NASCAR Autograph Tips
Dale Jr & Girlfriend Amy Reinman | Photo
How to Get a NASCAR Driver’s Autograph
An autograph by Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jeff Gordon can easily add $200 to the value of a diecast car, poster or hat – providing the autograph isn’t a fake.
Do you need to know you are getting a real, authentic autograph personally hand signed by the driver?
If so you’ll want to keep reading — you’ll learn how to tell if an autograph really is your favorite driver’s, how to get your item signed, where to buy authentic autographed items, and how to spot fakes.
The best way to tell without a doubt that an autograph is authentic is to personally witness the signing — but that’s not always practical, or even possible.
If you’re planning to go to a race or an event where your driver is making a personal appearance you may be able to get an autograph in person.
One way to dramatically increase the odds of getting his autograph is to take along a piece of officially licensed merchandise such as a t-shirt, hat or diecast car.
Most NASCAR drivers get a cut of the sales on all this merchandise, so they are more likely to pick you out of a crowd instead of the guy in a Kyle Busch t-shirt who wants Dale Jr to sign his program.
Early in their careers you could mail an item to Dale Jr, Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and they would sign it and mail it back. With their popularity they can no longer do that.
But if you want an autograph from an up and coming driver like A.J. Allmendinger, Brad Keselowski, or Scott Speed you may have some success with this method.
Sometimes diecast retailers will pay a driver like Dale Earnhardt Jr. to sign a group of cars. For example, a dealer may buy 2,000 diecast in a special paint scheme car that was produced in limited quantities. Junior will then fly into their shop for a personal appearance 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 autograph is real.
One common autograph scam involves the sale of items signed with an Autopen. The Autopen uses a template made from an authentic autograph to replicate that signature.
Once the template is made an item is inserted in the Autopen machine and the machine mechanically signs the 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 a NASCAR driver’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.
Find Dale Earnhardt Jr’s autograph on eBay
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