Dear Mr. Skowron (My 2006 Allen & Ginter auto TTM project)

Elemenopeo

Inspired by some of the threads I've seen on this board, I recently started a project to collect as many through-the-mail autographs as possible on the cards of the 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter set. These are the first autographs I've sought through the mail since I was 6 years old and dropped a note to then-President Gerald Ford (One of his p.r. people sent me back a facsimile signature on an index card.) I'm a big fan of these cards and thought they'd be well-suited for autos because of the simple design and big white spaces. I also like that it includes several retired players. It should also be fun to try to track down the likes of Leon Spinks, hot-dog eating champ Takeru Kobayashi and Brandi Chastain of soccer and sports-bra fame.

Right now, I'm concentrating on the retired players and the non-baseball folks. I'll probably wait until spring-training rolls around again to go after most of the active players. I'm not crazy about having to pay "donations" to some of the HOF'ers who require it, but I'll cough it up as my resources permit.

I'll use this thread for posting scans of the autos as I receive them -- just because I have to share them with someone. And my wife, as wonderful as she is, I know won't fully appreciate the coolness factor as much as I think some of you may.

By the way, by my count, there are 310 living persons featured in the set of 350... But I have "outside-the-box" ideas in the works for a couple of the cards of non-living folks as well. Stay tuned.

These first three arrived witihin the last couple days. Too bad the Wooden got a bit smudged, but, hey, I'll take it.



Oh, and if anyone has a lead on an address for spelling bee champion Wendy Guey, drop me a PM.

gosteelers

Awesome stuff! Congrats!

Edited to say: I really like how they inscribed it to you, too...

MikeyLikesIt

Excellent idea. Looks like you've picked up some great autos already. Congrats.

Stone193

Sweet!

EAsports

LMNOPO....

Maybe you could find an article that says what school she goes to and send "fan mail" there.

That's only slightly creepy.

Just a thought

Elemenopeo

Thanks for the suggestion. I think Guey actually already graduated from Harvard. (She won the national spelling bee in 1996 at the age of 12.) And, from what I've been able to find, it sounds like she is living and working in New York now, but I'm not sure exactly where.

tkd7

Wow, those look great.

Nice idea, I really need to start getting autos TTM

zef204

I can't find these freaking allen and ginters at any target's or wallmarts here. I know I could eBay, but I figured I'd check out a cheap box before I jump in for a hoby box/case.

zef204

Ohyeah, sweet stuf lmnop!

onegaucho

Sweet idea!
I'm still tryin to put together a mini set...

brianwintersfan

Very cool idea. They look great autographed.

ArnyVee

Those cards look beautiful autographed! WOW! Great job on those!

BSUballer

those cards look awesome with autographs!! im havin a heck of a tiem finding those too...any suggestions from anynoe on where i may be able to look, besides ebay??

Elemenopeo

Thanks for the nice comments, all.

This one came in the mail today. A few weeks shy of his 88th birthday, Feller is just the third oldest of the four signers I've gotten so far.

dtkk49a

The Feller auto is awesome.

Elemenopeo

What a great auto to get this particular October. I suppose it's lucky for me that Leyland had some time to kill until the Series starts. I sent this out just 12 days ago.

Interesting note -- according to Wikipedia, Leyland claims to watch the movie Hoosiers at least once a week.

Piman58

Elemenopeo ...the autos look great. I have a t-shirt from Fellers Museum in Van Meter that friends of mine got for me when Feller walked in during their visit. I have always wanted to start a collection of autographs using cards from my collection. Looking at your results I may just start.

How do you get the adresses for the signers? Is there a website, book, or other publication that gives the finer points of requesting autos TTM?

Thanks

Elemenopeo

<< <i>How do you get the adresses for the signers? Is there a website, book, or other publication that gives the finer points of requesting autos TTM? >>



As was recommended by others on these boards, I subscribed to www.sportscollectors.net for $14.99, which is not only a great source of addresses, but also can give you a good idea of who will sign (and for how much $ for some) and the best time of the year to catch them and where. And the message boards there are full of great "how-to" tips.

Harvey Meiselman's sports address lists are also frequently recommended by others, but I haven't ordered any yet and don't know that I will.

Elemenopeo

A couple of the non-baseball folks come through...

tkd7

That is a nice Jennie Finch auto. I like signers that add a little extra flair to their sig.

xphunk

elemenopeo-any chance you could pm me the address you used for the bailey auto. i'd appreciate it.

xphunk

my first success came today. a haven't sent anything ttm for 15 years, i think this is going to be fun.
now, lets see if i can get this picture to post.

Elemenopeo

Xphunk, dude, you're hijacking my thread! Ah, well, the more the merrier.

bhl2359

In thiose Jennie Finch autos, is that the "Jesus fish" symbol (or whatever it's called) above the "USA"?

Elemenopeo

<< <i>In thiose Jennie Finch autos, is that the "Jesus fish" symbol (or whatever it's called) above the "USA"? >>




I believe it is. Whenever, I see that now, though, instead of thinking of the multiplication of loaves or something, I think of Putty's line in one of the Seinfeld episodes -- "You stole my Jesus fish, didn't you?!"

TNP777

I think that's very cool that Finch includes that in her autographs - lots of athletes will include a verse with their auto - using an ichthus/ichthys is a nice variation.

a page I googled explaining the history of the Ichthus - not mine

Geordie

Elemenopeo

It's been an excruciatingly long time since the last signed A&G came in the mail -- a whole week. Seems like longer. Anyway, this one arrived today, and is one of the "outside-the-box" ideas I mentioned in my first post for the cards featuring non-living folks -- and fall squarely into the just-for-fun category.

I asked former Topps employee David Roth, who wrote the copy for the Herman Melville card, to sign it on the back with his text. The idea for this came to me after reading an interesting article Roth wrote about his experience working at Topps. He mentions the Melville card in the article. I give Roth a lot of credit for being a good sport about granting my unusual request. He told me in an email, "I haven't autographed anything since I won a poetry contest in fourth grade, and that was for my friend Craig's parents."

Elemenopeo

Doh!!!





Of course, I put the note on all the holders I send out to TRY to avoid this very thing... alas.

wick70

I'm guessing that he still kept the $10.00 you sent him?

Wick

onlyanumber

Just think, you could put any Monte Irvin card in that holder and voila! It's autographed!

That has got to be the funniest thing I've seen in a while--right up there with the Jerry Snyder 'this isn't me' Heritage auto

Elemenopeo

<< <i>I'm guessing that he still kept the $10.00 you sent him? >>




Yeah, well, hopefully, I'll be able to send the holder and the card back to him with a note of explanation and have him sign the card without having to make another donation. That's the plan, anyway.

Of course, if that works out, then I'll forever be trying to figure out what to do with the holder. I can't just throw it out. It's signed by a HOF'er!

TomTim

RE: Monte Irvin

When I'm 87 years old, a HOFer, and getting 100 autograph requests a week, I'm taking your card in the holder with little instructions written on it, and I'm throwing it in the trash.

Elemenopeo

<< <i>RE: Monte Irvin

When I'm 87 years old, a HOFer, and getting 100 autograph requests a week, I'm taking your card in the holder with little instructions written on it, and I'm throwing it in the trash. >>




I hear ya. Believe me, there was no disrespect intended. I just didn't want to leave anything to chance, but seeing how this turned out, I'll probably dispense with the little instructions from now on. I'm new to the whole TTM autograph thing and just learning as I go and trying to have some fun. That's all. Thanks for the gentle nudge in the right direction.

Elemenopeo

Thought this one would be more difficult than it turned out to be. I like that sig, and I even kinda like the fingerprint smudge.

Elemenopeo

Hey, my first success with an active player... and my second overall from Yankees nicknamed Moose.

Elemenopeo

A couple more from the just-for-fun file... I was able to get the two checklists signed by Topps Chief Exceutive Officer Arthur Shorin and Topps President Scott Silverstein (who's also Shorin's son-in-law).

Bosox1976

That Kobayashi is magnificent.

baird34

As for Monte Irvin... I don't think you'll have a problem if you write him and explain the situation. I sent him two items w/ 20.00 check to be signed awhile back and for some reason he only sent one back. It wasn't that big of a deal, but two weeks later I get an envelope in the mail with my second item and a note from Mr Irvin explaining that he liked it so much that he wanted to show a friend of his and forgot to put it back in the envelope.

Also, if you don't mind me asking... where did you send the Kobayashi to get signed?

halosfan

elemenopeo: You ROCK! Thanks for the Wooden card. I got it back signed today!

Thanks much,

Matthew

Elemenopeo

After a painful streak of envelopes marked "Return to Sender" falling through the mail slot the last couple weeks, it was nice to get a couple of successes today, including the re-sent Irvin card and that of surfer-dude champ Andy Irons.

brianwintersfan

Great job!

Elemenopeo

The mailman comes through for me again today... I think the autos in fat blue Sharpie like this look best.

savemoneycards

Great idea and a great job posting scans.
How long did it take you to get the Kobayashi back?

Elemenopeo

<< <i>Great idea and a great job posting scans.
How long did it take you to get the Kobayashi back? >>



Thanks. The Kobayashi took 26 days to be exact.

Elemenopeo

This one signed by Statue of Liberty National Monument Superintendent Cynthia Garrett.

In my request letter to her, I explained the autograph project I'm working on with the A&G set and how I'm trying to get around the problem of some of the people featured on the cards being dead or, as in this case, already having their hands full.

On letterhead from the United States Department of the Interior, she wrote back: "It has been an honor to autograph your trading card of the Statue of Liberty to add to your interesting hobby collection. I'm flattered that you would consider asking for the autograph of the Superintendent of this most important icon."

I sent her an extra copy of the card to keep, which she did.

XanaduNow

Elemenopeo, I just read this entire thread for the first time and I must say that I'm very impressed with your creative solutions to the auto dilemma of some of the cards.

How successful would you say you've been? Have you gotten a lot of stuff returned with no sig?

Congrats and keep the scans coming!

Arthur

Elemenopeo

Arthur -- Thanks. I suppose I'm fairly pleased with my progress to this point, especially knowing that this will be a long, long haul.

As to the failures, about 1 out of every 5 cards I've sent out so far have come back unsigned, but most of those I knew were long shots when I sent them. The weird thing is that I haven't been able to overcome my hard-wired collecting compulsion yet and throw out the form-letter rejections I've received or even the mailers stamped Return To Sender stacked on my desk.

Elemenopeo

I've always liked Dunn despite his high strikeout rate. Now I like him even more. Wish I'd sent along a Sharpie, though.

tsalem

Elemenopeo
can you please email me at... tsalems@verizon.net
maybe we can help each other out. I ahave been doing the set as well..
here are some of my pics...
















and i have many more...
please email me at tsalems@verizon.net

thnx! looking forward to your email


tom

brianwintersfan

Hard to even tell that's Yaz anymore

tsalem

hes an angry old man