What is your favorite autograph medium?

[Forever Young]

I enjoy letters, gpc's, signed documents and checks the most as they typically date the signature. I am also more comfortable with the authenticity. I specifically collect pre-rookie and rookie signatures on these items. However, I do enjoy many other mediums. What are your favorite signed items to collect? I would love to see them! Below are some of mine..

1951
1951
1942
1938
not rookie but it will do

[mschwade]

3x5's or GPC's, no doubt about it.... And those that know me know I am even picky about the writing utensil depending on my project.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by mschwade

3x5's or GPC's, no doubt about it.... And those that know me know I am even picky about the writing utensil depending on my project.

I hear you Matt.. I only buy pen now... no more sharpies or pencil for me. Do you frame your pieces at all?

[bender07]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

Mama, that's nice!

[mschwade]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

I hear you Matt.. I only buy pen now... no more sharpies or pencil for me. Do you frame your pieces at all?

Yes I do.. I like to include pictures above the 3x5's and double mat around the picture and the index card. What's the deal with no sharpies? I like Sharpies for the newer autographs because you can read them from further away.

[mschwade]

And by the way, after reading Kevin Nelson's book, I definitely do not want to own autographed 8x10's unless I got them myself.

[Big Six]

I'm a sucker for the old fashioned 3x5...too bad it's getting impossible to get today's players to sign them...and I can't justify paying some of today's hall of farmers to sign them either...hard to collect autographs these days...

[Gary Dunaier]

When I'm buying, I prefer checks. In person, I like 3x5 cards signed with a Pilot Precise V5 rolling ball pen, because it allows me to see the flow of the lines in the signature. (I like signatures for their own sake.)

[prewarsports]

I like album pages because they were almost always signed AT the ballpark and as such the chances of an album page with a secretarial or "clubhouse" autograph are very small because the person almost always handed the album directly to the person to be signed.

3X5 cards usually have nicer quality signatures because the player was almost always sitting down when signing them because they were sent through the mail so in general, nicer quality.

I dont like Bank Checks because there is just too much going on.

GOVT postcards are the way to go for me because they not only carry the signature but to me they tell a story too because of the date and postmark, they are usually nice quality (see above) but also have more history than just a signature to me. BUT you have to be wary of the secretarial/clubhouse issue.

I am a sucker for multi-signed albums so I have a soft spot for those so I vote, ALBUM PAGES.

Rhys

[thenavarro]

I prefer signed rookie trading cards. To me, it's the perfect combination of two wonderful hobbies,

[Jay Wolt]

I always like signed cancelled checks
Here's a 2 Hall Of Famers (Bill Terry & Warren Giles) on a check.

[bbcard1]

I have a baseball encyclopedia signed by more than 220 players over their entry.

[Scott Garner]

I probably enjoy vintage GPC's and 3 x 5's signed in fountain pen the most.
You really can't beat them for aesthetic beauty, plus as one poster already mentioned, being able to tie the sig to a specific date is an added bonus.

I also collect signed vintage RPPC's, checks, cuts, letters, bats, balls and other types of signed flats of no-hit pitchers.

[bender07]

I like album pages, index cards, vintage signatures on baseball cards, but my favorite is GPC's. Here's a nice Hooper:

[mr2686]

Not sure if I have a favorite or not. For me it depends on how I'm going to mat it or where I'm going to put it. For example, if it's for a team project, especially one that is 1950 or later, I try to get as many signed baseball cards as possible. When I can't find a card, a 3x5, AP or cut will do but I try to make sure I have a balance within the matted project. For my 1934 Cardinals project, I found a nice signed check of Paul Dean, so to balance it out I looked for a check of one of the other players and found a nice Jesse Haines check. I also love to get HOF'ers in my 1980's Hall of Fame book, but that of course is limited to living players (unless I sell it to CC and then all bets are off). Last but not least, I love to find or get autographs on sports magazines. There's just something about them that looks really great, and of course, they display really well too.

[HexsHeroes]

Originally Posted by prewarsports

I like album pages because they were almost always signed AT the ballpark and as such the chances of an album page with a secretarial or "clubhouse" autograph are very small because the person almost always handed the album directly to the person to be signed.

3X5 cards usually have nicer quality signatures because the player was almost always sitting down when signing them because they were sent through the mail so in general, nicer quality.

I dont like Bank Checks because there is just too much going on.

GOVT postcards are the way to go for me because they not only carry the signature but to me they tell a story too because of the date and postmark, they are usually nice quality (see above) but also have more history than just a signature to me. BUT you have to be wary of the secretarial/clubhouse issue.

I am a sucker for multi-signed albums so I have a soft spot for those so I vote, ALBUM PAGES.

Rhys

Ditto what Rhys said. But let me add that for me, just about any medium is acceptable for any item on my vintge want list. I even have a "leather cut" taken from a signed baseball. Evidently the ball had previously been displayed as such, that there were numerous holes and marks. Seller decided to "unstitch" the ball, and sell selected leather cuts from the four panels and sweetspot. Odd, but effective. And it filled one of my needs for a rarely encountered autograph. (Just don't tell Topps, otherwise they will start chopping up baseballs too).

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Signed rookies

[Exhibitman]

Exhibit cards are my favorite but I also like vintage-signed cards, esp. postally-used PCs.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by mschwade

Yes I do.. I like to include pictures above the 3x5's and double mat around the picture and the index card. What's the deal with no sharpies? I like Sharpies for the newer autographs because you can read them from further away.

Matt,

I am not a fan of the sharpies for a couple reasons.

1) They seem to change color at times vs ball point/fountain pen. I do realize it depends on how you take care of them

2) I feel like I can see the signature better with a ballpoint/fountain pen. The flow, the thiness etc.

Do these points make sense? Plus, I really only collect old/vintage autos so if a sig of say.. maris or mantle existed in a sharpie, that would also entail it was a newer sig.
You collect newer sigs and enjoy the sharpie so to each their own! Hence the thread..we all enjoy different things which is cool!

[mschwade]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

Matt,

I am not a fan of the sharpies for a couple reasons.

1) They seem to change color at times vs ball point/fountain pen. I do realize it depends on how you take care of them

2) I feel like I can see the signature better with a ballpoint/fountain pen. The flow, the thiness etc.

Do these points make sense? Plus, I really only collect old/vintage autos so if a sig of say.. maris or mantle existed in a sharpie, that would also entail it was a newer sig.
You collect newer sigs and enjoy the sharpie so to each their own! Hence the thread..we all enjoy different things which is cool!

Yep! Makes perfect sense.. I hate the black magic marker they used in the 80's that would yellow around the signature after time.

[EARLSWORLD]

Originally Posted by thenavarro

I prefer signed rookie trading cards. To me, it's the perfect combination of two wonderful hobbies,

I'm with you Mike, I love collecting autographed baseball cards from all the 50's sets, as well as HOF rookie cards signed. I have a near complete 1958 Topps set needing about 65 cards.

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

Amazing collection, Ben. Did Willie sign that "Form, Willie Mays"? Funny.

I prefer whatever the signature looks best on. I'd love a Ruth on a single signed ball but I'd take Jimmy's Gehrig signed postcard over it any day of the week. I like Ty Cobb on letters, as he wrote a bunch of them. Later era players (50-60's) I like on their best looking card, i.e.: Koufax on '63 Topps, BRobby & Drysdale on their '57 RCs, Ted Williams on '54 Topps, Mantle on '54 Bowman...

But for the one player I collect the most (Killebrew), I have no preference at all.

[HRBAKER]

Depends on the era of the player, up through the 60's probably 3x5s, GPCs, Checks and cards.



Modern day players, cards/programs.





I also like to take small cuts (which are generally cheap) and make custom cards.