Even for a trained professional, a good autopenned signature can be
very difficult to differentiate from an authentic autograph. Autopenned
signatures are signed by a machine called an Auto Pen. Autopenned
signatures generally have little-to-no value because they are not a
true, hand-signed autograph. Unfortunately, many sellers, sometimes
purposely, sometimes inadvertently, often sell autopenned signatures as
the real deal. Fortunately,
most autopenned autographs are not very high quality, and are fairly
simple to spot with a little practice. Tell-tale signs of autopenned
signatures include:
Shakiness: Autopen machines vibrate when in use, causing the
signature to appear shaky. A good example of a shaky autopenned
signature is Joe Montana's. Nearly 100% of the through-the-mail Joe
Montana autographs are done by a very shaky autopen machine. Here is an
example:
Abrupt starts and stops: Autopenned signatures usually come to a
very abrupt start and stop. This is due to the fact that the machine
places the pen straight down onto the item being signed, then lifts it
straight up when the signature is finished. This also causes the lines
of the signature to have the same thickness, unlike a true autograph.
Steve Young's autopenned signature is a good example of abrupt starts and
stops (notice the dots, or pools of ink, at the beginning and end of
the signature):
Identical signatures: Each signature created by an autopen
machine is identical or nearly identical. As you'll notice when you
sign your own name, no two hand-signed autographs are exactly the same.
Do a search of "Joe Montana autograph" on eBay, and notice how so
many of the signatures look EXACTLY the same. That's because the
majority of "signed" Joe Montana trading cards on eBay are actually
autopenned signatures. However, keep in mind that some famous people use multiple autopen machines or templates.
As with all autograph purchases, research, research, research!
Research
the item AND the company you're purchasing from. Find a couple, or a
few,
reputable dealers and try to stick with those. A great place to start
is by buying from ONLY UACC Registered Dealers. Be sure to check out
our other guides for more information on why this is important, as well
as other tips on safely purchasing autographed memorabilia. And as
always, Happy Collecting!
Source : from ebay