Has Anyone Seen This Ruth-Gehrig autograph Topps card?

[danc]

Who are these collectors who purchase this stuff...and thinks it's cool? You chop up a check (who cares, it's a check) valued at $20 and the cut signature affixed to a card is now worth $100+.

I did a private signing with a Otto Graham back in 1990 and I issued these unique photos made for the occasion. I paid Graham $3 per signature and had 250 of these photos made and sold them for $15 a piece at the time. You see them on occasion on eBay at they sell for about $25. I saw a clipped signature from one of those photos, cut up (signature only) on a card and it sold for $155, from I believe UD. Why?

Pieces of jersey cloth...bat shavings...I don't understand why people collect that stuff. But I agree, it's a hobby travesty, especially when they do it with a rare Ruth jersey or bat.

DanC

[slidekellyslide]

I have no idea how many legitimate Andrew Jackson signatures are extant, but that is atrocious. I don't even care if his signature is relatively common, you don't do that just to fit it into a pack of baseball cards.

[GrayGhost]

Guys, you are all veteran collectors. Its all about the MONEY. These card companies have something going that wasn't around when I, and probably most of you guys, was a kid. Its called PERCEIVED VALUE. The hype of finding this 1/10 "Cut Casey Stengel" or something has people paying ridiculous prices for packs of cards, and then, on the flea bay for the item itself.

When I was a kid, I bought packs of cards, traded and saved them, and ate gum. yeah, i was giddy if I got Hank Aaron in a pack, or later, a Yount, Schmidt, etc. I can remember my Mom bringing me a 75 cello pack home from grocery shopping w Hank on top. That was such a thrill, because I knew the player, not some stupid perceived "fake chase card" to make me overpay for their shit.

48.00 for a new box of Topps now, and kids that dont get the autograph, relic, parallel or whatever, Ive seen them leave the rest of the cards behind, and just keep the others. its all crap.

Now, my rambling rant finishes with the idea of chopping up a jersey or a bat. That is SACRILEGE indeed for these superstars. And of course, putting a fake Ruth or Gehrig, or doctored Andrew Jackson or clipped signature on a card is just as bad.

I mean, all Coaches Commode does is sell forgeries and ruin the hobby for us older collectors. Topps and the other comapnies are ruining the hobby for kids, who will never know the fun of just opening a pack of cards and chewing the gum, and getting excited finding a REGULAR card of their favorite hero.

[danc]

GG hit it on the head. I think we were all there at one point. Just the pure joy of opening up a pack of cards and creating a collection.

The love for me ended when these greedy companies started to one up each other with quality and the next thing you know, nobody collected the cards, but the valuable inserts.

Last week on Countdown with Keith Olberman, he opened up a 1967 Topps pack on air. The best card in the bunch was Bill Mazeroski, but it was fun to see.

It is all about money, but also very foolish collectors who don't understand how meaningless those limited edition numbers mean. I saw an Eddie Lopat limited edition card sell for over $160! It's a $3 signature.

DanC