Signed Perez Steele

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Posted By: David Lai

Hi guys,

I am very new to vintage cards and I'm sure even sure if you consider Perez-Steele postcards to be vintage. I am looking into buying some HOF's auto of Mantle, Dimaggio, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Tom Seaver. But a few questions....

1. Why are they so cheap?!
2. Which year is better?
3. Which company for grading?

Thanks

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

While nobody here would consider Perez-Steeles to be vintage, and there is a postwar sportscard board, I do have to say that I consider the Perez-Steele "Great Moments" cards to be absolutely gorgeous.

They're patterned after T3s, they're relatively limited in supply, they contain a lot of prewar players, and they're absolutely beautiful, IMO. I picked up a complete set a year or two ago for about $1000, and 55 of them were autographed. I think there's only 62 or 63 of them that are possible to have autographed (the remaining players had passed away before their cards were issued).

I think they're cheap due to lack of demand. While I may sell mine someday, I do consider them to be an heirloom type of item. I don't have mine graded because the large SGC slabs take up a lot of space, and since I bought my set all at once I have them in their original boxes.

Edited to add: if you're not currently into prewar cards, but would like to learn more and get into them, this is the perfect type of set to start with. It can introduce you to some of the more familiar prewar players, it's patterned after a tremendously popular prewar set, and it won't break any bank.


-Al

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Posted By: Scott Dango

are you referring to the 1989 Perez-Steele Set? they issued 10,000 and then many people had them signed....

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Posted By: Evan

I collect the original set of Perez Steele cards and am pretty close to completing all of the possible signees. It is a wise move to find someone to look at the signatures BEFORE you purchase the cards. Especially the Campanella, although he used an apparatus to assist in his signing. His cards are pricey in comparison to most of the cards in the set. If you watch some of the auction houses out there, you can pick up a full sequentially numbered set with many signed already. At least they will be looked at by one of the authenticators you will eventually deal with.

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Posted By: Rich Klein

Relatively inexpensive is that for quite a while in the 1980's P/S Signed cards were one of the most common items to be signed at trade shows.

I'd say as a guesstimate (without anything more than memory and instinct) that for many of these players more than 50 Percent of the P/S cards were signed which means that there is a supply of 5,000 signed P/S cards of some players. And I would venture that there are not 5K collectors of P/S cards currently active. Simple economics; More product than people willing to purchase.

Of course, I could be very wrong; which is not always unusual for me

Regards
Rich

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Posted By: Anthony N.

I posted this on the post war board, but since that side seems to be ignored.....



Of the set I collect (Great Moments) there are 70 cards that are possible to have been signed, if you include Campy.

As Rich stated, many of them are readily available, and as SGC does not authenticate autographs PSA is the only viable option. The cards resemble T3's, and IMO PSA's T3 holder is the best one they make.

The first 60 cards are pretty easy to find signed, a few will cost a bit more (Bunning can be tough, I had a problem with Frank Robinson for some reason, as well as Lasorda_ but the last 10 will get increasingly harder. Ashburn is by far the toughest, having been alive for a very short time after his card was issued. It will run about 3-4K if you can find one.

Some of the cards feature really nice artwork, with period outfield signage, great action, etc. A few are way off, and I think Koufax actually looks more like Drysdale.

I posted a bunch of my favorites on the post war thread.

edited to add apologies to Leon and others for a postwar post on the prewar side

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Posted By: Rich Klein

Don't forget BGS grades cards these size as well and JSA can authenticate the autographs

Rich

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Posted By: Arthur Lobbe

I have to agree that I really love the Great Moments. I was fortunate enough to have a bunch slabbed while SGC was still encapsulating JSA's autographs and I must say that the SGC holder displays much nicer than the PSA. I think it's the contrast of the black against the card. I think P-S did a great job in most of their sets and for the autograph collector they make nice additions.

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Posted By: Jason L

what does a complete set go for? unsigned?

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Posted By: Stephen Mitchell

David...

I'll try to answer the first two of your questions: Why so cheap? and Which year is better?

WHY SO CHEAP? As a collector since 1957 I have observed the baseball hobby scene for more than five decades have seen some quality items go begging for a time. Full sets of 1964 Topps Giant Size sold for $1-3 more than 10 years after their issuance; S & S Baseball Card sets were offered for $2 two decades after their appearance; and I personally bought not one but two 1957 Topps baseball sets in 1974 for $52.50 apiece through the most widely circulated hobby auction of the day, The Card Collector's Bulletin. The point? Simply this: The Perez-Steele Galleries GREAT MOMENTS (and others) cards offer quality and scarcity for a very low price...today. Tomorrow - who knows?

I do believe the Perez-Steele (as well as many TCMA, Shakey's Pizza, Big League Collectibles and other sets) have been widely scattered and frequently broken into singles (many for autographing), team sets, Hall of Fame collections, etc. Future economic considerations aside (easier said than done), I expect Perez-Steele - and other quality limited editions - to continue to move upward in popularity and price. The hobby, while much larger than when I first began collecting, is still a small one and quite "thin" in many ways - as is numismatics which has been organized and fitted with serious periodicals, reference books and annual national conventions for two or three generations longer than our pastime.

WHICH YEAR IS BETTER? Personal choice, of course, drives me to the 108-card Great Moments T3-style series. Many of them are magnificent little lithographs and, truly, among the finest things to have living players sign. And, they are a limited edition of 5,000 - half the production of all other Perea-Steele cards. Next, in terms of quality, I would rank the 50-card Master Works postcard series. But, realistically, the Hall of Fame art series (styled after 19th century Allen & Ginter) is probably my next favorite because of its comprehensiveness (250+ cards) and variety. (Its production quality, however, is a notch or two behind Master Works.) The Celebration set lags the field - but what a field! - and is frequently available at half it's original ($200) cost.