My 2005 Topps All-American TTM Auto's

brianwintersfan · January 16, 2006 1:51AM

As I posted on another thread I was going to use this set to try and get some auto's by way of mail. Well I got my first two in today.
I will post them as they come in. I must say it was pretty cool to see two padded mailers in my po box and know there might be some nice suprises inside!

Questions and feedback are always welcome!

halosfan · January 16, 2006 2:04AM

Very nice!

envoy98 · January 16, 2006 3:47AM

Those are awesome! I didn't think McMahon was a very good signer, in person or TTM. Great to see he signed for you. How long did it take?

wolfbear · January 16, 2006 4:05AM

Great stuff.

Please revive and update this thread as more arrive ...

tkd7 · January 16, 2006 4:36AM

Those cards look great. That is the best use of the set. It will be quite an accomplishment once you complete it.

brianwintersfan · January 16, 2006 4:57AM

Well I doubt it will get completed because some just won't sign, use autopen or use a ghost signer. I will tackle the easy ones first and try for the tougher ones later on.
Mailed out the first batch of nine on 1/9/06 and got those today so it was a quick turnaround.

SoFLPhillyFan · January 16, 2006 5:05AM

Excellent autos and the cards were well picked.

What kind of letter do you send with the card?

Do you have a copy?

Obviously you send a SASE. Is it a bubble mailer?

I'm thinking of doing this in reviving my childhood experience when I sent a letter to every MLB team asking for autos, etc. Received many many banners, stickers and autos. The best were Stargell and Clemente auto pics.

Guess what. They both disappeared years later from my parents house. I know I didn't sell them. I think someone boosted them during one of my wild parties.

brianwintersfan · January 16, 2006 6:36AM

What I do is use a 4 x 8 and a 6 x 9 padded mailer. In the 4 x 8 I put the card(in a penny sleeve and top-loader) along with the note and a fresh black or blue sharpie. I add my return address plus postage which is .62 cents. That goes into the 6 x 9 mailer which is addressed to the player. Postage on that one is only .62 cents as well. The sending of the sharpie is optional but I feel better that they will sign with a fresh marker. On the first two McMahon sent the sharpie back but Bert Jones didn't. Not a big deal and well worth it if they sign for me or you. Also if I had duplicates from the set I sent an extra card and said that they were welcome to keep it if they wanted.

CopperJJ · January 16, 2006 11:15AM

WOW nice to see someone with the same idea as me.

So far I have gotten back:

Charlie Ward
Alan Page
John Cappelletti
Billy Sims
Herschel Walker
Marty Lyons
Dick Anderson...personalized without asking
Jim McMahon
and Officer Hightower himself....Bubba Smith

I am waiting on 29 more that I have already mailed out...

My Jim McMahon was returned in 14 days...fastest so far was John Cappelletti returned in 7 days

Stone193 · January 16, 2006 12:02PM

Brian

Super autos! There's nothing I like better than the direct autos on cards by Topps.

You tryin to do the set? That would be incredible.

Keep'em comin!!!

thanx for sharing

brianwintersfan · January 16, 2006 12:50PM

<< You tryin to do the set? >>

Well I would like to but there are going to be some that are real tough like Butkus(won't sign), Montana(autopen or ghost signer) and Elway(heard he might if he likes your letter and he doesn't think it will be re-sold). Plus there might be a few others who want a donation like Hornung to their favorite charity. I also have a ton of '78 Topps baseball and some 70's Topps basketball I might start shipping out in the near future.
And I will post any new cards I get in for all to enjoy.

envoy98 · January 16, 2006 12:59PM

I've always wanted to do this, and I know people who have the subscription to the address database etc, but what do you write in the letters? Especially if it's someone that isn't from your era? How long are they?

I think it's great you guys are getting these back, and for the couple dollars it costs you, I think it's a bargain!

On some of these, where the player "won't sign", If you get a chance to see them at a show where they are signing, try slipping them the card and see if they'll sign it. I know Montana won't, but when I saw Jerry Rice, Aikman, Dwight Clark at Tri Star a couple years ago, they would sign one extra thing for a few people...usually some kind of towel given away at the stadiums or a card for their kid, an index card/book or something similar. They weren't signing extra helmets, jereseys or footballs by any means but I think most of them don't have a problem with it if it looks like it's a personal collection kind of thing.

brianwintersfan · January 16, 2006 1:13PM

I keep the letter short and just tell them my name and where I'm from. I ask them to sign my card and if I have a duplicate I send it along and tell them to keep it if they would like. I also tell them I understand if they are busy and don't have the time to sign.
I wish them and their family a happy 2006 and sign off.

CopperJJ · January 19, 2006 8:25AM

I started sending TTMs out on 11/30/05. So far I have received over 70 back. It has been very enjoyable sending out the letters and getting back the cards.

Here's a couple from my 05 Heritage that I've sent out, these are great for autos too.

brianwintersfan · January 23, 2006 4:52AM

Just got these in today

Stone193 · January 23, 2006 5:01AM

Brian

That's just great!! Didn't John Cap win the Heisman?

How are you sending them for return SASE with cardboard? Did you get them as fast as Copper?

Copper
This is a little small to see - can you make them bigger when you scan?

thanx for sharing
mike

brianwintersfan · January 23, 2006 5:15AM

Yes he did win it.
I'm sending the cards in top loaders with stamped padded mailers for the return trip.

brianwintersfan · January 30, 2006 5:13AM

brianwintersfan · February 2, 2006 8:54AM

rlankhaar · February 2, 2006 9:54AM

Great cards-I love seeing when you get new ones in!

brianwintersfan · February 2, 2006 12:30PM

Well I like to share and I'm glad you are enjoying it.
As long as they keep coming in I will keep posting them!

Stone193 · February 2, 2006 1:09PM

Brian

Great Ozzie card!!!

I liked the way he put the HOF also!

Yes, please keep'm comin!
very cool

brianwintersfan · February 2, 2006 1:12PM

He was actually nice enough to autograph both cards I sent so I have two of them.

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 5:22AM

dirtystarfish · February 6, 2006 7:27AM

Nice sigs... but did montana sign that with his feet?

Stone193 · February 6, 2006 7:35AM

Brian

How did you get the Montana? Thru the mail?

Nice stuff!
mike

mudflap02 · February 6, 2006 7:43AM

I heard you had to pay $100k to get Montana to sign TTM.

I'm sort of curious as to who send the Sharpies back and who doesn't.

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 9:11AM

<< Nice sigs... but did montana sign that with his feet? >>

That's what his auto looks like.

<< How did you get the Montana? Thru the mail? >>

Yes. I also included in my note that I wasn't interested in stamps or ghost signers. I believe it to be authentic because I sent him two of the All-American cards and he only signed one and sent back the other unsigned. If he was using a stamp or ghost signer why not just sign both?? Down the road I may spend the $20 to have it slabbed and authenticated.

<< I'm sort of curious as to who send the Sharpies back and who doesn't. >>

I have kind of lost track but most do keep them. Montana and Fouts sent them back.

sandmanfromlv · February 6, 2006 9:19AM

may I ask where you're getting the addy's from or are you sending them to the teams directly?

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 10:26AM

Signed up for a website called sportscollectors.net
$15.00 per year

MuckyMutt · February 6, 2006 11:00AM

Wow Steve! Those are so great - and I think the Topps AA set has perfect cards for autos. Keep it up and keep posting scans - I love it!!

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 11:32AM

I got back the following 2005 AA Retired Editions TTM:

Bob Lilly
Gale Sayers
Roland James

That makes 22/91 signed for me.

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 11:47AM

<< I heard you had to pay $100k to get Montana to sign TTM.

I'm sort of curious as to who send the Sharpies back and who doesn't. >>

Montana asked the NFL for $100K to appear at the super bowl...WOW.

I've never sent a sharpie with any of my cards and only 1 auto has come back with ball point pen on a card. Some of my custom index cards have used ball point which they look good that way. Over 100 successes since 11/30/05.

joestalin · February 6, 2006 12:14PM

There is one auto you probably won't get and that is Mike Montler..simple reason is topps put someone else on the card. it isn't even
him.

Kevin

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 12:18PM

<< There is one auto you probably won't get and that is Mike Montler..simple reason is topps put someone else on the card. it isn't even him >>

I guess he has been willing to sign the back of the card.

downtown · February 6, 2006 12:23PM

I have started TTM on this set as well. Cannot wait for my first return. Also use the sportscollectors.net
Has been working well for baseball.

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 12:29PM

<< I have started TTM on this set as well. Cannot wait for my first return >>

Welcome and good luck. Please share your results with the gang.

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 12:34PM

Heres my Montler and Hornung

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 12:39PM

Did you send Hornung the $25??

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 12:41PM

Yes

Alan Page was $10
Ted Hendricks was $20
Carl Eller was $20, still waiting on his

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 12:42PM

Still a great bargin for a HOF player.

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 12:45PM

Hornung was back in 6 days, check was endorsed too. I need to get it back from my bank. lol

CopperJJ · February 6, 2006 12:52PM

Welcome to the set Downtown, It's been fun and not too costly (yet). Of course the tough signers will have to be IP.

Both these were in today....Bob Lilly and Roland James.

brianwintersfan · February 6, 2006 12:52PM

We had him in for a signing last year at the store I work at. As we feared he was a jag to the staff but was friendly to the customers which is all that matters.
Still thinks he is the "Golden Boy"

downtown · February 8, 2006 12:23PM

Got my first TTM All-American signed card today. How fitting for a Bears fan to have McMahon be the first.

brianwintersfan · February 8, 2006 2:10PM

Here ya go

downtown · February 8, 2006 10:00PM

Thanx BWF

I have 10 others out in mail right now, and will send more this weekend.

brianwintersfan · February 9, 2006 3:58AM

It really does get addictive!

downtown · February 10, 2006 2:14PM

Bubba Smith came in the mail today. Sent him 2 cards, told him he could keep one...instead he sent both back signed! BubbasCasino.com on envelope. Picture up when I find an alternate servier than Tripod.

DR

My 1970 Chicago Cubs Graded Set

My J.C. Martin Graded Set

brianwintersfan · February 10, 2006 2:19PM

Use photobucket.com

downtown · February 10, 2006 10:47PM

Here is the Bubba Smith card.

Thanx for the info Winters Fan.

My 2005 Topps All-American TTM Auto's

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