Toughest signed cards possible

[dgo71]

1981 Topps/Donruss reminded me of Win Remmerswaal, pitcher briefly for the Red Sox who has lived the better part of the last two decades in an asylum in The Netherlands. I believe he had several strokes (likely from heavy drug use) and is incapable of signing. I saw an 81 Donruss in dried up blue sharpie that honestly looked awful on eBay years back and it sold for well over $200.

Another toughie and a common name on 1986 Topps want lists is Ramon Romero. A pitcher for the Indians, he disappeared to the Dominican about a year after the card was issued. Romero is in the 1986 Donruss set as well, but it's his Topps card most collectors are after. On one of his many Dominican Republic private signing trips, collector Dave Cameron was informed that Romero had died (perhaps even was murdered) in NYC years ago. His death hasn't been "officially" confirmed though and most websites do not list him as deceased.

[Cooptown]

I believe that 1993 versions of Steve Olin and Tim Crews, both killed in spring training, are hard to find.

I also dont believe that David Wells signs cards of a certain team, Jays maybe?

Also, re Doug Flynn and the 86 Topps. Johnny Bench put him on the spot to sign those for charity at an event. He didnt want to, but was completely called out by him on the spot, and felt bad saying no.

[milkit1]

I'd kill for a signed donnie moore 1988 slu

[Orioles1954]

Has anyone ever seen a signed 1954 Topps Howie Fox? He got stabbed to death at a bar in San Antonio in Fall 1955.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Cooptown

I believe that 1993 versions of Steve Olin and Tim Crews, both killed in spring training, are hard to find.

I also dont believe that David Wells signs cards of a certain team, Jays maybe?

Also, re Doug Flynn and the 86 Topps. Johnny Bench put him on the spot to sign those for charity at an event. He didnt want to, but was completely called out by him on the spot, and felt bad saying no.

Quite right on Olin and Crews. Crews moreso as he was a tougher signer and had only two 1993 issues, Fleer and Pinnacle. I think the Pinnacle may have even been issued after he passed. Olin was a very good signer both in person and TTM and there are more '93s of him out there than you might think.

Wells used to only sign Jays cards, and wouldn't sign cards from other teams. He said he only signed his cards for his sons. I believe he does not sign any cards any more, even at paid signings. He didn't start this until the early 90's so his earlier cards aren't hard to find.

Funny that Bench was the one to call out Flynn. Johnny isn't exactly accommodating to autograph requests himself!

[mr2686]

I think the 1964 Topps Giants Clemente and Farrell are pretty tough to find signed.

[stewbacca]

I am working on getting the 1976 topps set signed by everyone and besides Mike Miley passing in January of 77, Danny Thompson and Danny Murtaugh also passed in Jan of 1977. There is a 76 Miley on eBay for an unreal amount,a few Thompsons that all look different and I did see a Pirates TC signed by Murtaugh that went for over $250. Also, Mike Marshall and Andy Messersmith don't like to sign at all so their cards can run $100-$200.

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . I will throw out there that the 1966 Topps signed Chuck Dressen card is a bear to locate, even though he did not pass away until August 1966. A second heart attack earlier in the season curtailed his strength, as well as his availability.

[912Shooter]

Since its' okay to cover other sports, I can throw out the near Holy Grail of signed MLS cards. From the 1999 Upper Deck MLS set, Jefferson Gottardi. He is pictured as a member of the Tampa Bay Mutiny, he was only with the club for a portion of the season and I think just made over ten actual appearances in the US. Injury problems kept him out a lot in Tampa. The MLS card set came out mid to late in the season, I was doing in-person auto collecting in the Tampa Bay area and he was long gone from the club by the time the cards came out.

He played sporadically a couple more seasons for South American clubs and then tragically developed ALS at a very young age and passed away (with medical treatment in Cuba, not exactly an easy place to have caught up with him either). I have never met anyone working on that set with a signed card from him. I recall one on Ebay going for a wild sum and it wasn't a particularly pretty signature.

[Stanesq]

I believe the card came out on Thursday and Daryl Kile was found dead on Saturday morning.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by mr2686

I think the 1964 Topps Giants Clemente and Farrell are pretty tough to find signed.

I don't recall where I got my Farrell. I got my Clemente in a Tony Carrifal(from PA) auction although I doubt it's authenticity. Unfortunatly sold the set 20 years ago. Building that was the most fun I've had in the hobby. Dick Stuart was the toughest for me and he was alive!

Originally Posted by stewbacca

Also, Mike Marshall and Andy Messersmith don't like to sign at all so their cards can run $100-$200.

Mike Marshall is doing a Chris Potter signing early next year for those that really need him.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Gmrson

I don't recall where I got my Farrell. I got my Clemente in a Tony Carrifal(from PA) auction although I doubt it's authenticity. Unfortunatly sold the set 20 years ago. Building that was the most fun I've had in the hobby. Dick Stuart was the toughest for me and he was alive!




Mike Marshall is doing a Chris Potter signing early next year for those that really need him.

It's odd to me that Dick Stuart was a tough autograph...he really enjoyed the spotlight and fame.

[theshleps]

I have a Farrell and have seen a half dozen or so over the years- also seen a few Clemente but above my budget

[912Shooter]

Not hijacking the thread but I can throw a fairly tough football in the mix, Shane Curry on his 1991 Pro Set update. Shortly after the card was issued he was fatally shot in an off season altercation. His card came out in the mid to late season, so the window for signing wasn't open very long.

[MooseDog]

No hijack at all…I'm interested in seeing what tough signed cards are in all sports. I'll throw in a hockey one here.

In the 1960s and 1970s hockey players were about the easiest IP autographs of all. I'm serious that just about ALL the players were obtainable, time and circumstances permitting.

However there was a guy who played for the St Louis Blues named Bob Gassoff. Mostly noted as an "enforcer" he was killed in a motorcycle accident shortly after the 1976-77 season.

Gassoff was an A-1 absolute d**k about signing autographs, at least when the Blues were in town to play the Seals. I was not able to obtain his autograph even once, and one time I was the ONLY one getting Blues autographs after the game.

He only has three cards but I imagine there are few signed 1976-77 OPC cards out there.

[polakoff]

I just sold a 1970 Cal Koonce card in rough shape made out "To Pam" for $30 at auction on ebay. I was hoping to get the 99 cent starting bid. Had no idea his signatures were worth that kind of dough. Looked on ebay and I guess he has almost no signed cards. Any idea why?

[egri]

For my 1953 Topps project the toughies are:

Howie Fox d.1955
Vern Bickford d.1960
Bobo Newsom d.1962
Fred Hutchinson d.1964
Cliff Fannin d.1966
Ellis Kinder d.1968
Vern Stephens d.1968
Don Hoak d.1969
Hank Thompson d.1969

Then there are quite a few guys who died in the 1970s and 1980s, including one (Luke Easter)who was murdered, and another (Herman Wehmeier) who died days before he was supposed to testify in an embezzlement trial. The the poster who was asking if Fox had signed his 1954 Topps, one of the other members here told he he saw a signed '54 Topps Fox sell for over $1500 a few years ago.

[pclpads]

Originally Posted by polakoff

I just sold a 1970 Cal Koonce card in rough shape made out "To Pam" for $30 at auction on ebay. I was hoping to get the 99 cent starting bid. Had no idea his signatures were worth that kind of dough. Looked on ebay and I guess he has almost no signed cards. Any idea why?

He passed in 1993, so that may attribute to the scarcity.

[egri]

Red Sox infielder Harry Agganis died a few weeks after his 1955 Topps card was released. I've heard of signed examples of it, but I've never seen one myself.

EDIT: This article from SCD estimates that there are fewer than 100 signed cards in existence.