Cool Auto Book with Ruth, Cobb, Young Question

[111gecko]

Pretty neat book with a bunch of autos acquired in the 30s from the family. I don't collect autos at all so could use some help. Here are some of the examples.
They appear good except for the Ruth on the multi-signed page. Looks like someone was playing around and just tried to sign his name?

1) Any concern on these?
2) Should they be cut out of the book and sent in for grading?
3) Should they sell the book intact at an auction?
4) Ballpark idea of value?

Really appreciate the help..they are really nice people trying to figure out what to do.

[rand1com]

I would cut the Ruth, Cobb, and Young into nice even cuts and submit them for authentication/encapsulation probably with PSA if there are no signatures on the reverses.

Not sure who else in the book would be worth cutting.

The Ruth authenticated and encapsulated is probably worth $7500 or possibly more in a major auction as the "Sincerely" adds value and it is clean.

Young is a nice signature but the stain on the Cy will hurt it. Probably still $1500 or possibly more depending on how the cut comes out.

The Cobb is probably $1500 or so as well.

So, IMO, the 3 would be worth somewhere around $10K as long as they are authenticated and encapsulated.

I would probably also grade all 3 and the grades could make them even better.

Obviously, just one man's opinion.

[theshleps]

I think Randy's estimates are high. Regardless I hate seeing autograph books cut up. I have 3 or 4 and I leave them in tact. If you want to sell I'd consign to one of the better auction houses (I've dealt with all of them and don't want to give my opinion in public). It isn't as bad but kind of like when they cut up jerseys and bats and put them on cards. Not enough full autograph books still out there and you will come out with a good price assuming the auction house does it justice. Hopefully it won't be then bough by a flipper who cuts it up but by a collector

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by theshleps

I think Randy's estimates are high. Regardless I hate seeing autograph books cut up. I have 3 or 4 and I leave them in tact. If you want to sell I'd consign to one of the better auction houses (I've dealt with all of them and don't want to give my opinion in public). It isn't as bad but kind of like when they cut up jerseys and bats and put them on cards. Not enough full autograph books still out there and you will come out with a good price assuming the auction house does it justice. Hopefully it won't be then bough by a flipper who cuts it up but by a collector

It will be cut up by someone at some point. A collector is just not going to pay up for a book of this nature at the level that the 3 cuts will sell for. It sounded like the family who actually owns it wants to maximize on value. That will only happen IMO by cutting the keys out and encapsulating them.

Now if there are many other significant autographs on the pages with multiple signatures like Johnson, Wagner, and others, then it might be a different story. But I assume the 3 pictured single pages are the key ones in the book.

It is a historical book and I understand your hesitancy to see it cut up but if value is what the family is looking for and not nostalgia, then it is necessary.