just based on personal experience I can remember a day when everyone in the room at a card show was selling cards and every single "walk in" that had autographs was aimed in my direction.
So I've looked at alot of autographs over the years as well as bought some good sized collections and can say that single signed balls of older players in ANY condition were rarely offered and I was NEVER in my life offered a pristine nr mint single signed Babe Ruth ball.
I've seen some nice ones maybe even approaching a strong 9 , but they are few and far between. But that was at a time that it took a really, really nice single signed Babe Ruth ball to break 5K. When the first Ruth ball broke 10K at auction we were astonished.
Since then well.....Where did all the perfect 10's come from ? Were they hiding them from us ? were they lost in the attic ?
To be kept in that type of condition they were obviously well taken care of and highly thought of as treasured family heirlooms with a paper trail a mile long. I mean they would have to be SOMEWHERE for almost 70 years
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jim@stinsonsports.com