How long before autograph market is saturated?

Futureman

With nearly every rookie card being autographed I imagine it's only a matter of time. Autographs of players that don't have a "big name" can be had for $5 or less. Even with players that are now retired their autographs are becoming more common with players signing more often because of the demand and because card companies are approaching them for sets. I know that Bob Feller signs anything in front of him, and from the last time I checked, his autograph didn't sell for much. If Pete Rose should happen to be reinstated then I'm sure he will be signing even more than he does now diluting the ocean of his autographs that are already out there.

Will autographs eventually lose their popularity?

ctsoxfan

Today's autographed cards are about to become just like the last craze, GU cards. Whenever you saturate the market with something, it is bound to have an adverse effect. I do collect some modern, and honestly, I prefer the non-auto RC's in most cases. Seems less trendy to me.

KallMaloneSay

I'm curious to see how it shapes out because players are now charging more and more for autograph appearances, yet the prices of autographed cards are going way down. There has to be a point where it just isn't worth it for buyers to rip open boxes for the latest AUTO's because the prices are too high for unopened wax and the cards are worth nothing (maybe we've already hit that point). Something's gotta give, and I fully agree when I looked up a Luis Aparicio Topps Retired AUTO that books at $10, sad.

calleocho

i have picked up some modern certified autos dirt cheap.

i actually thought of building a whole set ..maybe 98 donruss signature.

joestalin

ummmm..Im not so sure this will become the next GU craze as any company with a couple
of jerseys and bats can make a bunch of cards, it still takes $$$$'s to get autographs and
those prices will only go up as salaries go up......companies can't continue this at the same
rate as GU.....you only have to look at fleer's releases in 2002 to realize that...also no
edge and pacific...they couldn't compete so they are out.

There will still be key autos.....sosa and mcgwire have been signing for a while and are
included in many products but are still worth big bucks.

Maybe a better discussion would be sticker or cut current autos versus ones signed on the card...I
can see a premium for those cards in the future.

JS

Beachbum

Very good point Joe !

I mix my vintage with modern era autos because I favor autographed cards.

I do not like the band-aid sticker if a cut auto version is available. This is especially true for grading purposes as I had a perfect gold auto card receive a PSA 8 beacause the scratches on that tin foil are unavoidable.

Go with direct signatures everytime.

dbj77

to me the joy of the autograph comes from the player signing it for me in person thus there really is no joy if it isn't

Futureman

I agree, the proliferation of sticker autographs partly inspired this question. The players don't even need the cards anymore, the companies just send them a sheet of stickers and then puts them on cards however they like. I personally prefer the autograph on the card itself (not some sticker or cut) I think they look better, and the stickers haven't even solved the problem of redemptions. If the stickers eliminated the need for redemptions, then I could understand, but they haven't.

For the modern crowd here, does anyone know what the deal is with Chris Simms? It seems like most of his autographs end up being shortprinted. His SP Authentic was supposed to have something like 850, but instead it's only #'d to 250. His Finest is also SP'ed. Does he not like signing cards or are the companies doing this on purpose? Are there any other players that the companies are doint this with? I know Charles Rogers has very few autographs, but it seems that he just doesn't like signing.

glmueller

It already has.