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Almost No Pro Football Hall of Famers Sign for Free TTM Anymore

cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
What a difference 12 to 15 years makes, I got most of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for Free through the mail on cards. Almost everybody signed and signed for FREE. Now there is almost nobody left that signs for free.

Comments

  • leathtechleathtech Posts: 3,191 ✭
    I know it sucks... many of these guys see eBay and know a lot of their free sigs get resold. I have no problem paying a reasonable amount for most HOF'ers.
    image
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    I know. Some of their fees are not reasonable. I mean $5 to 10 a card for a Hall of Famer is ok. A lot of the good signers have died as well. Andy Robustelli and Crazylegs Hirsh for example.
  • csmtampacsmtampa Posts: 1,828 ✭
    Otto Graham was the first football hall of famer I ever received ttm.

    He even wrote me a letter and answered my questions.

    Great guy
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,132 ✭✭✭
    The real problem with this is for set collectors. If I pay $100+ for a Dan Marino to sign my RC, I can probably come reasonably close to making my money back reselling it if I had to. But what if I collect 1993 Topps signed? It's tough for me to shell out $100+ to have him sign a card that I couldn't even resell for $25 if times got tough. I collect for fun and if there's value there so be it, but that's pretty rough to deal with in the back of my mind.
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  • BearDownChicagoBearsBearDownChicagoBears Posts: 81
    There are some who still do sign for free TTM:

    Billy Shaw
    Lenny Moore I got for free without a fee
    Charlie Sanders
    Russ Grimm
    Chris Hanburger
    Dick LeBeau
    I got Rickey Jackson TTM free.
    Chuck Bednarik
    Raymond Berry I think still signs without a fee.
    The same for Gino Marchetti
    Harry Carson I got TTM for free and he still does that.
    If Lawrence Taylor's TTM's are real then he is free.
    I have seen a recent return of Dermontti Dawson for free.
    Warren Moon, if real, is free.
    Jack Youngblood- free.
    Tom Mack
    Ozzie Newsome
    Charlie Joiner
    Larry Little
    Jan Stenerud I got for free in 2010. I have seen him charge before though.
    Jim Langer
    Doug Atkins
    For a while Frank Gifford was signing for free and I got him last year then.
    Joe Schmidt
    Ace Parker
    Charley Trippi

    All Hall of Famers I have gotten TTM and I started doing TTM in 2005.

    I also would advise you or anybody else out there who may be a senior candidate to send to them if you think they could be nominated. Last year I sent a 1957 topps to Jack Butler and I got my card back signed. Months later he was a senior nominee and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now he charges for a $10.00 donation.
  • bigreddogbigreddog Posts: 1,156
    I suspect many of the free signing are likely auto pens.
  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    I think ebay has a lot to do with it. But also, it has a lot to do with who the HOFers are and when they played. It was easy to get them 20-30 years ago. The old guys like Don Hutson, Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Tony Canadeo, etc were willing signers. They were also guys that just played for the love of the game and appreciated fans. As those guys pass away, another generation takes their place. A guy that makes multiple millions of dollars per year probably feels no need to connect with fans asking for autographs. Thankfully, there are exceptions, but they are the few.
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  • brianwintersfanbrianwintersfan Posts: 3,626 ✭✭


    << <i>I suspect many of the free signing are likely auto pens. >>



    Easy enough to tell if they are
  • 1960toppsguy1960toppsguy Posts: 1,127 ✭✭
    agree with bigreddog on that
  • brianwintersfanbrianwintersfan Posts: 3,626 ✭✭


    << <i>agree with bigreddog on that >>



    Well as I said its easy enough to tell if you know what to look for
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    Of the ones listed Gifford is the only Autopen and he doesn't even sign for free now. Billy Shaw signs if you enclose $5 to $10. Gifford and Walsh are known autopens from my experience.
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    Doug Atkins doesn't sign. But you missed Bob Griese, Dan Fouts, and many more you missed. Autopenned signatures are not really that common out of thousands of autographs I have maybe 15 autopens. Joe Montana and John Elway are autopens, I never tried them but I have seen the results. Steve Young autopens.
  • 48leafpsa48leafpsa Posts: 116


    << <i>Doug Atkins doesn't sign. But you missed Bob Griese, Dan Fouts, and many more you missed. Autopenned signatures are not really that common out of thousands of autographs I have maybe 15 autopens. Joe Montana and John Elway are autopens, I never tried them but I have seen the results. Steve Young autopens. >>



    Atkins has been signing recently for free. i just got him about a month ago. also, gifford doesn't use an autopen but does charge $20. i recently got him to sign my 59 team photo:


    image
  • brianwintersfanbrianwintersfan Posts: 3,626 ✭✭


    << <i>Doug Atkins doesn't sign. But you missed Bob Griese, Dan Fouts, and many more you missed. Autopenned signatures are not really that common out of thousands of autographs I have maybe 15 autopens. Joe Montana and John Elway are autopens, I never tried them but I have seen the results. Steve Young autopens. >>



    Montana is more likely ghost signed then an autopen
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    Got an old Beckett that said Gifford autopens. I got him for free almost 10 years ago, mine doesn't look like an autopen. I may post it in thread of autographs that may no questionable. So Doug Atkins is signing for free. I saw on SCN that somebody got Deion Sanders c/o NFL Network. Anybody else get Deion or is it somebody fooling the folks.
  • BearDownChicagoBearsBearDownChicagoBears Posts: 81
    My Gifford does not look like autopen.

    I could post all of the Pro Football Hall of Famers I have gotten TTM. They don't look autopen to men.
  • MeferMefer Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭
    It is a shame all the way around. I mean, I can understand some reluctance of the signers (why sign for free if someone plans to turn around and make money on it). Such mentality hurts those who are looking to collect the signatures for the sake of collecting (not turning around and making a quick buck). There is really not a right answer to the situation. Perhaps all you can do as a TTM submitter is do everything you can to at least show you are a genuine collector and not looking to make a quick buck. To that end:

    1. Send a short handwritten and personalized note.
    2. Do not send along more than one or two things to sign (if I send two, my past practice has always been to note one of the autoraphs is for a relative, etc. [and always a true statement].)
    3. Stating the obvious, enclose a SASE.

    The above will not guarantee results with anyone but it will help.

    Matt
  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    I wrote to Frank Gifford in 1989 and I sent two index cards. I got them back and you can lay them right on top of each other to perfection. A definite autopen back then. Warren Moon too from that same time period. I have two Jim Kelly's that are almost perfect to each other from 1990-91 era.
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  • BearDownChicagoBearsBearDownChicagoBears Posts: 81
    I just compared two of my Moon cards I got TTM. They're definitely hand signed. Just not sure by who.

    Also Gretzky is the only autopen in blue I know of. Gifford signed mine in blue when he was signing for free and it looks hand signed and not thick enough for autopen.
  • jswietonjswieton Posts: 2,870 ✭✭✭
    I find that HOF football players are much better TTM signers then baseball players. The only HOF baseball player that consistently signs for free is Bobby Doerr. Everyone else charges some sort of fee unless you get lucky.

    Giffords signature is authentic and not autopened IMO. However, he charges a $20 donation for the "Association to Benefit Children"
  • BearDownChicagoBearsBearDownChicagoBears Posts: 81
    There was a brief period of time where last year he signed for free.

    Regarding the Baseball Hall of Fame- Doug Harvey and Lee Macphail are two freebies. Jim Bunning too. Gillick I believe is free. At least when I got him last year.

    You're right. Football Hall of Famers are better TTM signers than Baseball Hall of Famers. Even then I can't think of too many living Football Hall of Famers I could think of I haven't gotten for free TTM.

    I have a total of 88 Hall of Famers. 33 of them I counted are living and I got them for free TTM after they were elected. Jack Butler and Richard Dent I got for free TTM but both before they were elected. I can't remember if I sent Art Donovan $5.00 or not when I got him TTM a year ago last year. Everybody else I got is either deceased, I paid for them TTM or I got them in person at a show. I also got Warren Moon twice TTM but I can't remember if it was after his election or not.

    This is who I got TTM for free after they were inducted of the living Hall of Famers.

    #1 Chris Hanburger
    #2 Ed Sabol
    #3 Russ Grimm
    #4 Rickey Jackson
    #5 Dick LeBeau
    #6 Bruce Smith
    #7 Ralph Wilson
    #8 Harry Carson
    #9 Nick Buoniconti
    #10 Marv Levy
    #11 Jack Youngblood
    #12 Tom Mack
    #13 Ozzie Newsome
    #14 Lawrence Taylor
    #15 Billy Shaw
    #16 Don Shula
    #17 Charlie Joiner
    #18 Steve Largent
    #19 Larry Little
    #20 Jan Stenerud
    #21 Bob Griese
    #22 Jim Langer
    #23 Mike McCormack
    #24 Doug Atkins
    #25 Bob Lilly (Now charges $5.00)
    #26 Frank Gifford (His free period may have ended)
    #27 Lenny Moore- I saw him sign for somebody with no fee so I gave it a try and it worked.
    #28 Raymond Berry
    #29 Joe Schmidt
    #30 Gino Marchetti
    #31 Ace Parker
    #32 Charley Trippi
    #33 Chuck Bednarik

    If you are a TTM'er who is looking to get a Hall of Famer with no fee TTM, my suggestion is you should go after one of the 33 I mentioned.
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    The Baseball Hall of Fame is awful for free autographs. I tried Billy Williams c/o Cubs ST on my 1970 Topps and he returned card unsigned. Bobby Doerr and Lee McPhail are the only consistent free signers but McPhail has health problems. I got Andre Dawson and Goose Gossage for Free before they went in.
  • BearDownChicagoBearsBearDownChicagoBears Posts: 81
    I got Dawson for free about a month after his election.

    Goose Gossage when he wants to sign I believe still signs for free.
  • ledstersledsters Posts: 603 ✭✭
    Tony Gwynn signs for free in person and TTM.
  • 48leafpsa48leafpsa Posts: 116
    i just got into ttm about a year ago and i've noticed the list of free signers are quickly dissolving. i have no problem sending $5-20 to get a signature, it's cheaper than paying for one at a show, when the dealers hike up the price to make a profit. for instance, bart starr charges $20 per signature ttm but at a recent show his fee was $75. On the other hand, alot of ttm'ers are taking advantage of free signers and sending 5 or more items to get signed then listing a few on ebay. some players took notice of this and now are charging. raymond berry will sign 1 item for free but he wants $30 for each additional items. even the very generous chuck bednarik is now asking for 5-10 per signature


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