T206 Player Autographs - Relative Scarcity

[T206Collector]

I have been researching the relative scarcity of T206 player autographs for about 4 years (lots of time at home during COVID got me started). I have focused on the 353 non-HOFers, since the 38 HOFers are much easier to track, and have come up with a round number of 100 T206 player autographs that are reasonably available in the hobby. The relative scarcity of T206 non-HOF player autographs after the 100 listed here is nearly the same because there are so few, or even just no examples in the hobby.

I have broken them down into 4 quartiles below. In each quartile, players are listed in alphabetical order by last name, not in order of relative scarcity within quartiles. These lists are not based on prices or value, which also will vary based on popularity of player.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Thr longer you pay attention to it, you'll see certain players from your second to fourth categories move from tier to tier. It happens on occasion. There was a time where Abbaticchio and Maloney came up more often so as to fit one category above.

Then, there's the story the late Steve Kennedy once told me. Conrad Anderson used to set up at shows with all his 3x5s. Steve said he had a three or four inch thick stack of Cicottes for $5 each. Wonder where they all went?!

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Thr longer you pay attention to it, you'll see certain players from your second to fourth categories move from tier to tier. It happens on occasion. There was a time where Abbaticchio and Maloney came up more often so as to fit one category above.

Then, there's the story the late Steve Kennedy once told me. Conrad Anderson used to set up at shows with all his 3x5s. Steve said he had a three or four inch thick stack of Cicottes for $5 each. Wonder where they all went?!

Thanks so much for sharing. My lists are an effort to be a sort of average of my experiences over the past 4 years of searching. Maloney is a great example. I used to think he was fairly easy, and now I'm not so sure -- because when I first started looking there were several options available on the market. Actually there are three available on eBay right now, but the price is higher than the scarcity, in my opinion. So they sit there like overpriced T206 commons.

Cicotte certainly isn't difficult, but people will pay $300+ for a nice one. He is on the easy side of expensive, so to speak. Like a Hall of Famer who lived a long time. Sam Crawford is a good comp for him in terms of price and availability.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Thanks so much for sharing. My lists are an effort to be a sort of average of my experiences over the past 4 years of searching. Maloney is a great example. I used to think he was fairly easy, and now I'm not so sure -- because when I first started looking there were several options available on the market. Actually there are three available on eBay right now, but the price is higher than the scarcity, in my opinion. So they sit there like overpriced T206 commons.

Cicotte certainly isn't difficult, but people will pay $300+ for a nice one. He is on the easy side of expensive, so to speak. Like a Hall of Famer who lived a long time. Sam Crawford is a good comp for him in terms of price and availability.

Yes, that's a very close comparison price-wise, but would definitely say Wahoo signed a touch more. Another eerie similarity between the two men is that the vast majority of all available autographs were signed in the last decade of their lives. Sam, obviously due to his rediscovery with his 1957 induction and also his TGOTT chapter. Eddie due to his reemergence from living in hiding for many years. I either own or have owned one Cicotte 3X5 signed in fountain pen which predates all the material you normally see. That's a true rarity, but alas, not one that enough people see as special enough to command a rightful premium.

[T206Collector]

For sure Crawford signed more, and his autograph is way more available.

I definitely pay a premium for fountain pen signatures, all things equal — especially those players who are easier to find because they lived into the 1970s. Larry Doyle is a great example. Super easy to find with a ballpoint signature, but really tough to find with a fountain pen signature.

[Scott Garner]

Paul,
FWIW, I would elevate Bob "Dusty" Rhoads and Jess Tannehill into the more most difficult category, especially if you want it to be an earlier fountain pen signature.

Otherwise I pretty much agree with your list. Right on & great post!

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Thr longer you pay attention to it, you'll see certain players from your second to fourth categories move from tier to tier. It happens on occasion. There was a time where Abbaticchio and Maloney came up more often so as to fit one category above.

Then, there's the story the late Steve Kennedy once told me. Conrad Anderson used to set up at shows with all his 3x5s. Steve said he had a three or four inch thick stack of Cicottes for $5 each. Wonder where they all went?!

I remember when Cicotte was cheap. I got mine for about $17 or so at the first National I went to. A very well known dealer had it in a binder, and when I asked if the price was correct, he said yeah...he's never going to make the hall of fame. LOL

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

What year would that have been, Mike?

I recall even 30 years back, 3x5s were still fetching in the $200-300 range in old mail-in bid auctions.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

What year would that have been, Mike?

I recall even 30 years back, 3x5s were still fetching in the $200-300 range in old mail-in bid auctions.

Must have been about 35 or 36 years ago. Maybe I just got lucky, either way I'm not complaining. LOL

[T206Collector]

I finally put the finishing touches on my article about the relative scarcity of T206 player autographs. If anyone is interested it is posted on my website here:

http://www.signedt206.com/scarcity-o...yer-autographs

[ahmanfan]

Great work!


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[mr2686]

That is so cool. Just curious about Moose McCormick...why is he so hard? He lived till 1962, yet I had a heck of a time finding one. Lucky for me I finally did.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Moose was a very willing signer (he even had a rubber stamp of a moose head that I've seen once or twice). My best guess is that many simply didn't write to him.

[Scott Garner]

Nice job, Paul!

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Moose was a very willing signer (he even had a rubber stamp of a moose head that I've seen once or twice). My best guess is that many simply didn't write to him.

Here’s one of the moose (mooses or meese) in my collection, with the aforementioned rubber stamp of a moose head. I truly love it.

Scarcity is relative. He makes the top 100, which means you can find one with some perseverance. He’s just tougher than at least 75 or so other T206 subjects.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

The longer you pay attention to it, you'll see certain players from your second to fourth categories move from tier to tier.

About a year later now, this has definitely come true for me. I am considering making a few additional adjustments, but given the slight fluctuations in availability that can be expected from year to year, I probably will sit tight.

Deacon Phillippe has been very tough over the past 12 months, as has George Gibson.

Bill Hinchman has been basically non-existent.

I could see moving Hinchman to the 4th Quartile and Phillippe to 3rd. May be worth moving McCormick back to 3rd and Beaumont to 2nd.

Not an exact science for sure!

[J-Yo]

I saw a Gavvy Cravath and Billy Maloney on EBay but they’re both being sold by Todd Mueller who I don’t have complete faith in and the 3rd party guys can’t give an unbiased opinion as they’ve had lawsuit against each other.


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