Anyone collect signed photos anymore?

[Seven]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

I'm a bit surprised that nobody has mentioned that autographs have become virtually unreadable. It seems that each year it gets worse.

I'll bet that nobody stares at the average current autograph the way we all stared at all of the ones in this thread...


Actually, people do stare at newer autographs - in disbelief.

This is something I've talked about in past threads. The new signatures are quite frankly terrible. We are long gone from the days of the picture perfect penmanship of guys like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, etc. I was at one point, interested in acquiring a Mike Trout signature, until I saw what it looked like. Absolutely terrible.

Back to the point at hand, I've collected some 8x10's, Mantle, Williams, and Aaron, mostly because of their prices. I think at this point I'd rather have them on baseballs though however.

As for their signature on cards? At this point, forget it. I wish I was around in the 60's and 70's when everything I wanted was available on the cheap!

[chaddurbin]

i come from cards so i prefer signed pictures/photo over index and gpc anyways.

a new pickup, always nice to be able to get something from the esteemed Mr. Stinson.

[cnote08]

I still collect signed 8x10 photos but only if they’re personalized to me OR if they’re from older HOF players. My bank account thanks me for not being interested in awful illegible current player autographs.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

^^^

Photos like that will never grow tiresome to look at.

If I ever see another signed 8X10 of Cool Papa Bell as an older man holding that oversized, novelty Willie Mays bat, or the Buck O'Neil where he has one knee on the top step of the dugout, or that colorized Ray Dandridge image, or the sepia toned Leon Day... It's like nobody ever took any other photos of these men. Same feeling applies to the higher quality photos of MLB players used ad nauseum for signing purposes at shows.

[Hankphenom]

Phil Wood, a well-known Baltimore/Washington radio and TV guy, likes to tell the story of a show he promoted at George Mason University in Virginia in 1978, I think it was. It was well attended, with Joe DiMaggio the autograph guest attraction. The only problem was that few collectors would pay the $7 fee to get Joltin' Joe's signature. Phil said that he would look over and see DiMaggio sitting by himself behind his table and go over and chat with him because he felt sorry for him. People would come up to Phil and accuse him of highway robbery for wanting money for an autograph, vowing that they would never, ever stoop to paying to get a ballplayer's signature. I've heard other stories like that from the early days: people complaining about having to spend $5 to get Mickey Mantle at a show. Now they line up to spend hundreds for an illegible scrawl from relative nobodies whose name will never be mentioned in the same breath with the likes of DiMaggio and Mantle.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Phil Wood, a well-known Baltimore/Washington radio and TV guy, likes to tell the story of a show he promoted at George Mason University in Virginia in 1978, I think it was. It was well attended, with Joe DiMaggio the autograph guest attraction. The only problem was that few collectors would pay the $7 fee to get Joltin' Joe's signature. Phil said that he would look over and see DiMaggio sitting by himself behind his table and go over and chat with him because he felt sorry for him. People would come up to Phil and accuse him of highway robbery for wanting money for an autograph, vowing that they would never, ever stoop to paying to get a ballplayer's signature. I've heard other stories like that from the early days: people complaining about having to spend $5 to get Mickey Mantle at a show. Now they line up to spend hundreds for an illegible scrawl from relative nobodies whose name will never be mentioned in the same breath with the likes of DiMaggio and Mantle.

An interesting story, even when you adjust for inflation, a Joe DiMaggio auto at that price would be $31.42 in todays money. Perfectly reasonable, virtually everyone can afford it.

It's hard not to bring up money when it comes to the hobby, but I truly think things have gotten so out of hand. Kids cannot afford it, hell many adults can't either. I think the last signing for trout, was $700 a ball, $800 if you wanted an inscription. How's a 12 year old with a paper route supposed to afford that?

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Seven

I think the last signing for trout, was $700 a ball, $800 if you wanted an inscription. How's a 12 year old with a paper route supposed to afford that?

In the immortal words of Mark Zuckerberg: "Learn code."