Is Derek Jeter's autograph worth $1,000?
 

Is Derek Jeter's autograph worth almost $1,000?

Steiner Sports seems to think so. They're advertising a 2014 All-Star Game program, signed by Jeter, for $999.99. (link)

The program itself, unsigned, has a cover price of $15. That means the extra $984.99 is for Jeter's signature.

Steiner always sells things with "hype" for ridiculous prices. When the original yankee stadium was closing, a pair of seats would set you back $1500. I got an email just last year from them offering me a set for $500. I've also seen them drop single signed jeter balls to $300. With them it's a wait and see kind of game.

Also I've personally paid $400 for Jeter at a Steiner signing. Needless to say I felt even that was ridiculous. But sometimes knowing its real has a price, just not steiners prices.

Take a look at what upper deck wants for MJ and tiger.......

i've spent $325 on a jeter signing with steiner, and considered it a deal. it is what it is. the man has to eat after retirement...

Those gift bags to his one-night stands aren't cheap - gotta pay for those somehow!

I've wanted a Jeter autograph, but I've been unwilling to pay the price. :mad:

Signed ball and a free cab home. Way to go jeets

I paid $350 for mine and it was only on an index card (my medium of choice). However, as high as the price is, I asked him to add #2 to it (which is atypical) and he did it. I was really happy about that because I feel like it makes the autograph in my collection now unique.

He's a first ballot Hall of Famer, once he gets inducted and it should be 100% vote the first time, Steiner will likely raise the prices.

"I have a family to feed"-- Latrell Sprewell, on why he turned down an 3 year $21 million contract extension from the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves that he considered insulting.

Sprewell later said the minimum $1 million annual salary would be a "slap in the face," and even later his agent said $5 million for a season was "a level beneath which Sprewell would not stoop or kneel!"

Needless to say, NBA followers got some sadistic satisfaction when Sprewell went bankrupt several years later and had his yacht repossessed.

Ha...because the $256,000,000+ he's made on his contract salaries alone (not including his ad endorsements, etc) will barely get him a steak dinner. Good thing he's still single, otherwise how would he feed his whole family? :D

Not that I don't respect/admire the guy, but I would NEVER pay $300 for his signature in person. He's a great player, no doubt, but come on. I'd rather try to get that free gift basket and signed ball the morning after.

+1. Totally agree. Steiner's prices are NOT reflective of market demand. They are way overpriced and they often sell for a fraction of their original prices in the aftermarket or in auctions.

I've found that if you wait a while the price comes down but even then it's still too high.

I had the opportunity to get him twice for free at a sporting goods convention. We knew the day before he was going to be there so off to Sports Authority to purchase store model gloves. At the signing, inside one of those fence batting cages, you could carry nothing. Went through the first time for the free 8x10 from the sponsor. They ran out of those so they started signing your convention id with no other option. My friend and I stuck our gloves under our arms inside our windbreakers. When I got to him I opened up my coat and asked if he would mind and he said no problem. That will probably be the only time I will ever get him.

As to the original question - Not in this lifetime. Not in any lifetime!! - Just my opinion.

What Steiner has done to the Yankees is truly sad. Between 1996 and about 2000 my dad and I used to get to games early to catch the players coming in. Jeter was a lock. I must have gotten him ten times. Same with Spring Training. Ever since Steiner came around Jeter and the rest of the Yankees have been impossible.

I have a few Jete sigs but none better than my first. I paid only $35 for it from a dealer early in his 1996 rookie season before he got real big. photo is a little blury, but dont feel like digging ball out right now....

I think these types of questions are really best answered as 4 questions.

1) Do I think, objectively, in comparison to the prices and values of other athletes, both past and present, that a Derek Jeter autograph at $1000 is a good, or even reasonable deal?

2) Would I buy a Derek Jeter autograph for $1000?

3) Will there be enough people willing to pay Steiner that amount to make it profitable?

4) Do I think Jeter autos will hold their value at that pricing?

My answers
1) No way. I base this on a few things. a) He is not the greatest player ever. b) He is not the greatest player that ever played for his team. 3) IMHO, He is not the greatest player in his generation. To me, he wasn't even the greatest player on the teams he played for, at the time he played (I would take Rivera, personally). He is a HOFer and will be elected most assuredly on the first ballot, but I don't think there is anyway he, or anyone else for that matter, will be ever be a unanimous selection, so that won't change his value. If Ruth, who has been dead for almost 70yrs is $3k for a cut/3x5, I just can't justify $1k for a guy who is only 40ish. For me, Jordan is an exception as he is absolutely in the argument for the greatest BB player of all time and possibly best sports athlete of all time.

2) No, with the rare exception of needing him to complete some multi signed piece. Even then, I would have a very difficult time doing it. In this instance, the same goes for Jordan. While I can see the value more, I would still have a very difficult time spending that much unless it was a multi-signed item, like those USA Olympic Dream Team posters

3) YES. There are plenty of wealthy or upper mid class people who would shell out a one time number like that for an item of their favorite player, either for themselves or as a Christmas gift. Certainly, Jeter is one of the popular players of his generation, so there are plenty of customers for these types of collectibles.

4) NO(Maybe). You can already buy a Jeter item, of almost any type, on ebay, with all the certs, for way less than what Steiner charges. I added maybe, because if Jeter were to pass away very young, and I hope he does not, then his stuff might hold these types of value. If he lives a long and happy life, which I sincerely hope he does, there will be a lot of people with Jeter stuff that will sell for a fraction of what they bought it for.

None of this in any way is meant as a bash on Jeter. He has been a great player worthy of HOF enshrinement without question.

Steiner really trying to milk it before he retires. I gout couple Steiner Jeter last year for $200 each.

No disrespect to Jeter, but if he played in Minnesota he'd be Paul Molitor....

Randall,
Pretty close.

From Baseball Reference.com:

Similarity Scores
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Compare Stats to Similars
Craig Biggio (823)
Paul Molitor (805) *
Roberto Alomar (789) *
Robin Yount (786) *
Charlie Gehringer (756) *
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Joe Morgan (723) *
Ted Simmons (718)
Frankie Frisch (716) *
* - Signifies Hall of Famer

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Craig Biggio (818)
Paul Molitor (764) *
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Eddie Collins (704) *
Miguel Tejada (698)
George Brett (696) *
* - Signifies Hall of Famer


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Age
22. Joe Sewell (969) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
23. Joe Sewell (966) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
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26. Hanley Ramirez (910) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
27. Travis Jackson (897) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
27. Travis Jackson (899) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
28. Alan Trammell (905) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
29. Alan Trammell (901) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
30. Alan Trammell (877) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
31. Roberto Alomar (877) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
32. Roberto Alomar (884) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
33. Roberto Alomar (883) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
34. Roberto Alomar (868) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
35. Roberto Alomar (869) * 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
36. Craig Biggio (786) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
37. Craig Biggio (778) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
38. Craig Biggio (818) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 C
* - Signifies Hall of Famer

While I never saw paul monitor play, jeter always amazed me. 3000th hr, final all star game 2-2, "the dive" vs the redsocks, "the flip" vs the a's. Oh yeah and mr. November, no disrespect to anyone who hasn't seen jeter play everyday over the past 20 years. But these are highlights you all have seen, us fortunate enough to see him play on a near everyday basis know mr. Jeter is and never will be "overrated."

Cal Ripken $1000? Mickey $1000 Ted Willaims$1000 Wille Mays $1000 Hank AAron $1000 Tony Gwynn $1000 Dimaggio $1000 and lets not for the man with ten rings. Yogi $1000
Ripken hit a hr in his last all star game. Willams hit a hr last time at bat. He played won five rings in twenty years much less than most of the famous Yankee players

1. Yogi Berra 1946-1965 10 Yankees: 1947, 1949-1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962
2. Joe DiMaggio 1936-1951 9 Yankees: 1936-1939, 1941, 1947, 1949-1951
3. Bill Dickey 1928-1946 8 Yankees: 1928, 1932, 1936-1939, 1941, 1943
3. Phil Rizzuto 1941-1956 8 Yankees: 1941, 1947, 1949-1953, 1956
3. Frankie Crosetti 1932-1948 8 Yankees: 1932, 1936-1939, 1941, 1943, 1947
3. Lou Gehrig 1923-1939 8 Yankees: 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936-1939
7. Hank Bauer 1948-1961 7 Yankees: 1949-1953, 1956, 1958
7. Mickey Mantle 1951-1968 7 Yankees: 1951-1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962
7. Babe Ruth 1914-1935 7 Red Sox: 1915, 1916, 1918; Yankees: 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932
7. Johnny Murphy 1932-1947 7 Yankees: 1932, 1936-1939, 1941, 1943
7. Tommy Henrich 1937-1950 7 Yankees: 1937-1939, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1950
7. Herb Pennock 1912-1934 7 Philadelphia A’s: 1913; Red Sox: 1915, 1916; Yankees: 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932
13. Whitey Ford 1950-1967 6 Yankees: 1950, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962
13. Vic Raschi 1946-1955 6 Yankees: 1947, 1949-1953
13. Allie Reynolds 1942-1954 6 Yankees: 1947, 1949-1953
13. Red Ruffing 1924-1947 6 Yankees: 1932, 1936-1939, 1941
13. Joe Collins 1948-1957 6 Yankees: 1949-1953, 1956
13. Lefty Gomez 1930-1943 6 Yankees: 1932, 1936-1939, 1941
13. Jerry Coleman 1949-1957 6 Yankees: 1949-1953, 1956
13. Eddie Collins 1906-1930 6 Philadelphia A’s: 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930; White Sox: 1917
13. Spud Chandler 1937-1947 6 Y
I am not say in was not a great player but.
Jetter $1000 :eek:

You do realize none of these players have played for almost 50 years? Jeter is a modern yankee legend. Not Many others except mo

Really, only Jetter in the last fifty years. :o He is the greatest baseball player in the history of baseball in the last fifty years. I will even give you the last thrity years. He is the greates player to ever play in the last thrity years.:eek: Are you only talking Yankees.

Then Yankee fans can say something. If it comes down to great players in the last 30 years I would put him in the bottom if that.

Greatest yankee friend, huge difference in our collectibles world.

I didn't post the above to have this turn into a debate between those who think Jeter is the greatest thing since sliced bread and those who don't. Jeter is/was a great player. There are many great players. The thing that is unfortunate is that depending where you are and who you get to see play routinely, it is very easy to have a higher opinion of those you saw vs those you didn't.
I look at a guy like Tony Gwynn, RIP. He played in SD his whole career and got virtually no media exposure. I am sure that many of younger Yankee fans would immediately say that Jeter was better, but when you look at the numbers, they are a pretty close comparison. Gwynn is ahead of Jeter in many categories, including BA, SLG% (despite hitting 100 less HR), OPS, OPS+, AS game appearances, MVPs won, Sliver Slugger awards, and has struck out only 430 times to Jeter's 1800, among others. Jeter is ahead of Gywnn in hits, runs, HR, RBI, walks, TB, and WS championships, among others. The biggest difference is that Jeter had a much better team surrounding him, that helped him play in the post season waaay more than Gwynn. Jeter played in 158 post season games to Gwynn's 27. Jeter batted 321 lifetime in the WS. Gwynn batted 371 lifetime in the WS. Additionally, both were considered really nice guys, who were fan friendly, for the most part. Neither had any scandals or misbehaving.
Is it really fair to say one is definitely better than the other? I think you could make a pretty good case for either. I am also sure that there are other players that, if you looked, you would find similar comparisons.

Mark, Gwynn to me hands down better hitter. Intangibles, and or all around play goes to jeter. We're splitting hairs here, bottom line I think we all feel Steiner charges way too much for his auto.

I must not understand you. You are telling me that a Yankee fan things that Jetter is better than Mantle? I understand he is a today Yankee. He is not yet in the Hall and he will be signing for rest of his life and your saying he is worth more than Mantle. If that is true it is really sad. That is why there are so many forged items.
No one in there right mind can afford him.
The difference from Gwynn and Jetter is Tony would sign for anyone anywhere not true with Jetter. He also is very famous for his gift baskets.:)
By the way. Who is going to be the next great Yankee when Jetter leaves. Is there going to be a next great Yankee.?

Shelly, I'm saying he is the greatest yankee since........ You can name anyone, he picked up where legends left off. He's a legend at this point, legends command premiums. Granted jeters is way too high but people pay it so what can we do.

I am sorry, I really might be to old to put him in the same sentence as Babe, lou, Joe, Mickey,Gibson, Mays Arron, Koufax Williams Ryan to me those are people I would call legends. Jetter is a great player but in no way is he a legend unless you are a Yankee fan.
Even with two hits in the all star game they did not give him the mvp. Mo got it doing nothing but being the best there every was at his job. It does say something when they did not give it to him. Even before the game the play by play guys said if he gets a hit the trophy is his.

Carmelo,
Yes, we are splitting hairs, but isn't this discussion part of the fun of it all?

Your quote...
"Gwynn to me hands down better hitter. Intangibles, and or all around play goes to jeter."

Your stated opinion on this is exactly the reason why many, non NY centric fans think Jeter is over-rated. Given that you didn't see much of Molitor, it stands to reason that you saw even less of Gwynn. He played only 3yrs later than Molitor and in the opposite league from the Yanks. Despite that, you have been able to form the opinion that Jeter was a better all around player and had better intangibles! How? How do you judge intangibles? If you can't measure them in statistics then, I guess, you really need to see them play day in day out to judge how they play the game and how important they are to their team. So the only way someone could form your stated opinion is if they are biased and are overestimating one player's value because they are his fans.

Here are a few more non batting stat comparisons.
Gwynn won an MVP. Jeter never did. Jeter has 40 more SB. Both won 4 GG. Gwynn has a slightly higher fielding %(20th lifetime for RF), but Jeter (29th lifetime for SS) played a harder position. Jeter's WAR 72.1. Gwynn's 68.8. That means over a 20yr period Jeter accounted for 3 more wins. Not much of a difference really.

I'm not trying to prove Gwynn was better, as I think they are pretty much on even ground. I'm saying that only a Yankee fan would think that Jeter was definitely better than Gwynn, and a whole bunch of other guys from this same era. I think Jeter is a great player, but I don't think he is more special than a whole lot of players during the past 30yrs.

Also, regardless of the above, I think we all agree $1000 for his auto is crazy.

I think people say jeter is overrated because they fail to see anything other than the ny on his chest. Trust me coming from someone who has lived in nyc his whole life (manhattan) and has seen many parts of this world, yes nyc is overrated. However, I just have to say if anyone has never gotten the chance to attend a yankees game and see what #2 truly means to us, please go within the next two or so months. Two things you have probably never seen and will never hear again will happen, Bob Sheppards "now batting for the yankees.... #2 derek jeter.... #2." As well as the final single digit yankee number ever announced for an active player. Players can become legends anywhere, but in nyc legends stand tall.

I grew up. lived a large part of my life there including going to college in NYC. I root for all NY sports teams. My father was born and raised there as well. I understand NYC very well.

I don't think Jeter is over-rated because I dislike the Yankees. I think, because he has had the advantage of being a Yankee, he is thought of more highly than he would've been had he played for virtually any other team. To me, he wasn't even the best, or most valuable, player on his team. IMHO, Rivera was both the best player on the team and the greatest ever at his position. This is coming from a non Yankee fan.
Jeter has lived a charmed life since coming to the Yanks. Evey time they won, he got the lion's share of the credit, but every time they lost it was always someone else's fault. In the 2004 ALCS, Arod batted 258 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, and SLG% of 895. Jeter hit 200 with o HR, 5 RBIs, and SLG% of 567. Despite that, somehow it was all Arod's fault that they lost to Boston. No one said anything about Jeter's performance. MR November? OK he had 2 excellent WS and 2 fantastic WS performances. How about batting 250 in 1996 WS and 148 in 2001 WS? Hmmm. People seem to forget these things when it comes to Jeter.
Of course Yankee fans love him. If he were on my team, I would love him too, but I judge performance on performance, not how much I love the guy. In NYC, Legends stand tall because it is the media capital of the world, not because they are better players than those in other towns.

That is because there are 8 players that had there numbers retired two of them with the same number. Torre is number six his will be retired. Wow the last of the single digits. They retired Billy Martins number 1 that is a real legend.

One of my favorite modern pieces in my collection is this vintage Derek Jeter index card signed during 1993 Spring Training.

http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/1080/1562663.PNG

Now you can literally buy the ground he walks on thanks to Steiner.


http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/dere...s-infield-dirt

Got Jeter here in Louisville when he came here with Tino Martinez who was the brother-in-law of Louisville's BB Coach, Lelo Prado. Got a ball and a mini helmet and he was very accommodating outside a bar where there were a number of people getting sigs. The $300 is just Steiner pushing the envelope and building the market higher and higher. Jeter probably charges a pretty fixed amount to sign for X amount of time. These new guys view autograph signing I think as a nuisance (at least many of them). If you'd made $200M or more during your career, you'd probably think you didn't need to sign your name, so only do it when someone's willing to pay your $30,000 for 3 hours. Anyway, he was great to us here and wish him the best of luck in retirement. I would never pay $300 for anyone's auto anymore.............

Ernie Banks SS 2 time Mvp On last place club lifetime BA same hr250 more.Mr Cub "Lets play two" That is a legend. $100 for an autograph.

Not a Yankees fan, but I've always been a fan of Jeter. I remember when I was a teenager he would always sign autographs for us at Tropicana Field and at Legends Field. There was this girl who had to have been his biggest fan. He gave her around 5 bats in about a month span during ST.

I wonder if she still has them....

No. If I made $200M+ during my career, paid entirely by fans, I'd feel I owed them a little something, and would sign for free.

Nomars better! *

Steve B
*Ok, the pre broken wrist, pre peds to keep his career going another year or two Nomar was better. :D

If you really want a Jeter signature, buy one a couple of years after his Hall of Fame induction. They will be a bit more normal by then.

You don't buy Jeter anything this year -- it's all hype.

Also, understand that Jeter prices already reflect that he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He is unlikely to get any additional bump - at least with respect to this year's prices - in five years from now.

Best move I ever made with my collection was to sell all of my McGwire material on the day after he broke Maris' record in 1998.

If you want to sell Jeter, now's the time to do it. Maybe end of September.

The pricing on Jeter isn't reflective of how good a player he is, and certainly not a means of comparison of Jeter to other star players. It's a reflection of the millions upon millions he has already made during his career, and the fee he charges to make it "worth his time" to sign at all. The $3000 show promoters used to pay someone like Enos Slaughter (just for example) is pocket change to a guy like Jeter. The price extended to the public is high so Steiner can recoup their expenses and still turn a profit. It's simply a matter of the players of today not needing the additional income from signing sessions the way guys from the 50s, 60s and 70s did.

EDIT: To answer the original question, his signature is evidently "worth it" because people are willing to pay it. It's not worth it to me personally as I wouldn't pay even a third of that for a current guy, but as long as they are selling tickets, the autograph is worth what the market will bear.

Normally, I would wholeheartedly agree with this logic. In this case, and for other Steiner exclusives, Steiner is the exception to the rule as they are the only one who can get people to pay this price. Anyone who buys a Steiner Jeter auto for $1K will be only able to recoup a fraction of it if/when they try to resell it. Perhaps this year, with all the hype going on, they might get close to breaking even, but not so next year. I think most Steiner items, not just Jeter, follow along the same lines.

Jeter autograph worth $1000?
 

Uh, no....:rolleyes:

bing bing bing... we have a winner!

100.00 for this jerk off is too much! $1,000.00 is the new hundred, however.

Derek Jeter was a good player (he hasn't been for a couple years) . Is a HOFer? Definitely. Is he an all-time great? No. Nothing wrong with that.

I couldn't agree with you more. Never won a regular season MVP, 1 title in the past 14 years. Sure he's a solid player, but not an all-time great like Gehrig / Ruth / Dimaggio. He did a little bit of everything good, nothing great.

He finished in the Top 3 three times for MVP. He won 5 other championships. What does winning 1 in the last 14 years have to do with anything? There are so many players in who never won.

And I don't even like Jeter. In the age of flash in the pan shortstops he's the only one still on the field. Not worth the money but you can't take anything away from his career.

No way, not even if he gets hit by a bus tomorrow. Now is the worst time to buy a Jeter signed item--the hype will never be bigger.

I got my signed item out of a pack of cards; best pack bust I ever had:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...size/Jeter.jpg