I think that vintage on-card autographs have always been an under-appreciated facet of the hobby. It doesn't take too many bidders to cause a run-up on prices for signed vintage cards, especially when it is a popular issue that has several collectors.
While a thin market (the inventory in some cases is scarcer than hen's teeth), it is a market that has some very dedicated collectors and some very deep pockets. I am rarely surprised by realized prices on some of the prewar material and I don't expect the escalation to stop.
I am a bit surprised, however, by the recent surge in value of signed rookies that are still alive and signing.
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