THE TRUE STORY OF A SECRET ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT, SOME HAVE KNOWN FOR DECADES

Stephen King Accidentally Coins Perfect Word Describing Previously Never Described...Then Gives Away His Word "Flatsigned" - NOW IN DICTIONARIES→AND THEY DEFINED IT WRONG.....

The often mistaken, correct definition of an Autograph that is "Flatsigned" is this: An original signature on a collectible, typically on a book by it's author, that does NOT include any person's name [no personalization to the requestor] but MAY INCLUDE MANY OTHER WRITING BY THE AUTHOR SUCH AS DATE, LOCATION, KIND WORDS, QUOTES FROM THE BOOKS or even a beginning that says something like: TO MY FRIENDS AT VANDERBILT IN SUPPORT OF THEIR ANNUAL EVENT." To be Flatsigned, simply thinkof a genuine autograph but WITHOUT ANYONE'S NAME BUT THE VIP/AUTHOR. Again, it MAY INCLUDE DATE, LOCATION OF SIGNING, EVEN SPECIAL REMARKS IF BY THE AUTHOR/INVENTOR SIGNOR, when included with Author/Inventor's autograph that is typically signed by the author, an associated person or even a non-author signing books on the subject that signor is using to carry his autograph. The term covers all such autographs, and if need be the other writing by the autographing person, directly [large publishers have their authors autograph single, flat, pages of paper matching that to be used for the entire book. This is done for the convenience of the author who can then easily maneuver even thousands o single-sheets of papers as compared to thousands of fully printed books. These autographed pages are later added by the publisher to the completed book and sold as "Signed Books." Since the signed page was a part of the original book prior to being sold to the public and since it is never personalized, these are still considered "flatsigned." There are only three publishers worldwide that publish books which are universally autographed by VIP's and ten offered to the worldwide public of fans and other collectors. These companies are Easton Press Inc. in Norwalk, Connecticut and Flatsigned Press Inc. in Nashville, TH. The third and most premium-minded of their product, is Germany's Genesis Publications.

It is always wise to know what you are getting for your money. This is especially true for any collector of autographed books and other collectibles. Everyone investing or buying any type collectible, where the wisest advice is to buy only what you and you only are going to enjoy personally own that piece regardless of the investment potential or not, is still to know as much about that subject of their passion. This is especially true when that passion also requires the investment of significant resources and even more-so important because this industry is unfortunately tainted with a few criminals who sell fakes. Remember what your mother always told you" "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." The quickest way to tell fakes without even seeing them is this: they are typically the [low priced on the market when easily compared with numerous values from large numbers of other sellers on sites such as abe.com or ebay.com. Like those who fake autographs are typically quick to refund your money once you demand such, most people who buy fake autographs never know they spent their good money on a fairly worthless item because they thought they were getting a bargain. Ask yourself this too, if so inexpensive why would not the larger and more reputable professional buyers and companies buying for resale be offered the autographed collectibles being offered cheaply by crooks? The obvious answer is because the crooks know they would be discovered as soon as a true professional saw their ill-gotten work, fake autographs.

Before you buy, surf your nearest web where most pros are happy to assist, this whether you are a buyer of theirs or not. But also be careful of the jealous competitor and ask probing questions of either type....prepare those in advance with thought, knowing that your own intuitiveness will determine, if you ask the proper questions, whether "professional" is honest, a crook or simply jealous of competition. Check around far in advance. Make that part of your collecting-hobby or a part of buying-wise. When talking with any selling party, know your facts in advance and watch as the seller sees what you know. You will learn immensely.

Know what professional appraisers know, the three types of "Value" for the same item. They are: Retail [the Highest], Wholesale [typically 20-50 percent of "Retail"] and lastly, [3] auction or liquidation value, by far the lowest but also by far the riskiest of ending up with fakes and no guarantee....meaning an embarrassing representation of ignorance and lost-money in your home collection to be seen by your family and friends. Or, you may suffer that same embarrassment, yet you never know, even though family and friends who you show it to may very well know it to be fake. 

Auctions can ruin people and fortunes if victimized by a crook or crooks. Be willing to pay a fair asking price [retail] or even with a ten to twenty percent discount; something often offered between fellow dealers. eBay too may be ok but ONLY IF YOU PRE-PLAN AND SCRUTINIZE EACH TRANSACTION, ESPECIALLY IF BUYING FROM MORE THAN ONE OR TWO SELLERS THERE. DO NOT RELAY TOTALLY ON PERFECT FEEDBACK.

To learn TRUE VALUE or what an item is selling for, first know there are three differemt tu[es of values, retail, wholesale and liquidation/auction. Sometimes "Insurance Value" is used by some appraisers by overly-inflating "Retail" but that is all I will say on that. The lowest of "values" for the same article is that of 'auction value,' Why? Read on but know this, carefully ignore all AUCTION FINAL VALUE NUMBERS but for one type, the FINAL HIGH BID AND ONLY THEN IF MULTIPLE BIDS AND IT ACTUALLY SOLD.  Even then, how do you know the high bidder paid that much. Did they back out? Was the high bidder the roommate of the seller protecting the bid or worse, running up the bidding with multiple ids? Who knows.

The function to check on eBay is available when members log-in and locate "Advanced Search" and then be sure to click the "Completed Items" or best, the "Sold Items. CHECK "Completed Price" of those that ACTUALLY SOLD WITH MORE THAN ONE BID AT AUCTION. Even still, be ever cautious when it comes time to spend your money with anyone. Beware of those quoting, "the only regrets you will ever have will be when you didn't do something [or buy something from them] you really wanted." That is a con-line if I ever heard one. Beware of pushy sellers and walk away. Beware of posted high-prices with "Make Offer" type options or those items won with only one bid.  

A price paid may not as good a comparison to true "value" as other type examples. However, "Auction Prices" are considered, and never to be equally compared to retail-price, as the lowest of all, final value estimations. Why? Several reasons: [1} more fakes being sold at auction on websites that don't back the product of their seller; [2] auction sales are "fast sales" like "liquidation sales" and often buyers came not intended to buy what they end up buying but instead, buy bargains for resale later; and [3] to believe that even a single-percent of all humans know that the particular item is being sold would be generous; true value of an authentic item, can only be achieved if the masses, especially those interested in that type of collectible, know in advance of that offer or auction and themselves bid up to what they believe is a fair or reasonable price. Only that number is considered by the IRS and experts as the "Fair Market Value" or FMC. Typically, auction final prices are the lowest possible on average and is mostly likely where the most fakes end-up with unsuspecting, non-wise, high bidders.

Know before you go buying or bidding. Learn much and continue to learn more and more about what may affect your investment, even if it is also a beloved collectibles. It is because that single "tipped-in page" is hardly noticed by any buyer and that publishers have never proudly pointed this out as they receive a premium price for these books, that may trouble some collectors. Plus, it is actually possible and has been seen that criminals have successfully removed then color-copied the genuine and replaced it with a fake inside the book never to be known by unsuspecting buyers, especially those of this type book. Due to this one company Flatsigned Press, the company Stephen King gifted the use of his coined word to for marketing purposes but who never owned or profited from this, has from the release of their first book, all VIP Autographed by Presidents, Moonwalkers, Celebrities, etc., are included free of charge, with each sale and shrink-wrapped inside each individually wrapped book they sell. Several features and items that both increase the value of the book and increase the validity of permanent authenticity may be the best part of your purchase or investment.  

Those with all books from Flatsigned Press for example include great components such as, but may not be exhaustive, an original photograph of the authors[s] signing the actual autographs, a written Certificate of Authenticity/Lifetime Guarantee signed by the companies CEO, the VIP signor of each book and witnesses to both. Plus,and even better, Flatsigned Press Inc. was the first ever publisher to mount on the reverse of each autographed page and on the buyer's included, written COA and Guarantee, a small, silver and black, specially produced, matching-numbered, non-removable without being noticeable.  

There has never, at least so far, been even an accusation or reported possibility, that any of the above described, illicit activities by criminally minded people like those exchanging authentic signed pages with similar, color copies of the same and doing so with other brands. These security features were intentionally never patented or otherwise protected in order for all similar publishers to incorporate such but as of this date [2018] none have, probably due to the small extra cost that buyers would surely eagerly pay-for when informed by those publishers. Flatsigned books are printed, autographed, bound and totally produced in the United States of America, in Nashville, TN based Flatsigned Press Inc. and/or it's parent company Flatsigned Press LLC.

The autographed pages, even those from wonderful publishers like Easton Press which specializes in signed books like Flatsigned Press, even sometimes are "tipped-in" and have no security features. The same is true for the others in the industry and every collector and investor should ask, "why not?"

A "signed tipped-in page" is literally glued into the seem near the front of books, usually onto the previous page which is easily identified since the autographed page will not open nearly as far down into the spine of the book as compared to the other pages] onto any collectible item but was originally and still most often found on COLLECTIBLE BOOKS, especially those books "first-off-the-press" known as "First Printings" but often misidentified due to each publisher having their own identifying marks, even on the copyright page where the words "FIRST EDITION" or a "1" in a located number-line on said copyright page may still not truly identify a "True First Printing." The is disagreement among collectors as to which of the two types of 

Autographed collectibles, Books or otherwise, are most valuable. The two types universally recognized and sometimes debated are those autographed collectibles which are: {1} "Flatsigned" which means at time the collectible is to be sold, bartered or gifted, it would not contradict with the name of the new owner; {2} "Association Copy" which is a tiny percentage of non-flatsigned books and included within those collectibles which are "Inscribed," but to be an "Association Copy" and to have a higher value than a non-signed collectible or especially of an authentic, flatsigned collectible, the item, IT MUST HAVE LEGITAMATELY BEEN BOTH INTENDED FOR THAT PERSON BY THE SIGNOR AND THEN OWNED FOR SOME YET UNSPECIFIED TIME, WHETHER A MINUTE OR A YEAR BY THE 100+ year-old, New York Based "Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America" aka the A.B.A.A. which has never addressed such but is the self-proclaimed ONLY ORGANIZATION WITH SUCH AUTHORITY. A written, lifetime guarantee of authenticity from every seller for each new buyer that is also within reason, forever identifiable by photo on that same COA/Guarantee document which also then included with that same collectible forever, even if sold or otherwise transferred to another and with unquestionable proof. Proof of what? Proof of whatever it is you are told: provenance/history, previous ownership, how do the know a so called "Association Copy" is legit? Will they guarantee that fake forever and to include costs of seeking/contacting the original signor....if still alive?  Only then can a so-called fact, reason for higher price, Certificate of Authenticity or "Lifetime Guarantee," mean anything. 

But, when genuine, each of these can seriously increase the value and resale value of your new acquisition. Just be educated, careful and deliberate. Deal only with the reputable and perhaps rarely with auctions, especially smaller and those recently started-up. These once popular benefits for each sale from the reputable are now sometime rarely given by even long-term Booksellers, but the three publishers do stand behind their published books forever unless tampered with or otherwise abused. Buy from those with the evidence or no claims at all. At least get what it will take to prove you paid what for what and what the sellers policy is on these issues. Collect your buyers evidence that would most likely allow you to get a full-refund, perhaps something more if awarded by court, from the person or business from which you accidentally acquired a fake.

NOTE: It is also, and realizing this confuses the matter, that many if not most of the largest forgers of autographs REFUND EVERY PENNY RECEIVED TO THEIR BUYERS VERY, VERY, VERY, QUICKLY AND WITH ONLY THE BUYERS "INCLINATION" AS A WAY OF AVOIDING LEGAL ISSUES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE SELLING THE LEAST EXPENSIVE, AUTOGRAHED COLLECTIBLES ON THE MARKET. able with proving change of new-ownership. Most experts within the field, even those few members of the powerful A.A.A.A. who once monopolized the entire industry of "Collectible Books" including those autographed by requiring all members to have physical, Bricks-and-Mortar Open Stores" and still only allow new members if so selected by an existing member and even further, approved by those in power.

RULE 1 - PAY A PREMIUM PRICE ONLY WHEN THE ITEM HAS NOT JUST SIGNIFICANT PROOF, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROVABLE PROOF. Be sure you get in writing that you may always get your money back if promises of the seller are proven false, including the authenticity of the autograph. Know that when someone claims an item is a "ASSOCIATION ITEM/SIGNED BY THE VIP TO HIS ASSOCIATE [Mom, Editor, Etc.}, how do you know? Heck, how do they know? If anyone answers, "I was told that," run away fast and never buy from that person. Consider that a GOLDEN RULE.

While even "Proof" can be subjective with even photographs AND especially written "Certificate of Authenticity" statements often faked by fakers of autographs, consider them almost worthless. Get a written statement from the seller for a refund if future questioned about the authenticity of that item.

The End

Tim "Mr.Flatsigned" Miller

[still being Edited...Read at your own Risk}

OWNED BY SINCE SOME HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO SIGN TO USA PRESIDENTS FOR EXAMPLE EVEN WHEN THAT "SIGNED ASSOCIATION COPY" WAS NEVER OWNED BY OR EVEN KNOWN TO EXIST BY THE FAMOUS "ASSOCIATION." 

DEFINITION OF "ASSOCIATION COLLECTIBLE"

A named and famous signors family member, famous mentor, world-leader or celebrity.  , referred to as "Inscribed."   and therefore the most desirable collectible of all Book types, especially when either the most valuable and collectible of all Books personalized to the authors very, very close associate like mother, family member or very well known mentor who is also famous. "Flatsigned" aka "flatsigned." or "Inscribed to AND ACTUALLY OWNED BY THAT SAME, AUTHOR/INVENTOR NAMED and well-known person such as a family member, USA Presidents, Moonwalkers/Spacemen, Industry Tycoons or Celebrity Figures. Even more important for the higher-value of any type of book especially is for it to be from the typically small first-run of those books printed and be the hardback-book-in-it's-original-dust-jacket variety. Those printed, bound and available after completion that are members of that very first group available for sale to the public are known as "First Printings." This term is not to be confused with a "First Edition" of a book; which will typically include the far smaller number of actual First Printings, but if more are printed later, will always, also include those and many future printings until either the title changes or some similar, subsequent "spin-off" type is produced. But even the "First Printings" of such follow-up type publications are rarely popular or very valuable with one exception, if the follow-up is the first to be Hardcover, when the original "True First Printing" version was published only in Softcover cover-stock paper. 

These collectibles, authentically, author-signed books whether "flatsigned" or "provable association copies," which are described above are more and more becoming [See Google] "Alternative Investments." This is especially true among a small percentage of individuals with the knowledge that a First Print "To Kill a Mockingbird" could be bought for Two-Hundred Dollars in the 1970's or even under Ten-Dollars when first released, but then reasonable sold, if in very good or better condition and when signed by the named author Harper Lee, for as much as Thirty-Thousand Dollars in todays [2018] market.

........within high-finance but still and yet, it's a fairly closed secret that such investments have historically outperformed the NYSE and if not all, certainly most all mutual funds, private equity firms and but for the fewest of even most "Initial Public Offerings" IPO's when measured over most periods of time. The word was coined originally, and even accidentally per this world-renown, famous and even beloved author and here, the "word-creator himself, STEPHEN KING, author of "Carrie, Cujo, The Stand, Gunslinger and 100+ more best selling novels and other works including the first-ever, online "direct to the reader" novel; as well as many highly successful made-for-television movies and several Hollywood produced, major motion pictures.