Michael Frost, head authenticator for Professional Autograph Authentication Services (P.A.A.S.) decided to take a closer look at the wave of Michael Jackson autographs currently hitting the market though auction sites like ebay.

Frost’s findings are not pretty and concludes as much as 70% of Jackson autographs he personally authenticated in the last week were most likely fakes.

“Buyers Beware! I have never in my 31 years in the autograph and memorabilia business seen anything of this magnitude… Jackson’s death is having a greater effect on the value of autographs and memorabilia then the death of Mickey Mantle , Ronald Reagan, Princess Diane and the Pope.”
- MICHAEL FROST, President, Professional Autograph Authentication Services

Authentic Michael Jackson autographed record signed in Virgin record store in New York City in 2000 during a surprise shopping appearance by Jackson.

The pop culture and entertainment worlds are reeling today from the news that two of the previous generations icons – Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson both died on the same day.

We had expected Fawcett to sadly pass soon with news of her grave cancer situation being public for months.

But the Michael Jackson news came as a shock. Lennon and Princess Di level shock. This will be one were talking about for days.

And where did the news first break of the Jackson cardiac arrest and immediate death?

Online at TMZ and Twitter. Not sure how TMZ manages to scoop every major news organization on a story this big. But they do. Partly balls. Partly very good sources.

When your calling news of an icons death that early – you have to be right. Much of a news organizations reputation depends on it. If TMZ would have gotten it wrong – the major media companies would have been the first to call them on it.

It would still be a couple hours later when AP, followed by CNN decided to announce that Jackson had passed.

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