How many do you have in your hall of fame collection

[tdellis]

kinda new to this site just wanted to see what the average sizes of hall of fame autograph collections people have?

[bnorth]

I have a few Wade Boggs and two Bob Feller autos. When I find one I like I want to add a Eddie Mathews. The only auto I actively collect is MMA legend Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva.

[johnmh71]

I don't think there is really an average per se. It really depends on how passionate you are about autographs and how much you want to acquire/spend. Some are more determined than others to build a sizeable HOF collection.

[jgmp123]

kinda new to this site just wanted to see what the average sizes of hall of fame autograph collections people have?

There are some great collections here. Some of the best collections I have ever seen belong to members of this forum. You mentioned you are in the 280 range....With a number like that, we would love to see some examples of some of the tough signatures you have.

My number stands at 228.

[theshleps]

I am close to 260 I believe

[tazdmb]

I sit at 246, I know others are higher than that. However, please understand, when you post that you have 281 different HOFers, without showing any pictures (except of a semi-rare Bresnahan), there will be skepticism to your claim until you can back it up somehow. Another member claimed around the same amount (283?) and people started to question him. Then we found out that he owns the only known Addie Joss and posted pictures along with some other real tough (and beautiful) signatures.

Now I consider him one of the top contributors to this section. I hope you will do the same with a part of your collection and quiet some of the doubters (myself included).

[mighty bombjack]

I sit at a nice, round 250, all of which can be viewed in the link in my signature (photobucket is a bigger pain in the butt every time I use it, but the bigger pain in the butt would be motivating to migrate all of those photos to some other service).

[tdellis]

I have been collecting for over 30 years and am somewhat hesitant about putting it out on the net of what i have. i am a private person and it took me awhile to join this site but i wanted to see what other people are doing. I am not lying about what i have so i am not explaining to people in the group. I might post I am curious as to what people use to post their pictures in bulk? photo bucket?

[mighty bombjack]

Yeah, you can see I use photobucket, but I'm not sure I'd recommend using that if you are just starting out. It is a lot less user-friendly than it was 10 years ago when I started sharing photos online. It's all I've really used, though, so I don't have advice on a better service. Maybe someone else does. I hope you motivate to do it, because I'd love to see some rarities, if you have them. Just start out small and show us some of the unique stuff you have. That's a big part of why we're all here.

[jgmp123]

I would recommend just posting directly here a few of the more rare hall of famers. I wouldn't bother loading them all to a site unless you are wanting to display them in that fashion.

I used webs.com, but recently let it expire because I didn't really care to display in that fashion any longer.

[David Atkatz]

I have been collecting for over 30 years and am somewhat hesitant about putting it out on the net of what i have. i am a private person and it took me awhile to join this site but i wanted to see what other people are doing. I am not lying about what i have so i am not explaining to people in the group. I might post I am curious as to what people use to post their pictures in bulk? photo bucket?You joined because you "wanted to see what other people are doing," but you won't post your own collection?

[tdellis]

yes david i wanted to see if there were ways to improve my collection any advice from a seasoned collector?

[mighty bombjack]

I would recommend just posting directly here a few of the more rare hall of famers. I wouldn't bother loading them all to a site unless you are wanting to display them in that fashion.

I used webs.com, but recently let it expire because I didn't really care to display in that fashion any longer.

Can you post an image direct on here? I got started on other messages boards before I found this one, and those required a hosting service to post images. I always assumed it was the same here.

[David Atkatz]

yes david i wanted to see if there were ways to improve my collection any advice from a seasoned collector?Advice? Yeah. How about this? Don't come around expecting to receive without being willing to give in return.

[Michael B]

Can you post an image direct on here? I got started on other messages boards before I found this one, and those required a hosting service to post images. I always assumed it was the same here.

Wayne,

I always post my images directly. I use a flatbed scanner to create the image and save it in a folder. I also reduce the size using adobe, though not always necessary. When you go to manage attachments you hit "BROWSE" beside the box that says 'Upload the file from my computer' you go to the folder in your computer, double click on the image and hit the upload button. If it is small enough it will attach. You could also do this via a digital camera. You can download the images to a folder on your computer via a fire wire and upload the same way.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

I am just over 110 different for HoF signed "rookies".

[packs]

I don't really understand why you need to post photos from your collection to ask other people about their collection. I haven't seen this poster pass judgment on anyone. What is it he's receiving without giving?

[Moyni]

yes david i wanted to see if there were ways to improve my collection any advice from a seasoned collector?

What advice are you looking for specifically??

I am at 213 HOFer autos btw. I have almost 1,600 total.

Here is how my card room is set up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KtrBQKKCik

Here is the photo gallery on my website. Not all of the autos I own are on there.

http://www.freewebs.com/gonzaleznut/apps/photos/

[David Atkatz]

I don't really understand why you need to post photos from your collection to ask other people about their collection. I haven't seen this poster pass judgment on anyone. What is it he's receiving without giving?He's been asked to post photos of some of his rarer HoF autographs. He doesn't seem to want to share. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

[mrmopar]

Maybe clarification is needed here. It is assumed that "the count" pertains only to baseball autographs. Maybe the number includes any HOF inductees for any sport?

Personally, I am at the lowly level that would require a much larger investment on my part to break into the next plateau. All of mine are easily obtainable for a beginner starting out with nothing aside from maybe a dozen or less more desirable, more expensive signatures (like a Campy, Cuyler or Vaughan). honestly, I don't know how many different I have and would have to count them off. Maybe 180?

[Kco]

For baseball probably around 60-70 but I only collect certain players and don't really go after guys just because they are in the HOF.

To me They have to be a player I was truly in awe of and watched play, or a truly trancendent great of their time. A guy like Ralph Kiner, Bobby Doerr or Bill Mazeroski or an executive or umpire doesn't really peak my interest to be honest. For HOFers I take the approach of less is more in terms of number of different players I collect. I have multiples for several players. I'd much rather add a single Jackie Robinson, for example, then 20 common or low level HOF players. I also don't collect HOFers who I feel aren't deservedly in.

I do also heavily collect football and some basketball (basketball it's big name only).

[rschisler]

I've been going at it for 4-5 years to get to roughly 170. I have doubles of many players on different mediums - balls, bats, hats, postcards, etc.

Like Kevin, I have trouble latching on to some Managers, Execs, etc. that aren't as exciting as the players. Would love to obtain the epic numbers that some of you guys have, but I feel like it's difficult to wrap my head around shelling out $80 for an umpire named Nestor... Also, I've stayed pretty true to picking up first-time-to-my-collection guys on either balls, unlined index cards, or Rowe/Burke postcards. Now that so many of the easy ones are out of the way that may need to change.

[earlywynnfan]

I think I'm at 187, which I'm pretty proud of because I only have two cuts/cards. The rest are on balls (some multi), checks, and documents.

I have a total completionist attitude, but like others have stated, I'm not going to pay much for a Schuerholz ball.

[gashouse34]

I'm at 236. I buy whichever way I can get them...cuts etc...because i'm poor :o Not sure how much longer I will/be able financially to continue but its been an enjoyable journey so far.

[Klrdds]

As of this past election of Selig and Schuerholz I got to 298 Baseball HOFer signatures , needing only 16 to completion, of which I and others are certain that 275 are authentic . As many of you know I have basically stopped buying and am actually selling part of my Baseball HOFer collection for a variety of reasons.
Most of my great finds were done on speculative buying starting in the 1980s and then waiting for eventual election of many of these now HOFers.
To get above 240 is a feat to be proud of but after that requires much patience and deep pockets and an awareness of forgeries of which JSA and PSA have little knowledge and can be of no help even if they have Bill and Kevin on board because their screening process is still the same with mistakes being made still.
But as always the proof is in providing evidence at times of what you claim to have . I know after having been through it , but in the end it was worth it ... sort of like fraternity hazing.

[tazdmb]

tdellis, let me preface my long post with this-
I know you are new, so please understand that these boards are great (GREAT!) for sharing and exchanging information. You will find more knowledge here than you probably will anywhere else on this matter-including the TPAs for no cost. Additionally, HOF autographs trade hands here among some hobby veterans and prices that are probably more fair than anywhere (except maybe for Jim and Rich' newsletters)

PSA sight lists 261 different HOFers where more than 10 or so examples on that HOF autograph exists. This includes some very tough names, such as Cap Anson, Willie Foster, Martin Dihigo....The remaining 53 are considered beyond scarce to the point where there are not probably more than 10 examples that exist in the public. If we take away the Torrientes and Grants of these 53, which are pretty much confirmed don't exist outside the Government archives, as well as Joss which is owned by someone else on these boards, you come on the boards and claim to have nearly 1/2 of these in your collection.

I am not saying you don't, but please understand the skepticism. You come out "guns blazing" claiming that you have 281 different HOFers, but will only show your recent Ruth and Bresnahan pickups, and not share pictures of your others. I know the only Sol White and one of two known George Davis autographs recently changed hands-where you the lucky bidder who got a steal? I lot of veterans here love to see exemplars for comparison purposes, as well as give us something to drool at during work. You asked for our help about valuing a Huggins and Gehrig autograph, now we are asking for your help to help add to the groups collective knowledge of some of the toughest and desirable autographs in Baseball. No one is asking to see the entire collection, but I am sure we would all love a taste along with learning the history of how some of these tough autographs were obtained.

I will get off my soapbox now.

[Bpm0014]

^^^ Well said, tazdmb.

[Klrdds]

Taz I agree 100% .
Well said

[tdellis]

what are the 53 so called ones you cannot find and which ones would yall like to see so as to not disturb the overall karma of the group like i apparently did?

[tazdmb]

The 53 are at the bottom of this list in red, although, personally, I would swap Jesse Burkett for Barney Dreyfuss:

http://www.psacard.com/dnasetregistry/setcomposition.aspx?c=37

Personally, I would love to hear the stories of how some of those were obtained.

Thank you

[tdellis]

tazdmv the point system being used can you explain?

[jgmp123]

The point system is based off of how hard the autographs are to obtain, how many are in existent, etc.

It's a point system based on rarity of an item.

[tazdmb]

This point system is determined by PSA, I in no way, say it is correct, but is seems fairly accurate. 1 is the easiest with 10 the rarest/most expensive. The names in Red, I would consider an extreme rarity and not generally traded in the open market on a regular basis. Additionally, the names in red are usually only found in the most advanced collections.

[Bpm0014]

Mathewson is a 10 and Ruth is a 10?? Kind of flawed as Ruth autographs are pretty ubiquitous....

[mighty bombjack]

I would swap Jesse Burkett for Barney Dreyfuss:


Good call on this. Dreyfuss isn't a cream puff, but being that he was an executive, his autograph is FAR easier to obtain than Burkett's. I got mine on a slightly damaged player contract for a grand; you aren't touching an authentic Burkett for anywhere near that (if you can prove me wrong, please do by selling it to me!).

[mighty bombjack]

Mathewson is a 10 and Ruth is a 10?? Kind of flawed as Ruth autographs are pretty ubiquitous....

You're correct, that is so far off on PSA's part. It is staggering how many Ruth autos are on the market (especially when you consider that they still sell for premium prices - it is Ruth, after all). Mathewson is multiple times rarer and more expensive.

Matty is the white whale of my auto collection...

[Klrdds]

PSA"s weight system is off on so many HOFers it is ridiculous.
Cartwright a 10 no way maybe an 8
Jackie Robinson a 7 no way maybe a 3
to name a few in my opinion

[tazdmb]

For the longest time they had Tommy McCarthy as a 10 and I have never seen one being offered in the open market. I see he finally got bumped down to the Red section.

[csotus]

I just started out so I have alot less than others.

I have maybe a dozen, mostly easily obtained ones. Thanks to a seller here I was able to get a mantle so that was a milestone for me.

[whyconform]

This election put me at 244 ...holding off for a decent schuerholz....


You think this guy is including Frick, Spink, BO'Neal award winners? They kind of are HOF'ers, but not traditionally part of the Real List, which I think is 317 in total now

[Klrdds]

Before I started selling some of my collection in late 2015 I was needing 16 to have a complete run of HoFers; however, in reality I probably was needing 32 to get a complete run since confidence level on 16 was low. So I topped out at 275 with complete confidence and those have been verified by several sources.
I have multiple examples of all of the 2016 and 2017 inductees.
In many cases the chase was more fun than the acquisition or even having them published after I acquired them.

[Klrdds]

This election put me at 244 ...holding off for a decent schuerholz....


You think this guy is including Frick, Spink, BO'Neal award winners? They kind of are HOF'ers, but not traditionally part of the Real List, which I think is 317 in total now

317 is the total most collectors are using .

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

what advice are you looking for specifically??

I am at 213 hofer autos btw. I have almost 1,600 total.

Here is how my card room is set up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ktrbqkkcik

here is the photo gallery on my website. Not all of the autos i own are on there.

http://www.freewebs.com/gonzaleznut/apps/photos/

sickkkkkkkk

[rp12367]

What advice are you looking for specifically??

I am at 213 HOFer autos btw. I have almost 1,600 total.

Here is how my card room is set up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KtrBQKKCik

Here is the photo gallery on my website. Not all of the autos I own are on there.

http://www.freewebs.com/gonzaleznut/apps/photos/

Awesome room and card display setup :D

[tazdmb]

Moyni-

Tried looking at your photos but keep getting an error. Hope you fix it, would love to see!