Vladimir Guerrero
 

Can signatures change that much? When I first saw this, I immediately dismissed it as a poor forgery...but then I saw the back of this card. Does anybody know if Classic ever issued unsigned cards out there or did Vlad really sign this differently early in his career?
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HZcAAO...Os/s-l1600.jpg
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U6cAAO...Ow/s-l1600.jpg

Assuming Vlad actually signed his classic cards, yes that is what all them I have seen look like. And yes, signatures can change drastically and quickly (for better or worse) once an athlete gets in the habit of signing hundreds and thousands of times. I have noticed it especially in the case with particular Latin players. Johnny Cueto is a great example.

This:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...ley/cueto2.jpg

To This:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...ey/quetorc.jpg

To This:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...uetoginter.jpg

as an in person collector alot of the Dominicans when initially coming to the US had a hard time signing their name but given a year or two it became the typical unreadable mess of most major leaguers of today. I have quite a few early signature that look printed. So Vlad is not unusual at all

Agree with the above. Vlad's sig was pretty ugly at that time, but changed around '96ish or so.

For the longest time I thought a child wrote on that card until I saw more of them pop up with the exact same sig. I then noticed the back and was convinced. Either way, his auto's are cheap enough to where you can get his newer auto.

First people are upset you can't read signatures. Now they say the signatures you can read are ugly and childish.

Which is it Net54?

I have two of those and that's how mine look.

I have the Vlad card with same signature. I'd rather have that signature type over the newer one. Yes, it isn't the greatest handwriting but it is at least readable and you know it dates to very early in his career.

[QUOTE=sbfinley;1483820]....Johnny Cueto is a great example.

This:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...ley/cueto2.jpg

That's a great example. I didn't realize Cueto's signature had changed that much over the years! That's quite a difference.

Yeah, that is real. I have a 1995 Albany Polecat hat signed by him and looks very similar. Let see if I can find a can.

some of these guys down in the DR probably can't even write their own name when they signed their first contract.