Cutting up a multi-signed HOF item for individual resale: sinful or savvy?

[cjedmonton]

All's well that ends well. The item has been sold as is to a fellow board member (just awaiting transfer). We're both happy with the figure. In other words, I broke even and then some.

A few parting comments though:

1. Despite the near unanimous sentiment to leave the item as is, the poll suggests otherwise! Almost 2:1 in favor of cutting it up.

2. From what I have seen, I think it could've brought more than $1,500 for 10-12 separate items.

Even if each brought a very conservative $200 on average (save for Gehringer & Sisler), that's $2k minimum. Foxx/Hornsby/Ott would drive that average up considerably.

It's a moot point now, but I would be curious what it would've brought in an auction house setting.

Thanks again for the insight.

[yanks12025]

I think people were voting just in general to whether it's good to cut a item or not.

[bender07]

Originally Posted by yanks12025

I think people were voting just in general to whether it's good to cut a item or not.

This

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by yanks12025

I think people were voting just in general to whether it's good to cut a item or not.

Yes, the poll was asking about the idea, the concept, in general... and now you're asking about a specific item.

If you want to display the signatures individually, make a scan of the piece, crop the individual signatures from the scan, and mat the cropped scans around the original item. That way you have the best of both worlds.

[prewarsports]

If you changed the poll to read, "Should I cut up THIS ITEM" I bet you get 100 people saying leave it alone and probably a handful of people who go against the obvious just to be funny, but I cant think of anyone who has any sort of appreciation for the history of the game who would cut that thing up.