Pete Rose -- The Autograph King?

[Brent G.]

While Pete set a hits record that'll likely never be broken, is it safe to say he signed more autographs than any other human?

I was happy to get this one last year in Rosemont, IL, where he signed for 90 minutes straight. I was near the last in line, decided to get it at the last minute.

Who else might be in Pete's class in terms of the number of existing autos? Mantle? Anyone else?

[scooter729]

Bob Feller was long thought to be the king of most autographs signed, but Rose may have surpassed him in recent years.

[packs]

Stan Musial sure has a lot of autographs out there.

So does Nolan Ryan.

[quitcrab]

Lots of Brooks Robinson too

[parkplace33]

I saw on another thread that Pete Rose cards are worth more without his signature (due to the amount of them).

He is def the auto king of baseball.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I saw on another thread that Pete Rose cards are worth more without his signature (due to the amount of them).

He is def the auto king of baseball.

I saw someone fork over $500 for him to sign a beat up rookie card -- I thought it was insane. I guess that's the new thing. I saw Joe Montana is charging $900 to do the same on an '81 Topps.

[perezfan]

As many autos as Pete has penned, I noticed a gigantic uptick in eBay sales yesterday. I had a few Rose signed pieces on my watch list for months, and yesterday all but one of them sold. There were many in which the seller raised the price earlier in the day, and even those sold through.

His sig is as common as it gets, but some of the earlier images Pete signed are seldom-seen (back in his mid 60s crew-cut days). That said, here are the top 10 deceased players that I'd rank as most common...

Feller
Rose
Musial
Spahn
Mantle
Banks
Mathews
Brooks Robinson
Berra
Ford

Probably forgot a couple of obvious ones (Gibson), but those came to mind first. RIP Charlie Hustle

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by perezfan

As many autos as Pete has penned, I noticed a gigantic uptick in eBay sales yesterday.

Death always brings this out. Some people, a notable amount, mourn through buying stuff.

I remember Mike Darr autos going for $20-$50+ for almost a week after his death in 2002.

Within a month it was back in the single-digits of cost. Currently you can get one for a buck or two.

[Flintboy]

What players were the toughest auto to get?

[ALR-bishop]

Originally Posted by packs

Stan Musial sure has a lot of autographs out there.

So does Nolan Ryan.

I do not know if he did shows but he had a company that he marketed his autographs and memorabila through. I do not think he ever made more than $100,000 a year playing. But if you met him anywhere in St Louis he would sign for free....and play the harmonica too

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by scooter729

Bob Feller was long thought to be the king of most autographs signed, but Rose may have surpassed him in recent years.

Agree on Feller, it was said the most rare Feller collectible was one that was not signed.

Also agree Pete may have passed Bob due to his Las Vegas and Cooperstown endeavors.

[Bpm0014]

I don't think Jordan or Woods will ever hit the show market. They both did private UDA signings in the past but I think those days are probably never coming around again. Highly doubt you'd ever get them in person either.

I was lucky enough to get 20+ Jordan autographs in person thru my uncle. One (on a replica rookie jersey) of which PSA deemed "likely not genuine"

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

I don't think Jordan or Woods will ever hit the show market. They both did private UDA signings in the past but I think those days are probably never coming around again. Highly doubt you'd ever get them in person either.

I was lucky enough to get 20+ Jordan autographs in person thru my uncle. One (on a replica rookie jersey) of which PSA deemed "likely not genuine"

What's your favorite one you're still sitting on, Brendan?

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

I don't think Jordan or Woods will ever hit the show market. They both did private UDA signings in the past but I think those days are probably never coming around again. Highly doubt you'd ever get them in person either.

I can personally vouch for Tiger Woods being a very difficult signature. This was from about 11 years ago and was only signed after he grumbled that he believed the ball would be immediately turned around and sold on eBay. Only after the head of his agency told him he had to sign it, did he relent.

PS anyone who wants to buy it, make me an offer as I would want Tiger to be right on this one.

[steve B]

even in the mid 70's Feller was a fast signer. When I met him at a home run derby he pitched between games of a double header he started with a stack of page sized printed pictures with career highlights on the back. Probably about 2000 of them. I was one of the last kids to go up, shy even though he was sitting in the stands. Got a couple pictures and a piece of paper for dads autograph book, and ended up talking pitching for a bit (I had no idea just how cool that was until later) by the time he said he had to go keep the grownups happy the stack of pictures was gone. Many of them made into paper planes and thrown around and off the top of the stadium.
He didn't even mind that, it was just kids being kids,

[Huck]

Originally Posted by scooter729

Bob Feller was long thought to be the king of most autographs signed.......

+1