Spend that extra money on what you know is authentic, rather than gambling that the gullible part of your brain might just be right this time.Īnd, if anyone has a good lead on an authentic and affordable (Yeah right!) 2005 autographed Illini jersey…feel free to drop me a line.
So, while a 10x penalty sounds nice, after all of the hassles, it still may not be worth it. They are expensive, time consuming, and if the defendant is small, collectability could be a problem.
Also, sellers of forged materials know legal actions bring headaches. Because of that, it might not be an option for everyone.
The downsides to the statute are it is a California statute, so you would need some connection to the state (sale in California, dealer from California, you live in California, etc). This statute is a pretty good deterrent against forgeries, and if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of owning a worthless forgery, a good weapon to have. The court could also award additional damages based on the egregiousness of the dealer's conduct.
Autograph collecting plus#
If a dealer violates the statute, the consumer can receive actual damages (e.g., cost of the item), and a civil penalty of 10 times actual damages, plus court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, interest, and expert witness fees incurred in the lawsuit. This statue requires dealers to provide certificates of authenticity for autographed memorabilia and provide a warranty that the memorabilia is authentic. While breach of contract and consumer fraud statutes actions are available, by far the most intriguing recourse is California's Autographed Sports Memorabilia statute (Civ.Code, § 1739.7). If, despite your best precautions, you've still been duped, there are legal options. This will ensure the purchase you make is not a fraud. If the memorabilia already has a certificate of authenticity, make sure it is from a reputable authenticator. Before buying, use reputable authentication companies. Just make sure when you do, you spend wisely. If you want that centerpiece for your collection, you'll have to spend a lot more for it than a forgery. The too often used adage of “if it's too good to be true, it likely is," applies. If five years later you take the jersey to be authenticated (let's say, for insurance purposes), you don't want that appraiser to confirm that you'd been snookered. That suspect autographed jersey would be the show piece for anyone's collection. Because, heck, once that item is on your wall, most of the people who walk by won't be able to spot a forgery anyway.īut what happens, if that autographed jersey becomes unique? Let's say, just five years later, Deron Williams is one of the best NBA point guards. Also, these vendors know that some consumers, like me, will be tempted by that devious part of their mind that might rationalize away minor indications that the item might not be authentic. Lawsuits take a long time and require resources and effort of the wronged party. If they sell lower-cost forgeries, they likely will not be caught. According to the FBI, 70 percent of autographed sports memorabilia are forgeries. Unfortunately, forged autographs on sports memorabilia are pervasive. But still to this day, I'd love to have a real jersey like that. Well, the cynical part won out, and I didn't buy it. No one else would either! Besides, fake or not, it'd look great in the office. Why not buy it anyway? You don't know for a fact it's fake. Then, the devious part of my mind weighed in. It was only $150 with Deron Williams, Luther Head and Dee Brown's signatures? Heck, the jersey itself likely was half the cost … Then the cynical part of my brain chimed in. Heck, there was a jersey with everyone's autographs that could be bought now for only $150! The gullible part of my brain was excited.
Autograph collecting how to#
Not knowing how to obtain autographs like that myself, I went to eBay and found a plethora of autographed Illini wear. Right there, I knew what I wanted – an autographed Illini jersey with all of the players. After walking out of the Illini's practice session, I spotted a North Carolina fan wearing a Tar Heels jersey with what looked to be autographs of the entire team. Needles to say, I was swept up in the Illini fervor and wanted something to immortalize the time. I am an avid Illini fan, and was lucky enough to live in Missouri in 2005 when Illinois played North Carolina in the NCAA Finals in St.