rookie sigs on team balls - worth more?

fensfan

I'm curious what the consenus is on the value of a team ball with a rookie star sig. Is it established that a team ball signed by a hall-of-famer in his rookie year is worth considerably more than a similar team ball from the star's later years?
All other things being relatively equal (like condition of ball and sigs along with other players who signed) I would value the ball with the rookie sig higher. But by how much?
It seems to be an evolving and increasingly volatile area of the hobby, but I'd like to hear from some veteran collectors.

thanks, Mike

duner

i don't think it matters...in my experience it hurts. i have patriots signed ball from brady's rookie season. you can completely tell brady was a bench warmer; his sig is tiny and on the tip of the ball...while bledsoe's is huge and dead center.

fensfan

good point, but what about players who've long since retired and may no longer be signing?
Brady will also no doubt be signing many a ball in the future (leaving little to distinguish them, other than condition and seasons in which they were signed. In your case you might prefer a prominent signature, though another collector may value a signature before he made his name.
Where I have the biggest question are the stars of yesteryear: dimaggio, williams, aaron, etc. sellers certainly try to capitalize on the "rookie year craze" on these rare items.

earlycalguy

I've sold a couple 81' Orioles balls with Cal's rookie signature. at the time - probably 2 years ago - I was getting more for these balls than I saw other Orioles team signed balls going for with Cal on but not his rookie year.

fensfan

anybody have experience or preferences with older stuff, where the supply is at least somewhat defined?

fensfan

mastro's current auction has rookie-signed team balls that include aaron, maris and ted williams. nice items, all.

Allen

Sure would love to have the Maris. There was an auctio of the maris estate a few months ago that had som ereally cool Maris stuff. I was going to buy his BMW but I decided not too lol. They had some trophies he got for hitting a hole in one and even his personalized bowling ball. Really cool stuff.

fensfan

yes, there was a nice double-signed maris/team ball from 67 cards on ebay recently. wouldn't be surprised to see a resurgence of interest in maris items due to whole steroid debacle.