For more than 15 years, Nelson Deedle has pursued his passion for autograph collecting. Today, people frequently call upon him as an expert in signature authentication. Here, Nelson Deedle offers his tips for spotting fake autographs.
1. Examine the signature under a bright light with a magnifying glass. If the ink appears consistent in color and texture all the way through, there is a good chance it is a fake. That is because pen pressure varies when signing a document, so there will be natural variations in the ink in an authentic signature.
2. You will be able to feel a subtle texture with an authentic signature. Stamped signatures will feel like they are flush with the paper when you run your thumb over them.
3. Stamped signatures will also have thicker ink along the edges of the signature, with lighter patches in the middle.
4. Autopen signatures will begin and end with a very precise dot where the pen lowers to and lifts from the page.
5. When in doubt, have the signature authenticated by an expert before you purchase it.
1. Examine the signature under a bright light with a magnifying glass. If the ink appears consistent in color and texture all the way through, there is a good chance it is a fake. That is because pen pressure varies when signing a document, so there will be natural variations in the ink in an authentic signature.
2. You will be able to feel a subtle texture with an authentic signature. Stamped signatures will feel like they are flush with the paper when you run your thumb over them.
3. Stamped signatures will also have thicker ink along the edges of the signature, with lighter patches in the middle.
4. Autopen signatures will begin and end with a very precise dot where the pen lowers to and lifts from the page.
5. When in doubt, have the signature authenticated by an expert before you purchase it.