - but he is actually signing "William" in abbreviated form.

Best wishes,
Eric

StarSpangledBanner

This looks pretty close to what I have:
eBay example of a JSA authenticated
A signed helmet that has a very similar signature

The loop in Tim I have noticed sometimes extends through and sometimes doesn't. The curl in Tebow varies as well.

magikbilly

Hello,

You've pointed to a JSA item as genuine. Those are not pretty close to what you have in any way. Your statement scares me one collector to another. Only casually do they appear alike with very little resemblance at that.
Do you know the company in question has certified unsigned bats as authentically signed? That they have issued certifications for items obviously produced after the death of the "signer"? Fake clothing as "game used" - all demonstrably true from documents online. On and on....ever see Spence on TV authenticate a ball which was signed the night before by some guy in the art department?


In any event, at least one of these three you have shown is by a second hand; yours appears to be a poor forgery assuming the other two are by the same hand (they appear to be so). Baseline, form, angle of attack, ink dispersion, curves and loops - all wrong on yours from what you have shown as genuine with regard to the other two. The largest problem I am not naming - it is big and i wonder if you can find it. If this is baffling I suggest you stop buying for now. It took me perhaps 20 years, and 10-12 of hardcore buying and selling to reach a point where I am fully comfortable collecting, buying and selling without the need for a third party opinion. I have never had a single return in my dealing career. I state again, sports and fad autographs like this are NOT my strong point. I'd rather deal with a Lugosi or Garland.

Best wishes,
Eric

Now, do I get point for not making the "not a prayer" joke?
Just kidding
E

StarSpangledBanner

Thanks for your input, I've contacted the seller to get a refund. What do you mean exactly by the base line being different?

magikbilly

Hi,

The base line is an imaginary line the signature is written atop. Some are very straight (Judy Garland's first name) and some are all over the place (William Bendix). This eBay item is heading in the wrong direction when compared to the other two - this heads down. The big problem is the shape of the loops in the first "letter" - different hand is revealed there. Forgers can't successfully suppress their own loops and it usually reveals itself when viewed in negative upside down and backward with genuine examples. There is a gentle curve seen in the two examples but not at all in the eBay item. Hope this helps. Happy to answer more questions - may take me a bit - very busy right now. You may write me directly at magikbilly@yahoo.com if you need another set of eyes etc.

You are the first to answer those questions, the first to respond to a problem signature w/o getting nasty, the first to say "thanks"...refreshing! Thank you.

Best wishes,
Eric

magikbilly

Hello there SSB,

did you get your money back? Use the postal angle - tell them they sent in instrument of forgery through the mail and you have no choice buy to contact the Post Office and they should expect contact. This should work fine

Eric

StarSpangledBanner

<< <i>Hello there SSB,

did you get your money back? Use the postal angle - tell them they sent in instrument of forgery through the mail and you have no choice buy to contact the Post Office and they should expect contact. This should work fine

Eric >>


I contacted the seller and he said he wouldn't refund it unless I got it certified from a third-party source and showed him the rejection letter. The authentication process would be more expensive than what I paid for the autograph so I am not sure what to do at this point.

He is also sticking to his story and stating the autograph is real and he got it at the Jets training camp. I'm not sure why anyone would forge a Tebow autograph in all honesty; it's such a small value and its risking a lot.

magikbilly

Well.


He knows that re value and TPG. PM me the sellers ID - wonder what he has up right now. You could also find a TPG who can render quick opinions from scans - like PSA/DNA. Then send him the results. Ask him to point to other sigs that match this unusual example. There should be reasons for such variation. Ask him if it was "rushed" - "rushed" = forgery.

Best wishes,
Eric