Barry Bonds - No More Fakes!

[3arod13]

Barry Bonds may not be well liked by many, but I found he's doing is part to help collectors ensure they don't by his fake autographs.

I was interested in an autographed Barry Bonds card, but the signature didn't look right to me. I searched the web and found Barry Bonds website. I was amazed that his website offers FREE authentication for his signed cards, before you make the purchase:

http://mlb.mlb.com/players/bonds_bar...sigandholo.jsp

I emailed a scan of the card, and I was right..the signature wasn't good. I was amazed this service was FREE. What was really great was I received an email within an hour. In today's hobby, you can't say hi to someone without it costing you an arm and a leg.

Props to Barry Bonds and those on his webiste who provide such a wonderful FREE service.

Heck, I've emailed arod on his website more than 100 times, and never even received an acknowledgement email.

Regards, Tony

[3arod13]

Boy, I have to proof my work before I hit the submit reply button:

Barry Bonds may not be well-liked by many, but I found he's doing HIS part to help collectors ensure they don't BUY his fake autographs.

[R. C. Walker]

For the sake of argument, is it probable no matter what you send in to the site they would say it’s a forgery? The ones running the “authentication” service might want people to think the only legitimate autograph is only purchased through the Barry Bonds website.

It would be interesting if someone sent in a legitimate autographed, non BB website, no hologram stickered item for authentication.

[TFig27]

do you really think bonds is doing this to help collectors? or to ensure that you buy autographs directly from him?

[YankeeChowda]

bonds is a waste.. i cannot and will not give him credit for anything, except being a racist sob

[David]

As he sells his own autographs, it's in his personal financial benefit to rid the market of forgeries. So the autograph opinion can be a service that benefits both Bonds and the collectors. Neither has an interest in forgeries selling.

[3arod13]

For the sake of argument, is it probable no matter what you send in to the site they would say it’s a forgery? The ones running the “authentication” service might want people to think the only legitimate autograph is only purchased through the Barry Bonds website.

It would be interesting if someone sent in a legitimate autographed, non BB website, no hologram stickered item for authentication.

As stated, by the comments to date, not many like Bonds.

I sent a total of 5 Barry Bonds autograph pics to his website, all came back good except one. Not one time did they try or ask me to buy or view any of their Barry Bonds autographed items from their website.

As David stated, "As he sells his own autographs, it's in his personal financial benefit to rid the market of forgeries. So the autograph opinion can be a service that benefits both Bonds and the collectors. Neither has an interest in forgeries selling," I'd say that's accurate.

Regards, Tony

[aeneas01]

3arod13:

i'm with you and feel that bonds, through his website, is offering a very valuable service - further, like you, i find it very admirable that this service is offered free of charge. as far as the site being self-serving is concerned (as some seem to suggest), this would make sense if the site charged a ridiculous fee for the service or if the site's policy was that it could not authenticate any sigs purchased or obtained from any other source - but as far as i can tell, that's just not the case. imo the site is mutually benficial, not self-serving.

the hatred that so many seem to feel towards bonds (which, fwiw, i find hysterical) is simply amazing and will obviously prevent many from ever giving the guy the benefit of the doubt.

[3arod13]

3arod13:

i'm with you and feel that bonds, through his website, is offering a very valuable service - further, like you, i find it very admirable that this service is offered free of charge. as far as the site being self-serving is concerned (as some seem to suggest), this would make sense if the site charged a ridiculous fee for the service or if the site's policy was that it could not authenticate any sigs purchased or obtained from any other source - but as far as i can tell, that's just not the case. imo the site is mutually benficial, not self-serving.

the hatred that so many seem to feel towards bonds (which, fwiw, i find hysterical) is simply amazing and will obviously prevent many from ever giving the guy the benefit of the doubt.

Well said, and thanks for your comments.

[David]

eBay encourages athletes to look for fakes, and Reggie Jackson's company does this. So, while Bond's free website service is a new idea, famous athletes looking out for forged signatures is not new.