Vin Scully

[MacDice]

Back in April, Vin Scully did a private autograph signing where prices started at $250. No offense to Mr. Scully, but do Ford Frick Award Winners autographs really hold their value?

[Wymers Auction]

I would pass on that opportunity.

[earlywynnfan]

While I agree that this seems extremely high, and I would never pay it myself, I hope you weren't diminishing him by lumping him as just a "Ford Frick winner." He is widely accepted as the best announcer of all time, so placing him with Dave Niehaus is like comparing Honus Wagner to George Kelly.

Ken

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

he is widely accepted as the best announcer of all time, so placing him with dave niehaus is like comparing honus wagner to george kelly.

Ken

lol

[chaddurbin]

i don't understand the rant of this thread. vin scully is an icon and a los angeles treasure. he's the voice of our greatest sports memories spanning 2-3 generations. i'd more likely pay $250 for an ip vin scully autograph than sandy koufax. there are worse injustices then paying $250 to meet the man.

[Lordstan]

I don't think the OP was asking if paying $250 to meet and get a ball signed by Scully was worth it. He was asking if FFA winners retain their value over time.

While Scully is a great announcer, perhaps the best ever, the answer to his question is probably no. If you pay $250 for a signed ball of Scully, will you be able to sell it for the same in the near future? I doubt it.

Demand - The market for announcers, no matter how great, is much much smaller than players. There certainly will be some, like the examples Mike stated, who will collect these guys.

Supply - The guy has been announcing for over 50 yrs and was given the FFA in 1982. That means that most of the people are currently collecting HOFers autographs have had 30yrs to add him to their collection.

None of this has anything to do with whether $250 is worth spending to meet Vin, shake his hand, ask a question, and have him sign a ball. That is a personal decision.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by Lordstan

I don't think the OP was asking if paying $250 to meet and get a ball signed by Scully was worth it. He was asking if FFA winners retain their value over time.

While Scully is a great announcer, perhaps the best ever, the answer to his question is probably no. If you pay $250 for a signed ball of Scully, will you be able to sell it for the same in the near future? I doubt it.

Demand - The market for announcers, no matter how great, is much much smaller than players. There certainly will be some, like the examples Mike stated, who will collect these guys.

Supply - The guy has been announcing for over 50 yrs and was given the FFA in 1982. That means that most of the people are currently collecting HOFers autographs have had 30yrs to add him to their collection.

None of this has anything to do with whether $250 is worth spending to meet Vin, shake his hand, ask a question, and have him sign a ball. That is a personal decision.

Good point, but can you name anyone whose in-person signing price matches what you could sell for in the near future? How much is Jeter in person versus finding a legit one on ebay? AROD? Mays? Aaron? Even Johnny Bench or Boog Powell.

Also, check the prices that Brickhouse, Carey, and Jack Buck go for nowadays. After their deaths, their values went WAY up.


Ken

PS: Heck, I just checked out what they've sold for recently on ebay, and I have changed my mind: $250 to meet him and get your ball signed is a deal! Decent-looking ones range from $200-$350, and I'm not even looking at the authenticity.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by MacDice

Back in April, Vin Scully did a private autograph signing where prices started at $250. No offense to Mr. Scully, but do Ford Frick Award Winners autographs really hold their value?

It depends. Not all Ford Frick award winners cost near that much. Some, especially on balls, cost more if they won the award years after they passed away. There are a lot of collectors that do not consider FFA winners to be hof'ers, and some do...but then again, some don't think execs and umpires are either. For my collection, I consider them hof'ers and quite frankly I consider Buck O'Neil a HOF'er even though they just have an award named for him. Besides the obvious collectors that want any FFA's, there are collectors that add announcers to their team projects, and Vinny would fit the bill for several Dodger championship teams especially the 55 team. I haven't seen too many Scully baseballs for under 150 and he's getting up there in age, so to me $250 from a private signing doesn't sound too too bad, but then again I'm a big Vin Scully fan.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by MacDice

Back in April, Vin Scully did a private autograph signing where prices started at $250. No offense to Mr. Scully, but do Ford Frick Award Winners autographs really hold their value?

As a comparison, the Jack Buck I got back in the day through the mail is now worth $150.

Ken

[MacDice]

Just to clarify, I was just asking if people that that Ford Frick Winners autographs retain their value. Not giving my commentary of what I think about Vin Scully nor about his fee just referencing it. It does not seem that Jack Buck, Harry Carey, Ernie Harwell, etc... sell that well in general. Like anything else, the value is only what someone will pay for it. Pujols has a signing comping up and the starting price is $325.00 some people are willing to pay for it and some won't. Not that it matters but on the Scully signing it was a private signing and the public was not invited to meet him.