Legends Sports Magazine Autographed and Regular Issues -- Share Your Collection!

DrJ

Not sure if anyone else here used to collect Legends Sports Magazine, but I was a subscriber through the mid-90s, and they would offer really nice autographed issues from time to time. I just re-discovered these issues after cleaning through the top of my closet (I honestly forgot where I had these stored, as they were in brown shipping boxes unlabeled).

Anyone Else have any autographed or regular issues they would like to share?

Has anyone attempted to get these things framed. The Mantle and Williams would look very nice in my 500 HR Collection, but I am not sure how exactly I would go about framing such thick issues.

J

DrJ

Mickey Mantle -- Love the large clean signature.

zep33

that looks awesome

did i win it?

DrJ

Ted Williams, The Splendid Splinter

zep33

i like that one even better

can i win that one instead?

DrJ

Brooks Robinson

DrJ

<< <i>i like that one even better

can i win that one instead? >>



I would probably have to be very heavily under the influence to post a contest for this issue.

Would you settle for a 2007 Topps Mantle instead? I have about 50 of them. LOL.

J

DrJ

Tony Gwynn fishing-- Pretty cool artwork for the fishing fan in your life.

zep33

i probably have atleast that many LOL

those really are awesome and would look great matted and framed

DrJ

I seem to recall autographed issues being offered with Dimaggio, Ripken, Rose and a few others over the years.

Last one I own autographed..

Roberto Alomar... I think he is a lock for the HOF with his offense and 10 Gold Gloves, but not sure if he will make it on the first ballot come 2009.

rube26105

i remember those now, they had cards inside em to didnt they,ill have to see if i can find mine,might be some god ones to get autographed in em, i havnt thought of those mags for years!!

SDSportsFan

I was a subscriber also, and have the first Tony Gwynn and second Nolan Ryan covers autographed. I've got them somewhere, will have to find 'em


Steve

DrJ

<< <i>i remember those now, they had cards inside em to didnt they,ill have to see if i can find mine,might be some god ones to get autographed in em, i havnt thought of those mags for years!! >>



Yep, every issue came with a sheet of 9 cards. They would also sell special 18k or 24k special editions where the borders on the cards and the front logo were stamped in real gold foil. I have a bunch of the magazines stored away in a file cabinet. The art work and card were just too nice for me to every part with the issues.

Some of the earlier issues used to be quite valuable in the early 1990's. Since the magazine has now gone defunct I have no idea if there is any value or if people even collect these issues anymore.

tnspro

fake fake fake.....

DrJ

<< <i>I was a subscriber also, and have the first Tony Gwynn and second Nolan Ryan covers autographed. I've got them somewhere, will have to find 'em


Steve >>



If you find them, please post them to this thread. This thread may become sort of a Legend's museum.

J

DrJ

<< <i>fake fake fake..... >>



But I have a COA signed by the publisher of Legends.

envoy98

I Love that Mantle and Williams. Those are VERY nice.

mrbecker712

Don't know much about Legends, but I remember Beckett back in the day had a very classy mag, with a solid photo on the front (or the occasional artwork) and just the Beckett Monthly at the top, nothing else. Now it looks like just another magazine.

DrJ

<< <i>Don't know much about Legends, but I remember Beckett back in the day had a very classy mag, with a solid photo on the front (or the occasional artwork) and just the Beckett Monthly at the top, nothing else. Now it looks like just another magazine. >>



Yep, when Besckett first came out (until?) they used a thick stock for the cover with either a nice player photo or art and simply the name of the magazine. No tag-lines or other garbage to distract from the player. Now Beckett uses a non-glossy paper stock cover.

I guess they almost had to go this route with the death of so many hobby shops and less people in the Hobby. They needed a lower cost magazine for wide distribution in many retail outlets where the vast majority of the issues are probably returned unsold each month. Quanitity over quality.

J

rube26105

i know i seen one of mine not to long ago cause i sent off one of the cards to rollie figers to auto, a big postcard sized one on my autographed stuff thread, now i gotta find em, they did have great artwork in em!

SDSportsFan

Here are my four autographed magazines:









I was a charter subscriber, as I was (and still am) a big fan of Christopher Paluso, who is the artist who did all the Legends covers.


Steve

DrJ

Awesome issues. Love that Nolan Ryan and Marino. The Gwynn is neat in that it also has the artists signature in gold.

If you ever have an opportunity, getting Seaver to sign the Rollie Fingers issue would make a very very nice collectible.

SDSportsFan

Thanks Justin. Funny you should mention having it autographed by Seaver. He's scheduled to be a guest at next month's Tri-Star show in Houston. I live in San Antonio, and will probably take it over with me

I really love your Mantle and Williams issues. I have the Williams (not autographed), and remember seeing the offer for the Williams autograph from Legends, but I guess never sent in an order before they sold out.

Thank you for starting this thread. I had completely forgotten about the Legends magazines.

Steve

Allen

How much did these cost back then? just curious. Great looking stuff.

DrJ

<< <i>How much did these cost back then? just curious. Great looking stuff. >>



Thats a good question, I was going to ask Steve if he recalled.

I think the Williams and Mantle were upwards of $100 (Maybe $125-150). Gwynn, Alomar, and Robinson were probably $40-60. Of course I could be wrong as I am basing this on memories from over 15 years ago.

This was obviously before the internet so Legends would send out the issues with a monthly order list of back issues, future autograph issues, and past autograph issues which did not sell out.

J

metalmike

Wow I never paid attention to these back in the boom. If I remember right didn't these sell for 9.99 an issue? 10k printing? These came out during the era of broder type issues- kinda like a better version of Sportcards magazine?

DrJ

<< <i>Wow I never paid attention to these back in the boom. If I remember right didn't these sell for 9.99 an issue? 10k printing? These came out during the era of broder type issues- kinda like a better version of Sportcards magazine? >>



Base price was $5 an issue, and then on certain issues they would make 22k or 18k limited gold foil eiditions which probably boosted the price to $10-15 an issue. There was a lot of stuff issued in the early 90's with "real" gold foil and people would go nuts for it (myself included) for whatever reason.

J

SDSportsFan

The autographed Gwynn issue cost $15.00 in the Summer of 1990.

The Brooks Robinson was offered for $49.95; Mantle and Williams were $189.00 each. They also offered their Joe Namath magazine autographed for $129.00.

Edited to add that I can't find an offer for the Ryan autograph, but remembering my mindset at the time, I believe it was around $50-$60 each.


Steve

DrJ

<< <i>The autographed Gwynn issue cost $15.00 in the Summer of 1990.

The Brooks Robinson was offered for $49.95; Mantle and Williams were $189.00 each. They also offered their Joe Namath magazine autographed for $129.00.

Edited to add that I can't find an offer for the Ryan autograph, but remembering my mindset at the time, I believe it was around $50-$60 each.


Steve >>



Thanks for the pricing Steve. I remember the issues being pricey, but I didn't remember them costing that much! They also put out a Dimaggio issue which ran upwards of $300 signed... too much for my blood!

J

SDSportsFan

Also, Legends was begun in the Fall of 1988 to, as mentioned in Vol 1, No 1, to fill the noticable gap when it came to the listing of sports memorabilia. Legends began as a quarterly, and was subsequently changed to bi-monthly. A price guide was included in every issue, and tended to concentrate on the various "limited editions" being released at the time, such as porcelain plates, figurines and art lithographs. They also included items such as Gateway commemorative envelopes, baseball press pins, Hartland Statues, Sport Magazines, autographed Perez-Steele postcards, and other various memorabilia (non-card) items.


Steve

SDSportsFan

<< <i>Thanks for the pricing Steve. I remember the issues being pricey, but I didn't remember them costing that much! They also put out a Dimaggio issue which ran upwards of $300 signed... too much for my blood!

J >>




Yea, that's basically the reason I never got the autographed Williams and Mantle issues. Back then, I was still a young enlisted pup in the Air Force, and couldn't handle spending over $75 for anybody's autograph It was doubly tough, since I've always been a big Ted Williams fan, as he and my dad went to the same high school in San Diego (9 years apart).


Steve

elsnorto

Very cool stuff! I never even knew these autographed versions existed. I do remember the broder cards Legends included in their magazines very well though. I probably still have some kicking around somewhere.

By the way, anyone know if they ever did an Emmitt autographed cover? Thanks for sharing these guys.


Snorto~

SDSportsFan

<< <i>Very cool stuff! I never even knew these autographed versions existed. I do remember the broder cards Legends included in their magazines very well though. I probably still have some kicking around somewhere.

By the way, anyone know if they ever did an Emmitt autographed cover? Thanks for sharing these guys.


Snorto~ >>




They did have Emmitt on the cover of the November/December 1992 issue, but I don't see any evidence that they sold an autographed version of it.


Steve

SDSportsFan

I just discovered some additional papers from Legends. They also for a while mailed out an "Update", which was basically a 6-8 page flyer with special announcements to subscribers. I discovered that while the Mantle and Williams autographed issues sold for $189, subscribers only had to pay $110 each. Others such as Pete Rose, Ernie Banks, Dave Justice, Roberto Alomar and Brooks Robinson were $40 each for subscribers, otherwise they cost $50. The Nolan Ryan was $60 for subscribers, and $75 for everyone else.


Steve

nam812

<< <i>i remember those now, they had cards inside em to didnt they,ill have to see if i can find mine >>



Clean up that damn cave Randy.

DrJ

Here is the "Gold Issue" which was put out for the Chicago Sports Collector's Convention. I think this was the actual guide issued for the event since it came with a map of exhibiotrs and other convention related features....



Cover:



Insert Cards:



Insert Post Cards:



Early PSA Add ( I never thought the concept would take off..who knew?)



J

DrJ

One last issue... Nolan Ryan commemerative for his number retirement with the California Angels. I am seriously thinking about sending this one off to his foundation for a signing ($55 to sign an item larger than 5x7... I hate tiered signing fees). If I ever get around to finishing off my basement, a wall of these signed issues would be cool.

Barfvader

Here's my addition to this fun discussion.

Vol.3 No.2 Summer 1990

Regular Cover



Hall Of Fame Inductees Cover



Cards








And another magazine that was the same basic idea as the Legends magazine.

Cartwrights

Vol.1 No.1 Winter 1992



Gold Foil Cards




Silver Foil Cards



Tobacco Series Cards






Some of the earlier issues used to be quite valuable in the early 1990's.

I can say I know that, as I sold one of the Bo cover magazines for $75. Bet the guy that bought it ain't to happy now.