Would you like to get an autograph from Dale Earnhardt Jr?

Do you need to know you are getting a real, authentic autograph personally hand signed by Dale Jr?

If so you'll want to keep reading -- you'll learn how to tell if an autograph really is Dale Earnhardt Jr's, how to get your item signed by Junior, where to buy authentic autographed items, and how to spot fakes.

One way to dramatically increase the odds of getting his autograph is to take along a piece of officially licensed Dale Jr merchandise such as a t-shirt, hat or diecast car.

Junior gets a cut of the sales on all this merchandise, so he is more likely to pick you out of a crowd instead of the guy who wants a souvenir program or Jeff Gordon shirt signed.

Early in his career you could mail an item to Dale Jr, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and he would sign it and mail it back. With his popularity now he can no longer do that.

Sometimes diecast retailers will pay Earnhardt Jr to sign a group of cars. For example, a dealer may obtain 2,000 copies of a special paint scheme car that was produced in limited quantities. Junior will then fly into their shop for a personal appearance, for a fee, and sign his name to all 2000 cars.

These events are usually videotaped or photographed for proof, and since the cars are produced in limited numbers you can be sure the autographs are authentic.

There is a huge secondary market for Dale Earnhardt Jr autographs, and there are many honest, reputable dealers who will only sell authentic autographs.

That doesn't mean that every item is a real autograph

How to spot an Autopen signature:

Look for unsteadiness in the signature from movement in the machine

A consistent signature with no variation in pressure

A light or soft signature

Sudden stops in the pen or sharpie strokes

Forgeries of Dale Earnhardt Jr's autograph can be hard to spot, especially those created by a professional. To guard against forgeries you should always buy from established autograph dealers with a reputation for dealing in authentic goods.

One way to spot a forgery is to compare it to a known authentic signature -- turn the items upside down when comparing the 2 autographs. This forces your eye to look at the differences in detail, and not the signature itself.

To protect yourself from fake autographs look for items with a Certificate of Authenticity from a respected and known company.

If you're buying an item from an individual on eBay check their feedback rating and other items. If they're selling a single item, have a good feedback rating, and the image of the autograph matches a known Dale Jr autograph you can be more comfortable than if you are dealing with an offshore seller who has 100 identical photos "signed" by Junior.