On card autos on modern rookies?

[bk400]

So there are a number of post 1990 players that resonate with me and that I want to collect. Is there value in looking for on-card autos of high card-grade rookies (9s and 10s on the card)?

My sense is that most of the autos in the past 10-15 years are the sticker ones, which are much more common. But between 1990 and 2010, I didn't see any stickers. And judging from the population reports, autographed, high grade rookie cards can be 1/100 as scarce as the non-autographed versions.

Any thoughts?

[packs]

Sticker autos aren't really that prevalent in baseball. I know Pro Debut is a product that uses stickers but the majority of products for baseball are on card. Bowman and Topps flagship products often have retail only versions of hobby autos that are also sometimes on stickers. But from my experience the vast majority of baseball product autos are on card.

This is different for other sports. Soccer, for example, is almost sticker exclusive.

[bk400]

Ah yes, thanks. I also collect some soccer cards (focus on rookies and on card autos of defenders) and made a poor assumption that those dynamics also applied to baseball.

Do you think autos are a sensible way to invest in lower pop versions of 1990-2010 era cards? For me, it seems that an auto gives the card a bit more of an authentic scarcity than, say, the "artificial" scarcity created more recently with all the 1/5 or 1/10 parallels etc that characterize the super modern hobby.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I'm not sure any modern card is a great investment but probably better than the common as dirt base cards.
Here are a couple I own.

[bk400]

Peter, those are pretty cool autos of some serious players...

Here are a couple of my on-card autos, noting that they aren't all modern and aren't all baseball.

I show my kids the Dwight Gooden one so I have good collateral for a Say No To Drugs message.

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by bk400

Here are a couple of my on-card autos, noting that they aren't all modern and aren't all baseball.

Nice, but I think the OP was asking about cards that were issued with autographs, as opposed to unsigned cards that were autographed after the fact.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bk400

So there are a number of post 1990 players that resonate with me and that I want to collect. Is there value in looking for on-card autos of high card-grade rookies (9s and 10s on the card)?



My sense is that most of the autos in the past 10-15 years are the sticker ones, which are much more common. But between 1990 and 2010, I didn't see any stickers. And judging from the population reports, autographed, high grade rookie cards can be 1/100 as scarce as the non-autographed versions.



Any thoughts?

Topps Now is still not as highly sought after as Flagship base and Chrone. But all of their autos are on card, and a lot of collectors like that. However, it creates backlog issues waiting for players to sign mountains of cards during downtime.

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[Peter_Spaeth]

I would only buy pack issued ones. Perhaps I am too cynical but how hard is it, really, to fake someone's autograph and fool a grading service?

[bk400]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I would only buy pack issued ones. Perhaps I am too cynical but how hard is it, really, to fake someone's autograph and fool a grading service?

I hear you, Peter. I guess the more I research and the more I read books like Operation Bullpen and The Card, the more I think we have to pick our poison a bit.

If I (hypothetically) buy a PSA 10 Ozzie Smith rookie, how do I know it wasn't trimmed? Clearly, PSA has allowed at least one trimmed card to get through the gauntlet. Hard to imagine that there haven't been a whole lot of others that have gotten through as well. I suppose that there is a suspension of disbelief to some extent, especially if we are talking about more expensive cards where it pays to cheat.

[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I would only buy pack issued ones. Perhaps I am too cynical but how hard is it, really, to fake someone's autograph and fool a grading service?

For modern players it’s pretty easy to stick to private signings and show signings. Also for as much as I hate the monopoly fanatics has become, they do at least provide signings with many major stars. You’ll pay heavily, but it’s part of game. There is also a pretty dedicated core of 20-30 consignment guys on SCN that attend every spring training and during the regular season usually have a local team they attend weekly. This is how I obtain many of my autos. The upside is you get a discount from show prices, the downside is you might get a rushed auto, have to wait and extended period (I’ve had one take almost 2 years), or not be able to have the consignment completed at all.

Autos are no different than anything else in the hobby. If it’s too good to be true - it isn’t.

My one and only card because my son played against him in Little League regularly and in the play offs, never on the same team except for Travel Baseball. Brandon stuck with Baseball, my son went with NASCAR as a Tire Carrier and Fabricator

[Peter_Spaeth]

How many players actually sign with a legible signature as opposed to a chicken scratch?

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I would only buy pack issued ones. Perhaps I am too cynical but how hard is it, really, to fake someone's autograph and fool a grading service?

Yes and no.

I still and always will stay away from sticker autos unless it's a deal or a set-aside item. For me, the draw is that the player signed and handled the item. A freshly peeled sticker from a sheet of label he touched means nothing to me personally.

So while the pack issued sell at a premium and likely always will as the supply is limited and should not change, I do like and chase hand-signed RC's of modern if they are slabbed and certed. Without a slab, they are cool, but essentially near worthless at sale.

[G1911]

Not even pack issued ones are safe. Been more than one scandal with the pack issued certified autographs turning out not to be legit in recent years.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by G1911

Not even pack issued ones are safe. Been more than one scandal with the pack issued certified autographs turning out not to be legit in recent years.

LOL. Not surprised. Do you have a list?