Harry Potter Autographs Get Skeptical or Get Ripped Off Autographs from Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint are some of the most common to be forged but a little skepticism can keep fans and collectors from getting ripped off.
News-Antique.com - Nov 27,2010 - As Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint grace the big screen in another Harry Potter film the fans are bursting with “Potter-mania” to get their favorite stars autographs. Unfortunately, there are also forgers and unscrupulous autograph dealers ready to sell fans forged, stamped, and auto-penned autographs. So it is important to be cautious and skeptical when purchasing autographs.
When considering buying an autograph the buyer needs to be aware of they types of scams that are being used. For instance, many dealers know that people are aware of the old adage, “if its to good to be true, it probably is”, and that buyers will migrate towards more expensive autographs and end up paying much more than is necessary. While the safest buy would probably be from a dealer whose autographs are priced towards the lower middle a buyer should check several dealers and see what the average price is.
Something else that a buyer needs to watch out for is the change of a celebrity’s autograph over time. This is especially true of young celebrities like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson who started acting at a young age. Their autographs in the beginning of their careers will differ from their autographs today. Meanwhile, their co-stars autographs, like Helena Bonham Carter and Robbie Coltrane, autographs will remain roughly the same during the same period of time.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is the question of a Certificate of Authenticity. Some COA’s are worthless. However, a COA that spells out the conditions of guarantee and gives exact details of how to get a refund can increase the value of an autograph. Many unscrupulous dealers often use third party authenticators. A third party authenticator looks and sounds good but they don’t offer a money back guarantee or warranty of any kind.
An autograph collector is better off looking for a dealer with an unconditional life-time money back guarantee. Because the dealer is investing his money and reputation in the autographs he sells.
