Cards have flooded ebay. The checklist is a bit off, thinking that Podolski was the only Arsenal autograph. So far have sighted Sagna, Vermaelen, Mertesacker and Giroud. Wowee.
Still some dud-looking, off-centered signatures, but plenty of nice ones too.
The last Futera Unique checklist had stated that there were 4 different Tim Cahill autograph cards numbered to 50, but only two ever made it into the packs. What ever happened to the other two? I did see one of the missing cards show up with the 2012 online release but they were supposed to be in the Unique release as stated on the checklist.
Was mentioned on another forum by the site owner that they had been in correspondence with Futera that they no longer source their signatures from a 3rd party. Hoping that is the case.
I know that Futera were using Redkempy as a 3rd party in the past to source out player signature cards. I heard that they had a falling out and Redkempy kept the signed cards for himself and sold them off. Remember the Futera signature cards with the blank white backs? Well they were all in his possession and sold off by him. If you look at the signatures on those cards they are quite decent and much better than the following year’s releases. So who ever Futera used next was Shithouse and really damaged Futera’s already dodgy reputation.
I can provide clear examples of how cards from 2004-2008 have better signatures from the players than the newer 2010-2013 releases. I have never had any problems authenticating signatures from the 2004-2008 releases as the signature is the same as memorabilia signed by that player.
I’m not sure if this has anything to do with the 3rd party but my view has been that players were not as aware in the earlier years as to what their autographs were being used for (making them into 1of1 auto cards). Since the 2008 release player signatures have started to vary and more and more shorthand autographs started showing up. The 2008 release was the first to feature autograph cards numbered to 50 (previously it was only 1of1’s), can you imagine a player signing 50 blank cards for
free? No wonder they look awful, crooked and dodgy.
Here are examples of shorthand and full signatures of players:
http://www.sportsignings.com/buyers.htm
Have a look at the Gerrard's and the Cahill's, nice reading on how Arteta sometimes just does random scribbles as his signature.
Re: Giusseppe Rossi, with last year’s release something different was used, clear (acetate card) and the actual card. So the clear card was signed by the player and then stuck onto to actual card. We should ask Giusseppe Rossi if he recalls signing clear (acetate) cards? This is my only explanation because why would they forge 50 of Giusseppe Rossi’s signatures? Unless the 3rd party signed them all for Guisseppe lol. I don’t think I have seen a decent RVP signature card by Futera. And as for the Wright auto, if the great man said he didn’t sign it then I doubt he did (don’t forget he would have been handed a blank white card and could have quickly scribbled anything).
rishgoon Hey on the other forum wasn’t there a comment about how Icons (Ibex) (Icons who are behind the Messi card collection) were accused of faking signature cards of previous releases?
Futera’s business practices were quite questionable while they operated in Australia, the same people went over to the England and started Futera UK……. A leopard doesn’t change its spots. It has changed hands of ownership a few times over the past decade and now resides in U.A.E. I doubt you would want to be charged for forgery in that country!