autograph experts need your help

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Posted By: Bigfish

I was wondering if anyone could help me determine a price for a ball that has over 20 auto's on it? The JSA cert is B19444. It is a ball from the 1949 world series and has signatures of campanella, robinson, stengal, reese, and ty cobb who was sitting in the stands. Came form the estate of Happy Chandler. Please let me know if anyone could give me a ballpark estimate on what this ball is worth.

thanks in advance for your time

bigfish387t@verizon.net

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Depends on the clarity/darkness of the signatures, especially the keys, and the overall appearance. Cobb, Robinson and Campanella are all particularly desirable signatures-- about every baseball autograph collector has Ty Cobb and Jackie Robison on his wish list. In this case, the provenance (estate of the Commissioner, former US Senator and Governor of Kentucky) should only enance the desirability as an historical artifact. If any WS team signed ball is going to get a boost in value, how about the one given to the commissioner?

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Posted By: Bigfish

David,
thanks for the insight. I have a chance to pick this ball up but am not sure what it is worth. I have to check out the clarity of the signatures. If they are clear, what might something like this be worth? 5-10K

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Posted By: davidcycleback

For general pricing, check out the sales results at MastroNet, Lelands and mgauction.net (Mike Gutierrez). They will list past sales of team signed balls.

Of course it would be nice if the DiMaggio was real, though the Cobb more than makes up or that. For many collectors, a Yankees Versus Dodgers WS team signed baseball would be a dream Christmas present, with the Dodgers and Yankees being the two most popular old teams. The addition of Ty Cobb only makes it that much better. Beyond the Yankees V Dodgers, any baseball with the clean signatures of Cobb and Jackie Robinson will fetch good money. A dented ping pong ball signed by Cobb and Robinson will sell for good money.

I beleive Chandler and Cobb had a close relationship, with Chandler being named head of the Cobb Foundation after Cobb died. It would be no surprse to find out that the Chandler and Cobb sat next to each other at the game. I don't know if Cobb signed many of the 1949 WS balls or merely that of the commissioner. Obviously if it's the latter, your ball is really something.

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Posted By: Joe P.

Wasn't the 1948 WS between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Braves?

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Good point, Joe. It's not described specifically as a 1948 World Series ball. You can look up the cert # at spenceloa.com and read the the text. It does list the Robinson, Cobb, Hodges, etc as signatures, and DiMaggio and Berra as clubhouse.

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Posted By: Bigfish

it was the 49 world series..sorry typo.