Ernie Banks: 1931 - 2015

An EC Comics Classic: Crime SuspenStories 20

Crime SuspenStories 20

I haven't spent as much time over the past few years focusing on comics the way I used to, but I still actively collect EC comics. The covers and stories are among the finest the medium has ever produced as evidenced by strong collector demand 60 years later.

Among ECs, the trend over the past several years has been "classic covers." That is, certain covers have been in strong demand -- typically covers with the most graphic content. Interestingly, even those who do not typically focus on ECs will pursue ECs that have been by consensus deemed "classic covers."

One such classic cover that has broken out in the past year or two is Crime SuspenStories 20, which features a graphic hanging image. Just a few years ago this was priced along with the other "regular issues" around it and not considered a break out. For whatever reason, the collecting community has discovered it and it is now in high demand. Thankfully, I was able to obtain a nice copy at a fair price before it really shot up in price!

Resolution 2015: Focus on Quality

I have been writing about focusing on quality over quantity in collecting for a few years now. But, what about quality in all aspects of life?

As I get older, I find some habits and pursuits less and less fulfilling. Why is that? I think it is because the less satisfying pursuits do not provide "quality."

Think how much your life -- including your collection -- might improve if you:

• Stop watching "empty" valueless reality shows and instead watch classic movies, documentaries and shows that provide insight, inspiration and knowledge. You'll think better.
• Stop mindlessly thumbing through endless scrolls of your Facebook feed and visit a web site where you can learn something. Better yet, write an article for a web site... share your knowledge.
• Turn off the tablet and pick up the phone to call a friend. 
• Put down the trashy novel du jour and read a book about history, a biography or a classic novel.
• Stop the impulse buys and exercise discipline. One quality $200 item in your collection is always more impressive than eight common ho-hum $25 items. The most admired collections have focus and quality. If you want quantity, look at the barns full of junk no one cares about on American Pickers. You want that?
• Eat quality food. This is not about weight loss, but that may be a result. Are you really eating a floppy salt patty from a fast food chain when a real burger from the local diner is about the same price? As I get older, I have no patience for poor quality food. I'd rather go without than eat highly processed garbage food.

As Dave Ramsey says, "The difference between you now and you a year from now is the people you meet and the books you read."

We only have so many years on this earth; don't you want to spend them in the best way possible?

Best regards for a happy, healthy and quality-filled 2015!

More Star Wars: Clive Revill as Emperor Palpatine signed photo

Clive Revill was the original voice of Emperor Palpatine in The Empire Strikes Back. He was replaced by Ian McDiarmid when the Special Edition DVD was released.

From a recent signing with Official Pix... Mr. Revill has a very interesting curly signature style.

Frank Oz as Yoda signed photo

I don't venture much into modern entertainment... Star Wars is about as modern as I get. I continue to slowly plug away at my Star Wars signed photo collection. Very happy to add a Frank Oz "Yoda" pose to the collection courtesy of Skyline Signatures. An especially bold signature and the "Yoda" inscription is a nice plus.

Steve Zarelli Space Authentication: Virgil "Gus" Grissom Autograph Study

Steve Zarelli Space Authentication has published an online signature study focusing on Virgil "Gus" Grissom.

Included are a number of verified signature exemplars that span the short period Gus Grissom was signing autographs, as well as Autopens, secretarials, pre-prints and suspected forgeries.

In my estimation, Grissom is in the top five risky autographs of flown astronauts. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the study and it is of value to the community.

As always, comments and feedback are welcome and thank you for your support!

True Story About The Forgeries Sold By Bergen County NJ’s Baseball Memorabilia Auction: Expose by WPIX TV

WPIX Channel 11 in New York ran an expose of the forgeries sold in the Bergen County, New Jersey Baseball Memorabilia Auction. The three part piece is excellent and well-researched. Kudos to the reporter, Howard Thompson, who really did his homework.

Charlton Heston Secretarial Study: Redux

Hard to believe it's been three and a half years since I published the Charlton Heston secretarial study on this blog.

As a footnote, since the study was introduced, the Universal Autograph Collectors Club, most credible dealers, collectors, JSA, PSA and SGC have all accepted the study. The UACC published a version of the study in the Winter 2014 edition of the Pen & Quill.

Don Larsen, the Perfect Yankee

The World Series resumes tonight with game 6. While it has been an enjoyable series, I am rooting for Kansas City to win. Not that I am a Kansas City Royals fan, but they are a spirited, scrappy team and smaller market teams need to win once in a while to keep baseball interesting.

Hard to believe that at one time, the World Series would have been over for weeks by now.

Don Larsen was a journeyman pitcher who likely would have been largely forgotten by now if not for one extraordinary feat. It was 58 years ago that for one day he was The Perfect Yankee.

George Lucas signed photo - May the Force be with you

I'll take a vintage personalized photo inscribed "May the Force be with you" any day over the contemporary George Lucas scribbles.

The difference between a "proxy" signature and a "forgery"

A forgery is an unauthorized reproduction that is created for fraudulent purposes.

A proxy signature (clubhouse / secretarial) is an authorized reproduction that emanated from a source known by the intended signer.

With autograph collecting, there should be a clear distinction between forgery and proxy and they should not be used interchangeably.

Some collectors argue they are one and the same. Perhaps they both have an equivalent level of desirability to some (zero), but that does not make them the same.

From a personal perspective, if there was an multi-signed item that had a proxy signature mixed in with a group of authentics, it is an item I would not necessarily rule out for my collection. However, a forgery mixed in with authentic items would be totally undesirable in my opinion.

I like Ike (signed photograph)

I am very pleased to add a Dwight D. Eisenhower inscribed signed photo to my collection. It has whet my appetite for adding more presidential material!