MLB Memorabilia Question - Ichiro Signed Mariners' Jersey

[Onomea]

About 20 years ago, when I was in Japan, a friend of mine in the US bought on eBay on my behalf an Ichiro signed Mariners' jersey. I bought it as a gift for my second son who was, and is, a big fan.

He's been abroad, my son, mostly, since, so I've kept the shirt for him in a box all these years. Over the Christmas break he was back home and we retrieved the shirt to have a look at it.

There is no number on the back. Looking at Ichiro signed Mariners shirts on eBay just now, they all have numbers.

Is the one I bought for my son 20 years ago a counterfeit? Why no number? (Especially rare and valuable because he signed it before he got a number?! That's my preferred theory!)

 

[soFlaNative]

No player # or were they signed later as 1 of _, 2 of _ and so on?

 

[Onomea]

No player number.

 

[Papa32129]

We Like Ichiro, my son had his Marlins shirt w his number.
Incredible ball player.
I don’t collect memorabilia or price it , but he is the greatest Japan born ball player.
What a hitter!

Papa

 

[Rob613]

Players sign all kinds of things, the only way to know if the signature is real or not is to have it authenticated.

 

[S-W4EVER]

From what I understand, before MLB began to employ authenticators most MLB memorabilia was counterfeit.

 

[Waldo]

I was working on a big construction site many years ago. There were several hundred tradesmen there. One of the boilermakers sold baseball memorabilia. He could go out to his van and get you a baseball signed by who ever you wanted.