Value of this 1945 Commissioner's contract

[Topnotchsy]

I've been wondering what the value of this 1945 Commissioner's contract is worth and thought I'd get opinions here. The contract is between the owners and AB Chandler, and is signed by a Chandler along with a representative of each team and the league including: Connie Mack, Eddie Collins, Branch Rickey, Larry MacPhail, Ford Frick, William Harridge, Clark Griffith, Happy Chandler and others.

I picked this up a pretty recently from one of the less mainstream auction houses. (Happy to list the price shortly, and it's not hard to find by Googling, but would love opinions that are not based on the sale price, since I bid without any clear idea of what the market value would be, and it sold at a somewhat obscure auction house.)

In my mind, Chandler's becoming commissioner played a role in Jackie breaking into the Majors, so it fits my integration collection.

Document is around 12 pages. I'm posting the pages with signatures.

[Econteachert205]

Those are some beautiful signatures.

[mr2686]

On another note, I do think it's funny that JSA thinks that one of the sigs is S.Breador and not S.(Sam)Breadon the owner of the Cardinals.

[Topnotchsy]

Not sure why this was moved from the memorabilia forum to the autograph subsection. Certainly there are signatures on the contract, but I feel like its significance is not the signatures, but the document, which is a piece of baseball history. Am I wrong?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Not sure why this was moved from the memorabilia forum to the autograph subsection. Certainly there are signatures on the contract, but I feel like its significance is not the signatures, but the document, which is a piece of baseball history. Am I wrong?

No, I don't think so. I didn't personally move it but I can see why it was. I would have left it there but there are several moderators on our forum and they make decisions too. I mostly let Dan handle this side. I think it could easily go in either place.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by Leon

No, I don't think so. I didn't personally move it but I can see why it was. I would have left it there but there are several moderators on our forum and they make decisions too. I mostly let Dan handle this side. I think it could easily go in either place.

Fair enough, thanks for the response.

Any thoughts on the value?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Fair enough, thanks for the response.

Any thoughts on the value?

Value- I am sorry but I can't help on that one. Maybe one of the autograph-memorabilia guys will jump in. Good luck with it. It's neat looking.

[Bestdj777]

My guess is $5,940.

[tazdmb]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

My guess is $5,940.

I know I saw this auction and the contract was believe it was even advertised in SCD. I agree that the selling price (was it $5,940?) would be the FMV. None of these autographs in itself are truly rare and when I saw the auction, i figured someone is going to buy the piece and cut it up.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

I know I saw this auction and the contract was believe it was even advertised in SCD. I agree that the selling price (was it $5,940?) would be the FMV. None of these autographs in itself are truly rare and when I saw the auction, i figured someone is going to buy the piece and cut it up.

Yep, it went for $5940 with the buyer's premium. Hope the fact that none of them are truly rare will mean that it will ultimately stay intact. It would be a shame for something to survive 70+ years only to be cut up (not saying I think that is the buyer's intention only that I'm sure that will be someone's thought at some point in time).

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

I know I saw this auction and the contract was believe it was even advertised in SCD. I agree that the selling price (was it $5,940?) would be the FMV. None of these autographs in itself are truly rare and when I saw the auction, i figured someone is going to buy the piece and cut it up.

I’m not sure I understand your post. If the expectation is that a document like this would be cut up for its signatures, then wouldn’t the market value be the value of those signatures, which is likely a decent amount less than the item sold for?

[packs]

Maybe he means the signature pages. It's a 12 page document but only the signature pages carry the value.

[tazdmb]

Sorry-I will expand, when I first saw this piece advertised in SCD, I thought that this is not being sold at a top auction house and a bidder will jump in and buy it low just to cut it up.

[Duluth Eskimo]

This is a really cool piece

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Not sure why this was moved from the memorabilia forum to the autograph subsection. Certainly there are signatures on the contract, but I feel like its significance is not the signatures, but the document, which is a piece of baseball history. Am I wrong?

I moved it over here because I figured the regulars on this side deal in this type of memorabilia more than the guys on the other side. Just trying to help you get answers.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I moved it over here because I figured the regulars on this side deal in this type of memorabilia more than the guys on the other side. Just trying to help you get answers.

I hear that. Thank you