vintage card prices

[Exhibitman]

The interesting aspect for me is the signed vintage card of the guy who lived into the signing era but who died before signing old cards caught on. So the signature may be plentiful but the signed card is not. For example, I used to have a Judy Johnson signed modern PC. I then found a signed Laughlin Negro League card. That is considered by many to be a RC. I have seen lots of Johnson signed items. No other Laughlin cards. Or a 1941 Goudey Hubbell I picked up at a National.

I also like cards that were signed in the old days even if the signer was active later. Lots of Satchel Paige signed stuff but I held out for a signed and mailed Browns PC postmarked 1953. My fave of this sort is a JD McCarthy PC of Don Drysdale in a Brooklyn cap signed and addressed in his hand and mailed from Brooklyn in 1957. I'd rather own that than a Drysdale RC.

I also like tougher types that are signed. I got a 1958 Bell Snider and an Exhibit Skowron White Sox at one National. Those are easy signatures but tough cards unsigned, so the combo is pretty special because not too many collectors decided to 'wreck' a three figure card with a signature.