News about American Memorabilia and PSA

In a recently concluded auction (March 18,2004) by American Memorabilia, Lot
190 was a signed 500 Home Run baseball with 12 signatures. The online catalog
and printed catalog listing for this baseball stated that PSA/DNA and Mike
Gutierrez had authenticated the baseball. Several experienced collectors and
dealers, viewing the catalog and the online pictures, were of the opinion that
the ball contained at least one very questionable signature. One of them
communicated with Jimmy Spence of PSA/DNA, questioning the authenticity of the
baseball. Mr. Spence stated that PSA/DNA had not authenticated the baseball. He
further stated "the ball was knocked down by us" and that American Memorabilia
"inadvertently forgot to pull it." Mr. Spence then stated that Victor Moreno
(head of American Memorabilia) was "notified to remove the baseball from the
auction."
According to the American Memorabilia website (americanmemorabilia.com) the
baseball was never removed, the wording on the website always stated that
PSA/DNA and Mike Gutierrez had authenticated the baseball, and according to the
American Memorabilia website the ball sold for $1429 to bidder 7197. After the
auction ended I contacted Victor Moreno of American Memorabilia for his side of
this story. I asked him if he had a PSA COA for this baseball. He stated "PSA
pulled out on that." When I asked him why he still stated in his auction that
PSA had issued a COA for the ball, he said "I better let you talk to Kieta."
(Kieta is his partner). I was put on hold for seven minutes and Kieta finally
got on the phone. She said "Richard, I am gonna have to call you back." I told
her I was sending out my newsletter and I wanted to get their side of the
story, but she repeated "I am gonna have to call you back." I waited for a call
back, but it never came.
Let me sum up. Mr. Spence said PSA/DNA knocked down the baseball. Yet the
American Memorabilia website stated that they had a PSA COA for the baseball.
When questioned Mr. Moreno claims "PSA pulled out on that."
Mr. Spence stated that Mr. Moreno was "notified to remove the baseball from the
auction." Yet the ball was sold in the auction, with the claim that there was a
PSA COA with the baseball.

As always, thanks for the information.

For those of you still unaware, Rich's website has a great page discussing
forgeries, particularly with regard to sports collectibles. I highly recommend
you check it out.

Victor Moreno is the former President of the IACC/DA. Anybody that is
a friend of Steve Koschal must be considered dangerous. I even heard
that Richard Simon was holding hands with Koschal at a recent Midwest
Show.

http://www.uacc.org/koschal.htm

Remember that old saying - 'if you sleep with dogs, you'll get fleas'.

Moonwalker

Why not sign your real name to the garbage you post on newsgroups?
Why don't you discuss the issue I posted?
Victor Moreno was deposed as head of IADA. Care to comment about the
substantive issues in my post? I posted facts, why not write about them?

Richard Simon

It is kind of difficult to depose someone from the Presidency of a
club that is defunct. http://www.uacc.org/bulletin1.htm.

I can't help but think that the club failed because the leadership
team of Moreno, Koschal, Keyes and Frost buried it with their attacks
on the industry. I just can't believe someone as respected as Richard
Simon would get in bed with these people. It is too bad.

Moonwalker

Moonwalker,

omeone as respected as Richard
Simon

I really hope you respond to Rich's questions off list. We had a dialogue and
I found him to be very respectful. It sounds like you may have a grievance
that needs to be aired, even if you'd rather not do it in front of the
newsgroup. You're entitled to your opinion but I think you'd feel better if
you wrote to Rich. I know I was hesitant to respond but I found it to be
helpful. Just a thoguh.

My question about all of this is what does Stephen Koschal have to do with my
original post about PSA and American Memorabilia? It has nothing to do with it
at all.
This "Moonwalker" has a beef with Steve Koschal. That is his story.
There are people out there who have beefs with every single person in the
autograph business. But this thread was not the place to bring it up.

My beef is with all of the bozos that ran the IACC/DA. Your original
post spoke about Victor Moreno, the former President of that
organization. I find it ironic that you expose him for selling a
forgery, yet you walk around recent shows with the person that hand
picked him for that job.

I think your credibility is questionable if you have now aligned
yourself with any current or former officers of that supposed club.
The midwest show wasn't the first occasion that you were spotted
holding hands with Koschal. A lot of people have been hurt by that
person over the past 8 to 10 years. If you are now in some type of
partnership with him (whether it be formal or not), people need to
know. He is a cancer to autograph collectors everywhere!

Moonwalker

You keep knocking Steve Koschal, yet you give no details nor do you sign your
name. Your posts have zero credibility unless you do that. Anyone can flame
another person on newsgroups, but at least do it with some evidence, not just
some useless innuendo.
As I told you in an e mail, and you acknowledged it, picking Victor Moreno as
head of IADA was a mistake. He was then removed as head of IADA. End of
mistake. You make a mistake and then you rectify it. That is what was done.
Would you suggest they have left him in as head of IADA?