I have been buying RUSH rock memorabilia on for the last 6 years.
In the beginning I was VERY excited to find autographed items at prices I could afford.
For the first few years I bought dozens of supposedly “Authentic” items and never gave much thought to counterfeits.
Then I noticed that one seller that I bought a signed Guitar from was listing one just like it EVERY week for months !
His ad was identical each week, stating that the guitar was signed at a particular show on the same date.
I watched this go on for over a year and realized that this person must have brought an 18 wheel truck full of guitars to this concert and the guys in the band must have been kind enough to sign 50 items for this one person…. highly unlikely !!
That experience caused me to be much more skeptical of Autographed items.

Here are a few things I learned over the years :
1) Certificates of authenticity can be printed up on any home printer !
A REAL certificate will have at least one of the following :
a) a hologram
b) printed on quality bond card stock
c) embossed seal

2) Getting an item autographed by several band members at the same time is VERY difficult !
I have spent a lot of time back-stage and most artists give a VERY limited # of autographs,
I have NEVER been able to get ALL 3 members of RUSH to sign an item at the same show

3) Of all the signed items I own, the ONLY items I truly believe to be authentic are the ones that I have bought from an authorized source (Charity auction, Official Photographer, signed for me in person) BE VERY VERY SKEPTICAL !!

4) Photos of items being signed can be faked !!
There was a guy at an official Indy 500 signing party taking photos of the items as they were signed by drivers..
I had a hunch and sure enough… a week later the same guy was selling dozens of signed items with the photos
of them being signed, He was brave to think that everyone would beleive that all those items were signed
JUST FOR HIM… he made a bundle from a lot of gullible people !

5) If a member selling LOTS of autographed items has private feeback, he probably has something to hide !

The moral of this guide is “CAVEAT EMPTOR” or “Let the buyer beware!”

- As always, if something seems to good to be true, it probably is !
- Always research your seller and ask lots of questions !
- Most people who sell counterfiets, don’t want to bother with skeptical buyers !

Good luck and hopefully you have read this BEFORE buying a fake item.