Questions about JSA

[Paul Cross]

Two encounters I had with JSA.

I purchased a NY Giants cap on ebay which had three signatures on it.  The seller had sent it to JSA and two of the signatures were on their COA and mentioned in the offering.  I purchased the cap, knowing what the third signature was.  When I received the cap I called JSA giving them the COA info and a photo of the cap asking if I could send it to them to verify the third signature.  

Off it went in the mail.  A few weeks later I called and it took awhile to even find the cap.  They said they had no idea who the third signature belonged to.  I then asked them to look up a player named Lawrence Taylor.  The next day I received a call from them verifying it was indeed Lawrence Taylor.  He was added to the COA and the cap was sent back.

I had a store in Tucson, Arizona which featured sports plaques, sports clocks and memorabilia.  I actually had a phone discussion with Tim Fitzsimmons, the person in charge of Operation Bullpen.  He mentioned that Greg Marino, Anthony Marino's son, was so good at forgeries that even his expert agents could not tell the difference.  

So with that in mind someone with a Muhammad Ali "signed" litho from Angelo Marino took it to have a JSA rep in Phoenix check it.  Yes, he verified it was authentic.  Nothing more to say.

[rob kunne]

many company's give their opinion and that's what it is ''good or bad'' that's the question. i could have a few forgery's on the wall and not knowing it because i trusted a company with a good name. many collectors in the netherland only want in person-photoproof- or video proof and when we all would collect like that than these company's are done. but i know that will never happen.

[Eric Keith Longo]

Sounds like you did the work yourself.

[Paul Cross]

I have been involved directly or indirectly in about 100 athlete signings in the past.  I have informed former customers on what is real and what is not.  One store in Tucson claimed the hologram on Photofile photos was actually the COA guaranteeing the authenticity of the autograph that appeared on the photo.

I have an actual painting of Fran Tarkenton by Angelo Marino that has his signature on it.  I did send it to PSA to see how they would react.  They sent it back as not authentic, but three questions about that.

1.  Did they make that claim because they wouldn't touch any item involved in any way with Angelo Marino and thereby including his son since, if the FBI couldn't tell the difference even watching his son forge an item.

2.  Why would Angelo Marino forge a signature on his painting when he could have had Tarkenton sign it for a fee, then forge all of the canvas transfers, etc. that could be made from it?

3.  How can a JSA expert in Phoenix detect an Angelo Marino piece of Muhammad Ali be authentic?

[Eric Keith Longo]

"...if the FBI couldn't tell the difference even watching his son forge an item..."

This is fact? In any event, I avoid murky waters entirely.