Koufax/Brady private signings

[bdk1976]

Originally Posted by shelly

Who do you contact for Koufax signing

Looking at the listed prices, I'd start with a loan officer!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by bdk1976

Looking at the listed prices, I'd start with a loan officer!

That's funny! They should have a tie-in with AAG, so Tom Selleck can talk you into a reverse mortgage to afford this.

[Seven]

I've made posts about this before. I think the only upsetting thing to me now, is how inaccessible some of todays Star athletes are when it comes to getting their signature, if you are a young person with little money. Hell, most adults have to put aside money to afford some of these prices. Look at the advertisement I linked. In the 1980's you could pay $8 for Mantle to sign your item. That's the equivalent of $22.81 in todays money. And Mantle was THE draw for many people at the time. It's gotten out of hand.

[rlevy]

My understanding is that Koufax donates his share to charity when he does signings, he doesn't need the money for himself. As we know, he's a very private guy, and doesn't like to be the focus of attention.

These prices are clearly targeting those who would like to get a special item signed. I had all my Koufax World Series and perfect game lineup cards signed by Sandy 15 years ago for $300 each. but have more recently acquired a set of lineup cards from the 1963 World Series, game 4, when the Dodgers completed the sweep of the Yankees, with Koufax on the mound. Since it was the only unsigned one, I asked them for a quote since it doesn't fit into any of the categories. When I was given the amount, I initially decided to pass as I couldn't justify the price, but them decided to go for it since it is for my personal collection, and will be sold after I'm 6 feet under. I may never get another chance to have it signed.

I also asked for a price on another item, but it was double what I thought it should be, so passed on that one. It would have been nice to get it signed, but not something central to my collection.

Rick

[Seven]

Originally Posted by rlevy

My understanding is that Koufax donates his share to charity when he does signings, he doesn't need the money for himself. As we know, he's a very private guy, and doesn't like to be the focus of attention.

These prices are clearly targeting those who would like to get a special item signed. I had all my Koufax World Series and perfect game lineup cards signed by Sandy 15 years ago for $300 each. but have more recently acquired a set of lineup cards from the 1963 World Series, game 4, when the Dodgers completed the sweep of the Yankees, with Koufax on the mound. Since it was the only unsigned one, I asked them for a quote since it doesn't fit into any of the categories. When I was given the amount, I initially decided to pass as I couldn't justify the price, but them decided to go for it since it is for my personal collection, and will be sold after I'm 6 feet under. I may never get another chance to have it signed.

I also asked for a price on another item, but it was double what I thought it should be, so passed on that one. It would have been nice to get it signed, but not something central to my collection.

Rick

Rick,

I'll also add on, in terms of guys like Koufax, or even Aaron when he was still alive and signing, you don't mind paying as much. They were both prominent signers in their day. I tend to cut guys like them some slack.

[Republicaninmass]

I thought Koufax lost almost everything to Madoff? It's been a while, but can't him for trying to make some back

[mrmopar]

Its across the board though, not just stars and mega stars. I saw someone post on a facebook group recently a bunch of 1990-92 UD if I am remembering correctly. He got about a dozen or so signed at private signings. Nothing was less than $10 and they went up from there. These were not big names either. In my mind, most were $3-5 cards, but he was willing to pay $20-30 for them. His money, his choice.

People seem to just be willing to pay quite a bit more now than years back, not only autographs, but everything. I think we are still fighting with buyers who came back to the hobby during Covid with no real feel for the market, just paying whatever it took to win what they wanted. Fighting each other and pricing out those who had a nice pulse on the market, as those existing hobbyists were just shaking their heads at what people were paying for stuff.

Most of those cards are probably easily found for sale on ebay or elsewhere for a few bucks, but even that type of deal seems to be drying up. I used to be able to pick up a good number of vintage 60s/70s and sometimes even 50s signed cards in ebay auctions, semi-stars and fan favorites, for a few bucks each. Now I see those often selling for $10-15 and more. I might bid on 25-50 cards now and win 2 on a good day.

I am happy that I started buying autographs when I did, because if I started now, there wouldn't even be a chance I'd keep going.

[Hankphenom]

Baltimore/Washington sports broadcaster and talk show host Phil Wood told me a story about a show he promoted in the late 1970s at George Mason University in Virginia where Joe DiMaggio was the autograph guest. The fee was $5, and Phil said people were coming up to him during the show complaining that Joe was charging money for his autograph. Phil said many collectors just wouldn't pay it, and that Joe spent most of his time there sitting all alone behind the table. Phil felt sorry for DiMaggio and would go and sit with him just so he would have somebody to talk to.

[Topps206]

Originally Posted by Seven

I've made posts about this before. I think the only upsetting thing to me now, is how inaccessible some of todays Star athletes are when it comes to getting their signature, if you are a young person with little money. Hell, most adults have to put aside money to afford some of these prices. Look at the advertisement I linked. In the 1980's you could pay $8 for Mantle to sign your item. That's the equivalent of $22.81 in todays money. And Mantle was THE draw for many people at the time. It's gotten out of hand.

Oh, how I would’ve taken up on this if I was alive back then.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Topps206

Oh, how I would’ve taken up on this if I was alive back then.

I feel your pain. I talk with a lot of the older guys in the Hobby, Is there such a word for yearning for a time you weren't alive? I would've completed a signed and unsigned Mantle run if I was around back then!

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

That's funny! They should have a tie-in with AAG, so Tom Selleck can talk you into a reverse mortgage to afford this.

OMG Hank, you've opened the door to the reversed signature market. That will give the esteemed authenticators fits.