vintage card prices

[Republicaninmass]

I think the sheer nostalgia of a player actually touching their own card is the driving force. Also, the rarity of seeing a player and having the card with you in hand to have signed increases the rarity of many signed cards. The masses are realizing there are not many around.

"We" have built "america's toughest signed card want list" from many autographed card collectors who have been at this since the 50's. Most all are missing the same cards, and that tends to create a bidding war of all wars. However, I have been contacted by a few people, not on this site, who are interested in starting a signed set. There are also player and team set collectors venturing into the world of signed cards.

I think signed cards have still not reached their potential, and there are steals to be had on ebay and auction houses of signed rarities going unnoticed. The HOF rookie cards should lead the way with others being dragged slowly up with them.

[Exhibitman]

Decades ago in the hobby signed cards went begging. Many collectors thought of them as defaced. I recall purchasing lots of 1950s HOFer signed cards at auctions where no one even wanted to pay $2 each for them. I still have some of them. I also recall being looked at like I was nuts for getting old timers to sign their vintage cards at shows. That attitude persisted until relatively recently. I picked up quite a few signed HOFer cards at various Nationals over the last decade for less than the cost of the raw card in comparable condition. In some cases I was not only able to knock off a want list or type card but get an autograph to boot. That hasn't been the case for a few years now, though.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Decades ago in the hobby signed cards went begging. Many collectors thought of them as defaced. I recall purchasing lots of 1950s HOFer signed cards at auctions where no one even wanted to pay $2 each for them. I still have some of them. I also recall being looked at like I was nuts for getting old timers to sign their vintage cards at shows. That attitude persisted until relatively recently. I picked up quite a few signed HOFer cards at various Nationals over the last decade for less than the cost of the raw card in comparable condition. In some cases I was not only able to knock off a want list or type card but get an autograph to boot. That hasn't been the case for a few years now, though.

+1

I remember when I was in fifth grade (9-10 years ago) and I picked up Bobby Doerr's 1949 Bowman card from the local card store. I asked the owner if I should send the card to Doerr to sign, and before I'd even finished the question he was shaking his head no.

[clydepepper]

I just don't see how anyone can believe signed vintage cards are authentic without making a huge leap of faith.

Autographs, in general, are a risk, but the older they are, the more vital indisputable providence becomes.
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[thenavarro]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

Autographs, in general, are a risk, but the older they are, the more vital indisputable providence becomes.
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Provenance doesn't make a difference to me, an autograph is either real or fake, no matter what provenance it has. Lack of provenance doesn't make a good graph bad, nor does stellar provenance make a bad graph good. Evaluate the item on it's own merits and don't put too much stock into provenance in my opinion.

Mike

[Lordstan]

Michael,
As with all areas of collecting that are newer I think it is tough to predict. As many have commented, in the past, getting cards signed was considered defacement by purists. In a sense that sentiment has limited the number of cards available, especially in older sets. It's because of the limited availability, along with the OCD of the collectors, that have pushed up prices.
I remember about 4yrs ago when Paul put out his offer to pay $1000 for any signed t206. Prior to that you could purchase signed t206s, when they showed up on ebay, for between $100-$300. His offer not only made people more interested because of his obvious passion, but also raised the prices as they could always sell to him.
I think there will be a plateau at some point. Most of the rarer cards will hold their value, while lesser one will probably drop a little.

Mike and Clyde,
I disagree with both of you to a degree. Provenance has a place in autograph collecting, but it is only one variable that one should consider. I have bought many an autograph with little or no provenance, because I was very comfortable with the specific form of the signature. I have also passed on things with supposed great provenance because I just didn't think it looked like it should.

best to all,
Mark

[packs]

I don't think provenance comes into play when dealing with say a 1956 Topps signed by Whitey Ford. I also subscribe to the "it's real or it's not real" philosophy.