1984 President Ronald Reagan Signed Baseball

With the 2020 Presidential Election coming up soon, we thought we'd touch on presidential autograph hunting and collecting. Here are some things to be aware of during your search. There are many facsimile (copied) presidential autographs on the market posing as authentic. What is a facsimile? Basically it is a reproduction (from a photograph) of an authentic signature. Items with facsimile signatures are prevalent in the market and should be avoided because they have little to no value. Then there is the use of autopens.The autopen reproduces a signature which is much more realistic looking and more apt to fool an authenticator because it uses live ink, a pen and mechanics to accurately reproduce the signature. Auto-penned autographs are also not considered valuable. Secretarial signatures can further frustrate the collector. Oftentimes, a president's secretary or other administrative personnel will sign documents with the permission of the busy president, adding more confusion to those searching for authentic items! So, how can you be certain what you're buying is the real thing? Professional authentication is the most reliable method you'll find. If in doubt, start with an inexpensive online fast opinion at djrpro.com and let an expert put their knowledge and expertise to work for you! FYI: George Washington's signature on his personal copy of the Constitution sold at auction in 2012 for a staggering $9.8 million!