Archive
06-24-2008, 10:38 AM
Posted By: <b>JT Burchfield</b><p>Browsing through the Mastro catalog, I found this description:<br /><br />Lot 306<br />Offered is a collection of 195 Perez-Steele Art Postcards, all of which are signed by their Hall of Fame subjects. Sixty-five diamond luminaries (several of which are now deceased) signed three of the same Perez-Steele depictions from different numbered sets, and the blue Sharpie signatures generally project "9-10" strength. [Player list omitted for space] <b>According to the 2005 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards, the featured items boast a value well in excess of $3,000! This is an exceptional, investment-grade assemblage of signed Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcards including many now deceased players. LOA from Steve Grad & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA.</b><br /><br />I thought it was odd that they were quoting 2005 Standard Catalog values, so I googled "According to the 2005 Standard Catalog" and found this:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2006/612.html" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2006/612.html</a><br /><br />Signed Perez-Steele "Hall of Fame" Postcard Collection (3 Groups of 65: 195 signed cards total)<br />Starting Bid - $2,000.00, Sold For - $6,960.00<br /><br />Presented are three groups of sixty-five different signed 1980-2001 Perez-Steele Hall of Fame Postcards. All sixty-five cards in each group have been signed (three signed cards of each) for a total of 195 autographed Perez-Steele "Hall of Fame" postcards. Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcards are universally recognized as one of the most classic issues ever produced for autograph collectors. This collection of signed cards is part of an extraordinary collection presented in this auction which was assembled by an extremely dedicated hobbyist who specialized in Perez-Steele cards and was very active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The sixty-five signed Hall of Famers in the collection are as follows (3 of each): [Identical player list deleted for space]. The cards (3.5 x 5.5 inches) are all in Near Mint to Mint condition and the signatures (all of which are scripted in blue Sharpie) are all extremely high quality, ranging in grade from "9" to "10." <b>According to the 2005 Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards, each of the three groups of 65 autographed cards included here has a value well in excess of $3,000 (and this total lists most at what we believe are modest levels including Mantle at $300). This is an exceptional investment-grade assemblage of signed Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcards including many now deceased players. Total 195 autographed cards. LOAs from James Spence/JSA and Steve Grad, Mike Gutierrez & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA.</b> Reserve $2,000. Estimate $4,000+. SOLD FOR $6,960.00<br /><br />Random observations: The Mastro lot boasts a LOA from Steve Grad & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA. The REA lot has Mike Gutierrez in the PSA/DNA team and also a letter from JSA. I guess Mastro got a new "auction letter", but wouldn't the extra confirmation from JSA help (even though it was issued to a competitor)? Maybe it's not the same exact lot, but the Mantle, DiMaggio, and Williams shown in Mastro's lot have are identical to examples in the REA lot.<br /><br />Probably nothing sinister, but I'd like to think my buyer's premium would buy a better description.