George Best Autographs: What to Check Before You Buy

A long signing life means a wide range of hands

Best's signature from his teenage years at Old Trafford is not the same as the one he wrote at a sportsman's dinner in the 1990s. Any genuine player's autograph drifts over four decades, and his did too. That natural variation is one reason forgers find him attractive: buyers expect some difference, so a poor copy can hide behind the excuse of a 'later' signature.

The practical answer is to match the signature to the date of the object. A 1968 European Cup photograph signed at the time, a 1972 programme and a modern print signed at a late-career event should each look like the Best of that period, not a single generic version.

Items that carry the most risk

Modern replica Manchester United and Northern Ireland shirts are the highest-risk Best items we see, for the same reason as any deceased player: the shirt has to predate his death, and many do not. Large photographs printed on modern paper, sold framed with a small plaque and a generic certificate, come a close second.

Printed signatures also turn up. Some souvenir photographs and publications carried a reproduced Best autograph, and these circulate as hand signed. Under a magnifier a printed signature often breaks into dots or shows no variation in ink weight.

• Confirm the object dates from his lifetime
• Match the style of signature to the era of the item
• Check for printed or dotted signatures
• Ask why a multi-signed piece has that particular combination of names

Multi-signed pieces with Charlton, Law and Busby

Pieces signed by Best alongside Bobby Charlton, Denis Law or Sir Matt Busby are among the most sought after in Manchester United collecting, which is exactly why they need scrutiny. Each signature should be checked independently. A montage is only as sound as its weakest autograph, so one doubtful name means the whole piece is doubtful.

Busby died in 1994, Best in 2005 and Charlton in 2023, so the window in which all of them could sign together is closed and fixed.

Paperwork and what we provide

Ask the seller where the piece came from and whether they will stand behind it permanently, not just for a returns window. A named original owner, a dated event or a photograph of the signing adds real weight; a certificate from an unknown company with no address adds very little.

Every item we sell is supplied with the WDW Certificate of Authenticity, signed by Derek Warwick and valid for as long as you own the piece.

Why George Best prices differ

Searches for what a George Best autograph is worth assume there is one figure. There is not. A signed page from an autograph book, a signed 1972 programme, a framed photograph and a multi-signed United montage sit in different price ranges, and condition, clarity and provenance move each of them. We do not offer valuations. The Best items we currently hold are priced openly on the site if you want to see real examples.