Best decisions/biggest regrets as autograph collectors?

[Topps206]

I thought of this earlier, an interesting way to share stories. What would you call the best decision or decisions you made as an autograph collector, what big regret(s) do you have? Because I’ve felt both.

My best decisions have to be two of them: I went to the Moeller Show in Cincinnati in November 2022 and added a couple of Sports Illustrateds, as SI is my main collecting focus, but for my 1987 Topps project, I added Tom Browning at that show, and he was gone a month later.

The next one is I went to NBA Crossover in Indy back in February and got two SIs signed - one by Dominque Wilkins, and earlier that day, Bill Walton, who sadly left us on Memorial Day. Both SIs are two of the cornerstones of my collection.

My biggest regret is not starting with SIs sooner. I’d been collecting autographs for about 15 years before I decided to expand and go all in with SIs in July 2019. I had about eight signed before then. I’d gotten many autographs on other items, while people who’d signed other stuff for me had since passed away or their show prices are now higher. I’m around 130, and I’ll be getting more signed soon, but man, I would’ve loved to have started sooner.

Which regret(s)/good decision(s) describe you in this hobby?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

The one regret that comes immediately to mind was being offered the absoulte finest known autographed examples of the '33 Goudey Ruth and Gehrig. The Ruth was $15K, Gehrig $10K. If I could only have predicted the autographed card explosion a handful of years later. Remember, a signed '52 Topps Jackie could have been had for next to nothing at that point. I felt the dealer's prices were too high for that era (and they were), so stupidly passed. I could have turned my $25K into $2.5M.

[theshleps]

Agree with Billy. Signed cards I need that I passed up for being $2000 or so not that many years back are 10,000+ now and I will never fill those holes in my collection
I am glad I bought that Bowman rookie from Keating maybe 6 years ago for $4000. Alittle paper loss on front but who knows what it would go for now. That was the most I ever spent at that point.

[ClementeFanOh]

I was at a National in the 1990s in which Wilt and Bill Russell were both
signing. I am a huge Wilt fan, and I passed up both players because the
lines were long and I prioritized looking for cards. Whoops... Trent King

[Kzoo]

Regret selling a few of my signed cards about 10-12 years ago when my interests somewhat changed. After waking up to what I truly love in the hobby, I've been back on the signed card hunt for the last 7-8 years and I sure miss my signed '47 Tip Top Berra and Spahn (^^I think Michael has it now^^), and my '52 Topps Mays.

I'm definitely thankful I didn't sell my '51B Mantle and '34G Greenberg.

This thread feels like a therapy session, as it's good to discuss our losses.

[theshleps]

Originally Posted by Kzoo

Regret selling a few of my signed cards about 10-12 years ago when my interests somewhat changed. After waking up to what I truly love in the hobby, I've been back on the signed card hunt for the last 7-8 years and I sure miss my signed '47 Tip Top Berra and Spahn (^^I think Michael has it now^^), and my '52 Topps Mays.

I'm definitely thankful I didn't sell my '51B Mantle and '34G Greenberg.

This thread feels like a therapy session, as it's good to discuss our losses.

I have the Berra. never had Spahn

[Scott Garner]

Great thread!

Many of you on net54 may know that I have collected tickets to no-hitter games and perfect games for many decades.
Currently I have tickets to almost 250 different games dating back to 1901.

I also love autographs, but for many years, I was uncertain that I wanted to get the pitchers of these no-hit games to sign their tickets, and instead keep the tickets in original condition. Tough collecting dilemma.

Along the way, I made the decision to get all of the perfect game tickets signed by each pitcher.

When opportunities existed, I chased down no-hit pitchers at Anaheim Stadium, Comerica Park and Jacobs Field and had them sign the tickets to their no-hitters.

I recognized that several no-hitter pitchers passing closed the door on the opportunity to get some of my no-hit tickets signed....
HOF'ers Warren Spahn and Hoyt Wilhelm as well as Lew Burdette come to mind.

A watershed moment occurred in 2006, when MAB Sports in NJ announced the Pitcher Perfect show.
Over 30 pitchers that pitched no-hitters and perfect games would be signing at this show.
The chance to secure so many no-hit autographs in one weekend was too much to pass up, so I flew to NJ and had a great time meeting all these pitchers.

I also became a huge TTM collector and sent letters to many of the no-hit pitchers and asked if they would sign their no-hit ticket.
Amazingly, this worked out very well.
In addition to subsequent shows that featured no-hit autograph signers, I am happy to report that of the 248 different no-hit game tickets in my collection, 174 of these are signed by the pitcher.
40 of these tickets are signed by pitchers that have unfortunately passed over the last 18 years.

Best decisions: Getting the no-hit tickets signed
Biggest regrets: I wish I began this quest sooner, as I missed some opportunities to get some of the older pitchers when I had the chance.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by theshleps

Agree with Billy. Signed cards I need that I passed up for being $2000 or so not that many years back are 10,000+ now and I will never fill those holes in my collection I am glad I bought that Bowman rookie from Keating maybe 6 years ago for $4000. Alittle paper loss on front but who knows what it would go for now. That was the most I ever spent at that point.

When I used to set up at shows with Kevin, I felt sorry for him sometimes when he would get almost nonstop and borderline abusive price resistance from collectors and he would spend hours trying to explain to them how rare a lot of this stuff was, how hard if not impossible it would be to replace it in his inventory, and that they should jump at the chance to buy it if they really liked it. Today I doubt there are many guys who paid attention and pulled the trigger who have any regrets about it.

[bnorth]

For me it was getting this extremely rare Promo P4 Diamond version signed by Billy Ripken. This is not the B1 version one found in the comic book. Sadly I can't remember who the amazing fellow member was who made it happen. Over the years I have posted some silly rare 89 Fleer Billy Ripken cards. Because of that the awesome gentleman PMed me and said he was going to an event with Billy and asked if I would like him to get a card signed for me. Not only did he have Billy put my name on it he would not take anything for doing it for me.

[Topnotchsy]

Biggest regrets:

1) I was able to get a 1931 US Tour of Japan ball for a great price. The ball had a beautiful Lou Gehrig signature. A few years later, I sold the ball for a $1000 profit. I've sold many items I owned and find that I miss almost none of them. At the top of that short list is this one.

2) A few years back at the Atlantic City Nationals, a dealer randomly asked me if I wanted to buy a Gehrig signed photo. I think it was $2950 or so. It was a great looking piece. I'm not sure whether it was a Type I photo but it was obviously vintage. I passed instinctively as I was thrown off by someone randomly offering me an item. I'd love to have that one.

The positives remain to be seen. I bought a few items with eyes towards players making the Hall of Fame. Still waiting...

[Polarboy]

I'm a younger collector, so definitly haven't been doing at as long, but man I wish I found SCF.com for TTM earlier, I could've gotten Kershaw and Trout man! Ah well, at least I can buy them with adult money now.

[HexsHeroes]

.
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Minor regret compared to the wonderful examples shared above, especially as mine is one based on greed, but my biggest regret is not selling my vintage autograph collection sooner. So many times I considered it, and even had my finger on the send key with inquiries to some of the leading vintage dealers at that time. But never could. Guess the desire to pursue the hunt was still alive. Afew years later, finally followed through although taking a significant haircut in sales proceeds. I would imagine many other collectors and dealers alike may have a similar regret regarding a specific item or collection. But otherwise, I have no regret in having sold my collection as it was time to move on, and possibly freed loved ones from having do so in my absence, with absolutely no knowledge of who to approach or what a fair price might be for the collection.

[egri]

My biggest regret is not being born, oh, about 70 years earlier, so I could have collected every major issue from Goudey on forward straight out of the packs and had them signed right away.

Other than that, not writing to more of the old-timers when they were still around, and wasting money on a bunch of modern cards when I could have bought a handful of vintage ones. I probably saw Johnny Pesky half a dozen times over the years in Ft. Myers, or at McCoy or Fenway, and never once took him a card from his playing days. I have plenty of cheap photos and posters signed by him, but what I'd give for a 1948 Leaf.

On the other hand, I'm glad I started my signed 1953 Topps project when I did (July 2014) because there were still over 40 players left then who were answering their mail, and corresponding with them was one of the highlights of this project. I don't think I have ever regretted pulling the trigger on a card I needed, either. About a year and a half ago, the most difficult one, Howie Fox came up, and I paid the sticker price, which almost made me sick and I thought it would be a while before I could look at it without cringing. 'A while' ended up being less than two months, because then the second most difficult card (Vern Bickford) came up, and sold for almost twice what I paid for Fox, and suddenly I didn't feel bad any more.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I'm not so sure Bickford ranks as second-toughest, anyway. Yes, an early death, but also a very accommodating signer. I think Hal Rice would be tougher, potentially among others. He was unable to sign the last 40 years of his life after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Bill Norman is another that comes to mind who I'd rank above Bickford. Likely others, but these are two off the top of my head.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

I'm not so sure Bickford ranks as second-toughest, anyway. Yes, an early death, but also a very accommodating signer. I think Hal Rice would be tougher, potentially among others. He was unable to sign the last 40 years of his life after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Bill Norman is another that comes to mind who I'd rank above Bickford. Likely others, but these are two off the top of my head.

Funny how so many Fox cards are around, but not Norman. Many of the long time collectors need him, which means either due to rarity, or price, he has not come up.

How did you know about Hal Rice? I heard a story someone finally went to visit him and he was in a wheel chair. Nobody had known for a while he was unable to sign.


I am glad I had started my signed 52 set over a decade ago, and although trying to finish was probably based on my own hubris, I came to my senses. I sold at what I think is close to the top of the market, and at the top of my estimate via auction.


Best buys....1952 signed mantle on ebay. Within an hour of listing, my brother in law drove over and picked it up the card in person.


1952 signed jackie on ebay, owner stated it failed psa/dna quick opinion. It passed when I sent it in person.

That was an uncharge email I won't soon forget

[egri]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

I'm not so sure Bickford ranks as second-toughest, anyway. Yes, an early death, but also a very accommodating signer. I think Hal Rice would be tougher, potentially among others. He was unable to sign the last 40 years of his life after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Bill Norman is another that comes to mind who I'd rank above Bickford. Likely others, but these are two off the top of my head.

Rice has come up a few times; I picked up mine from Jim Stinson about a year and a half after I started my project, and I've seen him come up a handful of other times since then. Norman is one I had forgotten about, though at least he hung around the game so I have to think there are some out there, with their original collectors, unknown to the rest of the hobby.

Not on the same level of difficulty as the above, but Vern Stephens and Jim Gilliam I always either just miss, or am the underbidder. Gilliam I'm especially surprised by; he is plentiful on issues from later years and hung around the game for the rest of his life. Stephens I was able to land without too much difficulty on every other card I needed (1949-1952 Bowmans) but he is much scarcer on his 1953 Topps. Must've been a high number thing, for both of them.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by HexsHeroes

. A few years later, finally followed through although taking a significant haircut in sales proceeds. I would imagine many other collectors and dealers alike may have a similar regret regarding a specific item or collection.

Huh? What were you selling that you and these other collectors and dealers would have taken such a haircut by not selling earlier. Haven't most things appreciated in value over time?

[GoCubsGo32]

I returned to the hobby after a 15 year break. I spent money on sending in new OMLB to be signed for private signings. The autos came out great, but later (never seeing daylight)...would fade badly Cost of the OMLB ,shipping (to and from), cost of autograph from player...etc then to fade a few years later...easier and way cheaper to buy them. Rinse & repeat for 8x10 photos.

[HexsHeroes]

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.
Hank, the majority of my collection was vintage Detroit Tigers ballplayers. So many common, less common, and obscure player autographs. So I immediately limited the interested market to Tigers (although some played for other teams too). Market has continued to be strong for HOFers, especially Ruth, etc. And Hugh Jennings has held up extremely well too. But for comparison sake, I'll reference the tougher 1955 Dodgers I also had in my collection. Bert Hamric, Karl Spooner, Frank Kellert. Generally I found that both selling prices and interest was stronger for those three in 2015-2018 when I was thinking of selling than in 2022 when I did sell. Every once in a great while someone will post in BST some interest in buying 1955 Dodger autographs, but I do feel interest has waned over the years. And I think there are generally less collectors of less/obscure ballplayers now than when I started 25-30 years ago. Perhaps Jody Birkholm would like to weigh in with his experience.

[Republicaninmass]

I believe Dave Cameron told me that story, but inserted himself as the person who went to the home.

Yes, it IS our job to know. This is the compelling argument for people starting a signed set. The information is priceless.


Any reason why there is NO signed 1952 topps Throneberry? Some recent late in life signatures on other items have come up, but.nobody has ever seen a signed 1952 topps. I realize it's a High number, but COME ON MAN! I don't believe one doesn't exist.

Now, Al Benton or Milt Stock may not. My 2 guesses on the impossible cards.

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[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Stock was a non-signer later in life; he also had somebody occasionally ghosting his TTMs, likely the wife. He was Eddie Stanky's father in law, BTW.

Still, Stock was more responsive TTM in the early-mid 1950's, so you'd think there might be a couple copies of that card around. There has to be.

Benton was also a responsive signer, but it's always felt like what you see dates from even prior to 1952. He appears mostly on team items like album pages. Stock didn't seem to sign as much team-related stuff when he was coaching.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I believe Dave Cameron told me that story, but inserted himself as the person who went to the home.

So it has to be true. Likely about as true as "Cameron" being his real last name.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

So it has to be true. Likely about as true as "Cameron" being his real last name.

Didn't even know it wasn't. He was always nice to me, and willing to talk autos, even if they were fiction

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[Republicaninmass]

Thanks for your input. I was sure there was at least a campy or 2!

I also felt people may have remembered billy meyer from the Rockwell painting, and at least 3 have been graded by PSA. He was the one card I was told from the onset "did not exist"

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[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Thanks for your input. I was sure there was at least a campy or 2!

I also felt people may have remembered billy meyer from the Rockwell painting, and at least 3 have been graded by PSA. He was the one card I was told from the onset "did not exist"

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Meyer was a great signer, both IP and TTM, and had 5 years to sign the card.

I've noticed more than once that the cards for any set that "do not exist" often don't seem to be the players who died shortly after the card was produced (until a copy or two is rediscovered)! There are more Bickfords out there from various sets than one might imagine. The 1956 Topps Dixie Howell is a good case in point as well, although the 1957 & 1958 cards are far tougher. Depending on the set in question, guys like Ellis Kinder and Vern Stephens seem somewhat plentiful relative to their death dates. They both died in '68, but I'd venture the majority of the cards they did sign were autographed during their careers as opposed to later on.

[Republicaninmass]

Completely agree! Some of these guys, more so the nuances with the 52 set, weren't even in the majors anymore. That would mean a TTM would have been the only method of obtaining a signature.

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