"My book he is the top of all First Basemen" J.T.M. - M110 Chase

[Leon]

Just back from Beckett.....and JSA.......the autograph got a "7".
Do you guys/girls think the autograph would add or subtract (or be neutral) as to the value of the card? I bought it thinking it was just scribble (which it sort of is). This might be the best $125 I have spent on a card...regards

ps...the autograph and sentence are not light. The light reflecting on the protective inner baggy is making it look the way it is in the scan.

[rhettyeakley]

Very cool card, however, I feel it will hurt the value of the card, but obviously not to the point if it was mere scribble. Whenever you have a higher value card the autograph will invariably hurt the value (not true if the auto is truly rare, which is not the case here.)

Bottom line:

Chief Meyers sig on a Chief Meyers card = increased value
Chief Meyers on a hard to find Hal Chase card = decreased value (but still really cool).

-Rhett

[canjond]

Leon - IMO, it adds value to the card but more for the uniqueness. As an autograph, it is a Meyers signature on a Chase card, and Meyers is not too valuable at that. However, the uniqueness of the piece is where the value lies. I would think it would be similar in value to a Meyers letter with some nice baseball content. Then again, the signature does appear on a card which has value in its own right.

[Jay Wolt]

I agree w/ John and think that the auto helps the piece
it is indeed unique

[ethicsprof]

congrats Leon!!!
i think it is absolutely top drawer to have the chief talking about the great
Chase in this way. it somehow makes the history come alive, taking us back to a first hand evaluation of one of the greats.
quite a prize methinks.
as far as price valuation, i would defer to good friends Rhett and Jon and others. as far as pure rejuvenated and revivified history, i'd say priceless.

best,
barry

[sayhey24]

I agree with Jon -- the writing makes it more of a museum piece; a slice of baseball history.

Greg

[T206Collector]

...the piece, in terms of making it better than a $125.00 card because of the pen marks. But given how much a clean M110 Chase would go for, Meyers' comments here undoubtedly hurt the monetary value. Conversely, if it was on a VG-EX T206 of Chase, I think it would be worth substantially more than a clean VG-EX T206 Chase.

[FrankWakefield]

Folks,

Notwithstanding whether the value is enhanced or diminished, that is not an autograph. It is printing and initials. The Chief was quite literate, intelligent, and well able to sign his name. That is not his autograph. Those may well be his initials, placed there by him.

[prewarsports]

To each his own. I certainly agree that the inscription being in the hand of Meyers makes it more valuable than had it been in another persons hand. However, the inscription makes the card worth less than it would if there was no inscription at all and it was just a cabinet card.

[milkit1]

good lrod where did u get that for only $125?!?!?

[Kawika]

I was the big-spending fool who picked up the M110 Chase in the recent REA auction. It's a beauty of a card to be sure but I gotta say, Leon, I like yours way better. Never mind that you totally stole it. I'll leave the effect on valuation to the opinions of others. Suffice to say Chief Meyers' commentary and his initialed signature breathe a baseball spirit into the card that makes mine look like inert cardboard.

[rhettyeakley]

Frank, while it isn't Chief Meyers' full signature, if you look at his later in life sigs, the "J. T. & M." on Leons piece look just like those three initials from his signature.

In my opinion you need at least a full last name with a first initial to be a "signature," that being said there is little doubt that this inscription was written by Meyers.

Again, it is a very cool piece and definitely a piece of baseball history, given the value of the card alone the initials and phrase by Meyers probably hurts it overall. However, had the item been a $50-100 card the writing would vastly improve the item. Still, one heck of a deal for $125.

-Rhett

[FrankWakefield]

I think that it is worth much more than $125. Even I would pay more than that for it... so Leon's the dealmaster. And I think that the Chief's opinion on there, with initials greatly adds to the value. I think the Chief's opinion on there is worth as much or more as the initials.

But it isn't an autograph. I don't think an autograph requires a full name spelled out in its entirety. It should have all of the last name and at least a first initial with that, but all of the first name and all of the last name is preferable.

So I'm not disparaging of that item... just the use of the term autograph when all that is there of the name is "J. T. M."

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by Kawika

Suffice to say Chief Meyers' commentary and his initialed signature breathe a baseball spirit into the card that makes mine look like inert cardboard.

As does his double signature on this card -- and compare the "T" in mine with the one in Leon's. I have been collecting autographed pre-war cards for a long time, and have tried to describe the feeling of owning one for almost just as long, but the phrase "breathe a baseball spirit into the card that makes [unsigned cards] look like inert cardboard" is perhaps my favorite description.

From Autographed T206

[barrysloate]

I know Leon is really happy with it, and in the world of collecting that pretty much sums it up.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I know Leon is really happy with it, and in the world of collecting that pretty much sums it up.

Well, I bought it on fleabay many years ago and never intended on selling it. It's been in my collection for a long time and fills the M110 hole. I was just asking valuation as I was curious on what ya'll thought. When I picked it up today Mark, Andy and I had a nice Pho lunch and decided we thought it was probably neutral on valuation, neither hurting nor adding to it. To each their own...it is a neat card, nonetheless. And David, yours is a beauty of a card in its own right!!

As far as it being an autograph or not, I guess technically it isn't, since Meyers was literate and could write his name. I wonder how this tagline got on the card? Now that would be neat to know. I can imagine some young kid at the ballpark with it, running up to Meyers, and asking him for an autograph on it...and being happy he got Meyer's opinion of Chase in doing so. The history behind the sentence is probably way cooler than the card itself.