price trends auto'd cards, etc

[theshleps]

It seems over the past few years the supply of pre WW2 signed cards is both drying up and taking a major price upturn. Do you folks see this continuing?
Also relatively common signatures like Berra and Snider on vintage cards (not even rookie) have gone through the roof.
Do any of you think prices will head back down or is supply that limited, that this is what we have to look forward to?
What about rarer guys on other mediums- like Dreyfuss contracts, Ban Johnson etc What do you forsee?

[mighty bombjack]

It seems over the past few years the supply of pre WW2 signed cards is both drying up and taking a major price upturn. Do you folks see this continuing?
Also relatively common signatures like Berra and Snider on vintage cards (not even rookie) have gone through the roof.
Do any of you think prices will head back down or is supply that limited, that this is what we have to look forward to?
What about rarer guys on other mediums- like Dreyfuss contracts, Ban Johnson etc What do you forsee?

I'm not sure about the signed cards, but I have seen rarer HOFers (like Dreyfuss, as you mention) go steadily up over the last 10 years. I think that people who can afford those guys have not been as hurt by the economy, and when those autos enter a personal collection they have a bit of a tendency to stay there. Hence, the truly rare autos are only getting harder to find for purchase.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

It seems over the past few years the supply of pre WW2 signed cards is both drying up and taking a major price upturn. Do you folks see this continuing?
Also relatively common signatures like Berra and Snider on vintage cards (not even rookie) have gone through the roof.
Do any of you think prices will head back down or is supply that limited, that this is what we have to look forward to?
What about rarer guys on other mediums- like Dreyfuss contracts, Ban Johnson etc What do you forsee?

I haven't really seen Berra or Snider's be too much at all. Can be easily had around $100 or less depending on card and set. But yes, pre-war has gone up two fold in the past 5 years it seems like

[Exhibitman]

So much of it with later signers depends on the card and the signature age. I know lots of collectors [me included] will pay a premium for a vintage signature on a specific card or card type. I love signed, postally used PCs, especially team issues from early in a player's career. Bob Turley isn't hard to find but a vintage signature on a 1954 Baltimore team issue PC mailed in 1954 from Baltimore, now you have my interest:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/miscellaneous4/websize/PC%20baseball%201954%20Turley_%20Bob.jpg

Ditto this Drysdale, which I've shown before, a 1957 PC, Brooklyn-mailed, personalized and hand-addressed by the Donald:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/miscellaneous3/Drysdale%201957%20Autod%20PC.jpg