‘Force Awakens’ cast joins most dangerous autograph list

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Authentication experts warn, when it comes to autographs of cast members featured in the new Star Wars film, don’t let the fake be with you.

“There’s probably less than a 50/50 chance that Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast autographs

found in the marketplace are genuine,” cautioned Joe Orlando, president of PSA/DNA Authentication Services, the world’s largest third-party autograph and memorabilia authentication service.

The Star Wars cast members are included in PSA/DNA’s latest annual report on “the most dangerous autographs” of the year (www.PSADNA.com/mostdangerous). Their autographs now join other familiar celebrities’ names, such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles, who have appeared on previous PSA/DNA buyer-beware consumer advisories because of widespread forgeries.

Individual, genuine autographs of Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast members recently have been selling in the range of $50 to $250 each, and cast-signed photos can sell for $500 or more, according to Orlando.
Here are the “Most Dangerous Historical and Entertainment Autographs of 2015” as compiled by PSA/DNA:
1) The Beatles
2) Elvis Presley
3) Neil Armstrong
4) John F. Kennedy
5) Michael Jackson
6) Marilyn Monroe
7) Led Zeppelin
8) Jimi Hendrix
9) The Rolling Stones
10)* Star Wars: The Force
Awakens cast

According to PSA/DNA, the 10 “most dangerous” sports stars’ autographs in 2015 were:
1) Babe Ruth
2) Lou Gehrig
3) Mickey Mantle,
Ted Williams and
Joe DiMaggio
4) Michael Jordan
5) Muhammad Ali
6) Mike Trout
7) Tom Brady
8) Derek Jeter
9) Stephen Curry
10) Sidney Crosby

“There are a lot of so-called ‘deals’ for autographs that can be found online, at local flea markets and

even at some collectibles conventions, but most of those ‘deals’ are simply too good to be true. Genuine autographs do not often sell for a huge discount,” warned Orlando.

“Whether it’s the signature of a famous sports hero, an entertainment star or an important historical figure, it’s important that consumers buy from reputable sellers who use credible, expert third-party authentication.”

In 2015, PSA/DNA experts evaluated more than 400,000 autographs submitted by collectors and dealers worldwide.

“Unfortunately, just as in past years, a large portion of them were forgeries. In fact, it’s not uncommon for us to reject 50 percent or more of the signatures submitted to our company, especially when it comes to the more prominent names,” explained PSA/DNA Principal Authenticator Steve Grad, who is one of the featured experts on the popular television series, Pawn Stars.

“PSA/DNA does not often receive obvious forgeries for evaluation. So, if our rejection rate for a particular autograph approaches 50 percent, then you can only imagine how high the percentage of forgeries actually might be in the overall marketplace,” stated Orlando. The public can see and compare hundreds of genuine sports, historical and entertainment autographs online at www.PSAcard.com/AutographFacts, including examples of how a person’s signature may change over the years.

“With the proper precautions and education, collectors can participate in a safe hobby environment and avoid becoming prey for unscrupulous sellers,” said Orlando.

Since 1991, company experts have examined and certified more than 25 million trading cards, autographs and other entertainment and sports memorabilia with an estimated cumulative value of more than $1 billion. PSA/DNA is a division of Collectors Universe Inc. For more information, contact PSA/DNA Authentication Services at 800-325-1121 or info@psadna.com.