Most desirable form of Autograph? and ID needed

[camlov2]

I am in the process of selling a large number of autographs and am trying to price them using ebay completed listings. However... many of these are either older newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, or AP photos and I can't really find anything like them. So I was wondering if you would be willing to rank what you would prefer so I can figure out how my prices should compare to what I am seeing on ebay.

Signed Card
Signed Ball
Signed Postcard
Signed AP Photo
Signed Photo
Signed 3x5 card
Signed cut piece of paper
Signed Magazine Photo
Signed Program
Signed newspaper article

On a side note I was wondering if anyone could ID these three players for me. I will probably laugh at myself as soon as I see them.

[Duluth Eskimo]

Top one is nice vintage Zoilo Versalles.

[MooseDog]

Other two are Larry Gardner and Harvey Haddix.

[thecatspajamas]

Other two are Larry Gardner (middle) and Harvey Haddix (bottom, far left)

[sccoe]

Signed Card 4
Signed Ball 1
Signed Postcard 6
Signed AP Photo 2
Signed Photo 3
Signed 3x5 card 9
Signed cut piece of paper 10
Signed Magazine Photo 5
Signed Program 8
Signed newspaper 7

My ranking, I'm sure others will be different. I actually like signed newspaper articles but they can be very fragile

[HOF Auto Rookies]

All depends on who the player is. Depending on that changes the order of value, but they are consistent with what is ranked above

[camlov2]

Thanks on the IDs, realize now that I missed the Haddix because I was looking at a list of Indians players and he was a pitching coach for the team.

I am a little surprised to see the AP photo ranked so high but I guess that makes sense since I can't find any for sale/sold.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by camlov2

Thanks on the IDs, realize now that I missed the Haddix because I was looking at a list of Indians players and he was a pitching coach for the team.

I am a little surprised to see the AP photo ranked so high but I guess that makes sense since I can't find any for sale/sold.

AP photos are awesome and extremely scarce for a good one

[thecatspajamas]

Signed Card 4
Signed Ball 1
Signed Postcard 5
Signed AP Photo 2
Signed Photo 3
Signed 3x5 card 8
Signed cut piece of paper 10
Signed Magazine Photo 6
Signed Program 7
Signed newspaper 9

Much of this could vary depending on the quality/desirability of the piece being signed, but that's how I would rank them.

+1 on the scarcity of the AP (or any news/press photos) signed, especially for players who died earlier than the last few years. News photos themselves were tough to come by before so many archives were broken up in the last few years, and the number that were then signed by their respective subjects was even smaller. That might not be quite as true for those still signing in the last decade or so when more vintage photos were available to collectors, but to me, would still rank above the other possibilities you listed.

I've never had much luck with newspapers myself (assuming clippings, rather than full papers), and find 3x5's easier to move than small clippings. Presumably because of the versatility of the 3x5 for framing purposes (can be paired with anything) and ability to achieve a somewhat uniform look for a collection even if signed decades apart. Depending on the mag photo or program, I might even rank a 3x5 above them for the same reasons.

[Leon]

For me personally to collect autographs they would need to be on legal documents or have almost 100% impeccable provenance. That's about all I have to say. The higher the probability of it being good the more desirable to me. Good luck with them!!

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by Leon

For me personally to collect autographs they would need to be on legal documents or have almost 100% impeccable provenance. That's about all I have to say. The higher the probability of it being good the more desirable to me. Good luck with them!!

I agree with Leon. That is why I like personal checks. Although there were some players that had secretarial signatures (Joe D.), most were in the hand of the person signing them. Just my 2¢.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by ibuysportsephemera

I agree with Leon. That is why I like personal checks. Although there were some players that had secretarial signatures (Joe D.), most were in the hand of the person signing them. Just my 2¢.

I asked a question on here a long time back that got no answer, when Hunt Auctions was auctioning off a ton of Ted Williams checks there appeared to be two drastically different signatures on them with close date ranges. Did Ted change his signature? Have a secretary? His son?

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I asked a question on here a long time back that got no answer, when Hunt Auctions was auctioning off a ton of Ted Williams checks there appeared to be two drastically different signatures on them with close date ranges. Did Ted change his signature? Have a secretary? His son?

Hi Dan,

I do not know about Williams...but I have seen a Joe D. check in the past. I am not really an autograph guy, so I might have been fooled by the DiMaggio signature had I not been told that it wasn't his signature.