# Buying autographed pictures

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 7, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459 "2004-12-07T00:54:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459/1 "2004-12-07T00:54:54Z")

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What’s the best way to buy an autographed picture of a celebrity? Of course every site claimes to have “authenticity certificates”, but those are just pieces of paper, right? Any way to tell what’s reputable and what’s not?

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**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459/2 "2004-12-07T01:02:51Z")

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Short of witnessing the signing, I can think of nothing. Hope your celebrity is still alive.

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**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459/3 "2004-12-07T14:46:27Z")

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I have some signed NASCAR collectibles and with each one I have a picture of the item being signed. I’ve seen too many phony COA’s and agree, it’s just a piece of paper.

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**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-autographed-pictures/278459/4 "2004-12-07T17:54:16Z")

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I’ve bought a few on eBay. I won’t buy without a COA because at least they are making an attempt at legitimacy. Some sellers will show a picture of the celeb signing, but who knows if it’s your item. Still, I won’t buy a photo for over $20 so even if they are lying to me, what I don’t know won’t kill me. And it still looks good on my wall.