Should I Get My Signed Cormac McCarthy Book Authenticated?

You have a book that appears to be signed by Cormac McCarthy, and you’re wondering whether to invest in professional authentication. The answer is almost certainly yes — and the urgency is higher for McCarthy than for almost any other American author. Here’s why, and how to proceed.

The Short Answer

Authenticate any signed McCarthy immediately, regardless of value. McCarthy was one of the most reluctant signers in American literary history. The combination of extremely limited genuine supply, extraordinarily high values ($5,000–$200,000+ for major titles), and McCarthy’s death in 2023 (which permanently fixed the supply of genuine signatures) means that the McCarthy forgery rate is among the highest in the rare book market. An estimated 30–50% of “signed McCarthy” items in the open market are forgeries. Authentication is not optional — it is the first step after acquiring any potentially signed McCarthy.

Why McCarthy Is a Special Case

The Signing History

McCarthy was exceptionally reluctant to sign books. Unlike most major American novelists — Vonnegut signed tens of thousands of items, King signs at every event, DeLillo signed freely — McCarthy avoided public appearances, rarely did bookstore events, and signed infrequently. His public appearances were so rare that each one is documented and known to collectors.

Estimated total genuine signed McCarthy items across his career: 1,000–3,000. Compare this to Vonnegut’s estimated 30,000–60,000 or King’s probable 100,000+. The genuine supply is tiny.

The Value Stakes

McCarthy’s values are among the highest in American literary collecting:

At these values, the return on forgery is enormous — a forger who can produce a convincing McCarthy signature on a $3,000 unsigned copy of Blood Meridian can sell it for $40,000+. This incentive structure guarantees that sophisticated forgeries will continue to appear.

The Death Effect

McCarthy died on June 13, 2023. His death permanently fixed the supply of genuine signatures — no new signed copies will ever be produced. This has two effects:

1. Values have increased sharply — signed McCarthy copies appreciated 50–100% in the year following his death
2. Forgery incentive has increased — higher values mean higher returns for forgers

How to Evaluate Your Signature Before Authentication

Before spending money on professional authentication, assess the probability that your signature is genuine:

Likely Genuine

• Purchased from a reputable specialist dealer (Between the Covers, Heritage Auctions, Peter Harrington, Bauman Rare Books) who explicitly guarantees authenticity
• Acquired at a documented McCarthy event — McCarthy’s rare public appearances are known and recorded
• Provenance traces to McCarthy’s personal or professional circle — editor, publisher, literary agent, personal friend
• Accompanied by a photograph of McCarthy signing the specific copy

Uncertain — Authenticate Before Drawing Conclusions

• Purchased from a general used bookstore or online seller who may not be able to assess McCarthy signatures
• Inherited or received as a gift with no documentation of the signing event
• Seller claims it was signed “at a reading” or “at a bookstore” without specifying the event — McCarthy’s readings were so rare that any specific event should be identifiable

Likely Forgery — Authenticate to Confirm, But Prepare for Bad News

• Purchased on eBay from a non-specialist seller — this is the primary channel for forged McCarthy signatures
• Multiple signed McCarthy books available from the same seller — McCarthy signed so rarely that a single seller offering multiple signed copies is a major red flag
• The price was significantly below market — a signed Blood Meridian first offered for $10,000 when the market is $40,000+ is almost certainly a forgery
• The book is a later printing — forgers sometimes sign cheap later printings to maximize margin
• No provenance whatsoever — the seller cannot explain where or when the book was signed

McCarthy Signature Characteristics

McCarthy’s signature is relatively restrained:

• Full name “Cormac McCarthy” in a flowing hand
• Black ink (pen or fine-tipped marker), typically on the title page or half-title
• The “C” in Cormac and the “M” in McCarthy are the most distinctive elements
• Inscriptions are extremely rare — McCarthy almost never personalized books. An inscribed McCarthy is either extraordinarily valuable (if genuine) or a forgery red flag (if the inscription seems elaborate or conversational)

Red Flags in the Signature Itself

• Too perfect — a signature that looks like it was drawn carefully rather than written naturally
• Wrong ink type — Sharpie or thick marker on a book from the 1960s or 1970s, when McCarthy would have used pen
• Position — McCarthy typically signed on the title page. A signature in an unusual location (endpapers, copyright page) is suspicious
• Accompanying doodle or drawing — McCarthy did not add drawings to his signatures. Any embellishment is a red flag

Authentication Services

Recommended for McCarthy

1. Specialist rare book dealers — dealers who have handled hundreds of McCarthy signatures and can authenticate on sight. Between the Covers, Heritage Auctions, and Peter Harrington are particularly strong on McCarthy.
2. PSA/DNA — the largest third-party authentication service, with a database of verified McCarthy exemplars
3. JSA — James Spence Authentication, another respected third-party service

Dual Authentication Is Standard

For any McCarthy signature, dual authentication is the norm. The stakes are too high and the forgery rate too significant for a single opinion. Get one evaluation from a specialist dealer and one from a third-party service (PSA/DNA or JSA).

Cost: $100–$300 total for dual authentication. Time: 2–8 weeks. Value added: A dual-authenticated signed McCarthy is worth 10–20% more than an unauthenticated copy — the authentication pays for itself many times over.

What If the Signature Is Not Genuine?

If authentication determines your signature is a forgery:

• You have a legal claim against the seller if they represented the signature as genuine (fraud, breach of warranty)
• The book itself retains its unsigned value — a first edition of Blood Meridian without a signature is still worth $15,000–$40,000 in Fine/Fine condition
• Report the forged signature to the authentication service so they can flag it in their database
• Consider whether the seller was a knowing forger or an innocent intermediary — this affects your options for recourse

The Bottom Line

McCarthy is in the highest-risk tier for signature forgery in the American literary market. The combination of scarce genuine signatures, astronomical values, and the author’s death creates an environment where forgery is both profitable and prevalent. Authentication is not a luxury — it is a prerequisite for any signed McCarthy purchase or sale. Budget $100–$300 for dual authentication and treat it as a non-negotiable cost. The alternative — owning, insuring, or selling a forgery — is far more expensive.