That's a nice PSA 8 Yzerman. I think that could be a candidate for a re-sub for a shot at a 9. I picked up a BGS 8 for $31 shipped and thought that was a good deal. You have me beat. I think have too many OPC Yzerman's now though...a PSA 6, 7, 9(OC) and a 9, a BGS 8, and 1 ungraded. It's such a cool card that I tend to bid subconsciously.
I recently cracked out my other PSA 8 (seen earlier ITT) for the signing this coming week at DC Sports. So, I was clearly in need. Hockey gods found a way ...
Picked up this 1961 Parkhurst Johnny Bower PSA 9. It's an upgrade; I previously had an 8. Brings me to 9 cards away from completing the set entirely in PSA 9 or better. Bower is a tough one: Pop 5 with none higher.
Got this 1951 Parkhurst Alex Delvecchio rookie back, signed TTM. Very nice!
A second HOF signed rookie; this one an eBay purchase. Ron Francis.
And, I thought I would show this off. It is a Frank Mahovlich rookie in a low grade. These are tough to find. I plan to get it signed at the next opportunity.
In my second attempt TTM, I got a success from Mr. Marcel Dionne. Beautiful looking card with a nice bold blue autograph and HOF inscription. I am thinking about stopping at his store in Niagara Falls, ON next week to say 'hello'. Anyone have experience going by there?
One more for the soon-to-be-HOF group. eBay purchase. He's a lock to make the Hall.
Went to the Gibraltar Trade Show in Taylor, MI today. Picked up a few things. No scans right now, but for $40 I got a box of 1990-91 OPC hockey (that I promptly ripped) and a series of rookie cards for signing: 1978 Topps Bernie Federko , a signed Jimmy Howard ITG pre-rookie, 1990 OPC Jeremy Roenick , 1992 Upper Deck Paul Kariya , and a 1988 OPC Brendan Shanahan PSA 8. I think I did OK.
It was also my first time going to a live card show. Some thoughts: --it was a lot of fun and definitely a different experience than trolling eBay. Very cool to see the cards in person and get to interact with live people --I was impressed by the range and selection of the show. There were probably 30 dealers set up and they had a lot more vintage hockey than I was expecting. Going in, my targets were unopened junk wax and uncommon Red Wings items. Those were present, but I also found myself digging around for some older rookie cards for my signed HOF set and asking about vintage Parkhurst. Did not see that coming. --everything was significantly overpriced. I wasn't pulling up my phone for VCP, but I do have a pretty good recall on that sort of thing. It was common for cards to have sticker prices at 3x what I thought "market value" should be. I wasn't sure if the dealers had their head in the clouds, were stupid, or just were really willing to negotiate. I didn't end up trying to make any big deals, but that would have been interesting. --in-person haggling is fun and is something I should do more often --I wish there were more local shows and the live card markets could find a healthier symbiotic relationship with eBay --I am thinking I should go to the National and the hockey show in Toronto in the near future --There are good deals to be had if you're selective and not just there to buy the first cool thing that you see
<< <i>Neat stuff, thanks for sharing. I grew up in St. Louis and remember when Bernie Federko played for the Blues. Seeing that name brought back some memories. >>
I still live in STL & Federko is now one of the main TV guys for the Blues. Not a play-by-play guy. Does the interviews w/ players between periods & gives insight before the games. Love me some Bernie
Some more good stuff. 1968 Topps Bernie Parent (was a PSA 7 crackout, TTM) and 1961 Topps Rod Gilbert (was a PSA 4 crackout, TTM). Both in about 2 weeks. I won't really go into all the details, but Gilbert was the toughest TTM I've had yet--he is a tricky one to get. I am happy to have it, even though it is in pen. Some interactions with athletes are immensely positive. This one, well, I'm going to check Rod off the list and move on ...
I mentioned earlier that I was looking forward to an Yzerman signing. This is isn't it, but I did snag it for a good deal on eBay. It is JSA-authenticated and in decent condition. So, I may keep this 1984 Topps rookie, or may sell it sometime soon. Unsure. Next to it is a 1990 Score rookie of Eric Lindros. Also eBay purchased. I have 2 of his UD rookies out TTM, so hopefully I will be able to add some more Lindros autos to the collection soon.
And, its not signed, but hopefully will be soon. One of the cooler looking cards that has never previously fit into my collecting interested but I always enjoyed the aesthetic of:
I know this isn't B/S/T, but I'm going to post a short list of cards I need (will take signed or unsigned, graded or raw). Hopefully the board will forgive me--I figured I get some hockey collector eyes on this thread, so I'll see if anyone has an extra of something they'd sell me. If interested in selling, PM me. Thanks.
1952 Parkhurst Dickie Moore 1953 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau 1957 Parkhurst Bob Pulford 1957 Parkhurst Henri Richard 1957 Topps Glenn Hall 1958 Topps Bobby Hull 1979 OPC Wayne Gretzky PSA 3-5
When I got a saved search notification for this auction, I reflexively swore out loud. I immediately messaged the seller and got them to end it early. 3 days later, it's in hand and I don't think I'll be getting rid of this anytime soon ....
Signed 1961 Parkhurst #35 Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion! HOF.
As far as I know, it is a true 1/1. I have been watching for a year and have never seen another one. Many Google searches over months have turned up 0. Boom Boom died in 2006, making it pretty rare. I would be surprised if more than 5 exist. Until I see one, though, I will assume this is the only one ... Boom Boom was also a star. He's credited with inventing the slap shot and is a pretty big name. One of the bigger names remaining for my set.
The seller was a picker in MA who had no attachment to the card. You don't see many Boom Boom autos on vintage. Needless to say, I was VERY happy to pick it up.
It brings my number remaining for my signed 1961 Parkhurst set down to 11. They are:
#1 Tim Horton #6 Ron Stewart #10 Bob Nevin #15 Billy Harris #16 Allen Stanley
#19 Howie Glover #22 Al Johnson #31 Terry Sawchuk #49 Jacques Plante #50 Claude Provost
#51 Andre Pronovost
I am still holding out reasonable hope for Glover, Stanley, and Pronovost. All others: a wish and a prayer.
OK, I also got some other cards, for those of you whose jaw remains sufficiently attached to scroll beyond that last post....
I also bought this signed McKenzie from the same seller. I know I previously said I was set on these, but I guess I've got a problem. Couldn't pass it up.
Bought this signed Sakic rookie. It's a duplicate. Price was right.
Last, not signed, but it is an OPC rookie card of Mario Lemieux. For future signing, hopefully. Looks good for a 6.
You can't choose who you root for. Even in a world filled with choices, the teams we follow, the cards we collect, and the interests we have in life are inevitably and irreparably shaped by the circumstances in which we live. I was born in Michigan, a northern state and one of the few states where hockey competes with the other major 3 for popularity. I was fortunate enough to be born in 1984 and became aware enough to follow sports just as the Red Wings were becoming one of the most dominant sports franchises in the history of the league. My father was, and still is, a more than casual fan of the team--the type who follows them not only during the playoffs, but who would sit down and watch most regular season games. I collect what I do because I have chosen to do so, but those choices are probably unsurprising given my place in life.
I wrote earlier that I have been enjoying collecting because it provides a means to learn about the history of the game. That is true, but today was special because it also made me think about the history of my location and the history of my family.
Circa 1960: my Dad is a young recreational hockey player in a league around Farmington, MI. Gordie Howe, the best player in the NHL, happens to visit the rink on the same day that he is there (as I understand Gordie did from time to time--really generous with his time). Gordie takes my Dad's playing stick and signs it. Of course, back then, a lot of people didn't have money for more than one stick, so my Dad continues to use it with Mr. Howe's name written on the shaft. It eventually cracks, as wooden sticks do, and my Dad can't use it anymore. So, he has my Grandfather saw off both sides to keep the signature. As a kid, I remember seeing it in his desk drawer and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. About 50 years after it is signed, it was given to me:
2014: Gordie Howe is signing near Detroit! Even though I have been collecting autographs for a bit now, I have never been to an in-person signing before. Ever card I have gotten up until this point has been from eBay, TTM, trades, mail order, or consignments. Well, I decided to go. Perfect opportunity to meet the man and check a card off my signed HOF rookie set. This happened today:
Even though he is getting up there, Gordie seemed to be doing well. What a first signing experience! I got the chance to shake his hand and tell him how nice it was to meet him. And, (kind of) a funny story. I lay my 1951 Parkhurst rookie card down on the table. Gordie reaches for it to sign, then decides to palm it and pretend like he was pocketing it for his own! So, of course, that is pretty cool, that Gordie still likes to mess around and also sort of into cards. Then, of course, there is the part of my head that is like "OMG sh*t, that card is worth like $750, please don't bend it!!!". I guess if anybody gets the right to jack up a Gordie Howe rookie, it's Mr. Hockey himself! Fortunately, no damage and it is a fun story to tell that I will always remember when I see the card. He signed nicely and then asked me, "How much?". Guess he liked it! I told him that I would give it to him for a discount. Should have offered to trade it for the SC ring on his finger; maybe next time!
The card turned out great.
Here is a scan. These scans always make the card look worse because they really bring out every crease. Looks better in hand, I think.
Now, the question. I would like to send it in for PSA/DNA Red Flip. The choice is whether to go with a numerical grade or just "authentic". I am pretty confident that it will grade a 1 (Poor). Would be interested in thoughts on which is more desirable and resale/value, even though I have no plans on getting rid of it at any point, especially after a day like this!
I thought it was going to be a slow day, but got a wave of TTM returns. One of the cooler things about TTM is that you never know when you're going to get an item back. And, when you see a return TTM, it could be anything...
First up, two eBay purchases. Neither fits into a core collecting area, but both appealed to me for some reason. A 1975 OPC WHA signed Gordie Howe card that is actually in very nice condition. I think these cards had big centering problems, but this one looks great. Auto is also quite nice--you can tell it was done many years ago. Second, a signed Chris Osgood card. It's not rare or valuable, but I like the throwback look of the 2009 Champ's cards. I recently bought one of Zetterberg and one of Datsyuk, so I thought an Osgood would be cool.
I have been trying not to do this, but I bought a modern card. It is of Petr Mrazek, current goalie of the Grand Rapids Griffins and is one of Detroit's top prospects. I have been wary of modern stuff--I feel like we are in a period of overproduction again with the number of different sets and the parallels within sets. Resale of modern stuff, at least in hockey, has been junky. So, I have tried to focus on older stuff, even though it is definitely fun to open up something new. This card was a steal on eBay, so I made an exception.
OK, so, TTMs! Today, I got 3 signed HOF rookie cards back, which is a rate that I would take anyday! First, from Harry Howell (1953 Parkhurst). I was slightly concerned as Harry is usually a really good signer, but this card had been out for a couple of months. I understand that he is going through some health problems . Still, nicely signed. Second, Bert Olmstead (1957 Parkhurst). Not his rookie, but a nice vintage return. I picked this up at the Gibraltar card show for $10, I think. I told the seller that I planned to TTM it and he looked at me like I was insane for risking such a valuable item through the mail. I guess we are in different orbits, because I am not really interested in collecting 10,000 junky signed cards--I would rather TTM nice stuff that I will value. Anyway ...
Next, two 1951 Parkhurst HOF rookies. One of Olmstead and one of Milt Schmidt. Technically, I don't think the 51 Parkie is Schmidt's "rookie" card (as he is in the 1940 OPC set). That would be a fun card to get signed someday! But, for now, I opted for this much cheaper edition. The Olmstead is in decent condition for a 51.
I sent Bert a small amount of money for the signing and he sent back a nice note thanking me for doing so. Makes me think I should do that more often for older guys, even if they don't regularly charge. I appreciate that they sign, so why not?
Last, from a private signing organized on SCN, an Ed Belfour rookie. Classic auto worth 40x the value of the card! Oh well, I needed it for the HOF rookie set. "The Eagle":
As of today, I don't have many significant TTMs outstanding. Most notable are Ted Lindsay, Bobby Clarke, and Bob Gainey. I have been shocked at my success rate for HOFers. So far, I am batting over 90% on successful returns. Exceptions have almost all been recent retirees who have low-value cards. Most of my wait now is for cards to be returned from signings: Ciccarelli, Langway, Cheevers, Bossy, Red Kelly, Bower, Yzerman and Kurri.
I feel like it's been a while. Other than minor drama in trying to get my Howe rookie to PSA, not much to report over the past week. I've spent most of my collecting time seeking out quality unsigned material for TTM/private signings and have also been working on a couple more deals to get some cards I already had signed. Sent a Cheevers and a Langway rookie off to the Chantilly VA show, which is this weekend. Hopefully a quick turn around on those.
Pick-ups to show..
First, a signed Al MacInnis rookie. This was a PSA 9 rookie that I wanted to get signed as an upgrade over the one I already had. Sent 6/21/14; returned 7/7/14. Looks like it held up in the mail decently. Bottom right corner looks a little touched (I think it was that way in the holder..). Snow is on my CS1, not the card.
Also, some eBay purchases. 2 new inductees. With modern stuff, it is hard to what each player's "true" rookie card is. For these early 90s guys, I am assuming OPC Premier (Jagr, etc.). I got the Modano. For Blake, the price was right and I'll look to add his Premier rookie later.
One back from a signing today. A member of the SCN board got this for me at Bossy's public signing at Frozen Pond in Canada in June. Card was purchased raw on eBay. Think it turned out pretty well. 1978 OPC rookie.
Some good stuff to share. I've been playing the waiting game on cards to be returned from private signings. One group was returned to me on Saturday with a few very nice cards.
First, an addition to my signed 1961 Parkhurst set. This isn't "new", but is a significant upgrade. Nice eye appeal on this Shack, with just a small wrinkle downgrading it. I actually got 2 of these signed, but this is the far nicer one:
Second, two additions for my Red Wings collection. These were both eBay purchases:
Third, some nice cards for my signed HOF rookie set:
Red Kelly (with one of the nicest autos I have seen from him--he does not normally sign "Len", which is cool)
Johnny Bower, with a very clear and readable signature
And, last, Mark Howe. This was TTM (with a donation). I already had one, but this is a much nicer card. Auto looks great.
Not much update lately. Work has picked up again, which has slowed my card time. I did get a chance to stop into BBCE's store on Monday, which was pretty cool. I mostly bought junk wax boxes (1990 OPC, 1991 OPC Premier, 1990 UD High #) and a few packs of my old standby 84-85 OPC. The packs actually had pretty good cards--I pulled a Doug Gilmour RC and a Cam Neely RC out of 3 packs, but the centering was horrible (as it is for a lot of old OPC). Oh well, it was fun anyway. The storefront didn't have a ton that fit my needs but I was glad to be able to grab some boxes and avoid paying for shipping!
A couple of eBay cards to show. Both are for the signed HOF rookies set. The Mahovlich was an eBay purchase and the Langway was done at the CSA Chantilly show in VA.
Long time coming, but I finally added some upgrades to my 1961 Parkhurst set. Beliveau and Richard are both HOFers and in higher demand than most cards in the set. Fortunately, I picked these up in the most recent PWCC auction for below VCP average on both. I was pretty happy. Now, only 7 cards remain to complete the set in PSA 9 or better: Horton, Mahovlich, Keon, Pulford, Kelly, Howe, and Plante. The Pulford and Kelly shouldn't be too expensive to upgrade, but they are fairly scare, so it's more of a matter of locating a high grade example than anything. The additions also moved me up one spot in the registry to #3.
Thanks, Dan. Yeah, about a $650 difference to go from PSA 8 to PSA 9 for the Howe. I better start filling the bank... PSA 9 Howes are pretty rare, so it may be a while before one comes up, giving me some time to rebuild the bankroll.
<< <i>When you buy your 9, will you sell the 8 to make back some of it? >>
Definitely.
To buy the Richard and Beliveau, I sold my PSA 8s of both. I purchased the 2 combined for $200 and sold them 6 months later for $260, so that was nice! Paid for about half of the new purchase. Definitely takes some of the bite off to essentially pay the purchase price over time by selling your duplicates.
Howe in PSA 9 is ~1000. PSA 8 is ~350.
The most expensive is actually the Horton in PSA 9, which is probably out of my spending range unless I get really fortunate somewhere along the way. I'd be happy for now with a nice centered PSA 8. Horton in 8.5 is probably a $1200 card and maybe $2000 in PSA 9? Hard to say because there's no VCP data and I've never actually seen one sell.
Small poppage today. Very happy with this. I was concerned about the auth of the Esposito, but it's legit and a PSA 7 rookie card. POP 1 with none higher!
Order #20830372 / Submission #10001691
Line # Item # Cert # Grade Description Type 1 1 23184680 POOR 1 1951 Parkhurst 66 Gordie Howe PSA/DNA Certified Card 2 1 23184681 NEAR MINT 7 1965 Topps 116 Phil Esposito PSA/DNA Certified Card
So, obviously a good day. 2 nice pick-ups for the Parkhurst set, some better than expected poppage, and then this. Signed at DC Sports. Was a PSA 8 crackout. OPC.
Scans of the 2 cards from my recent small PSA sub:
I thought I'd show this off, too, because I've got Gordie Howe on the mind. This was an eBay purchase. Back has writing that says "In Person 12/4/79". One of the best signed Howe cards I have ever seen:
A few TTM returns today. All for the HOF set, even though only Andy Van Hellemond is currently a member. LeClair is an outside maybe and Don Cherry is, well, Don Cherry. Enjoy!
Wow. These are awesome. For the newbie...what is TTM? Guessing..does that mean through the mail? If so, how do you know where to send and how to get them to sign? Love the red wings from earlier posts.
TTM = Through The Mail. You send a card along with a self addressed stamped envelope and a letter to players and ask for an autograph.
You can find addresses in several places. My current favorite is sportscollectors.net. They specialize in autographs and are a pay site ($15/year, I think, so not bad at all). They have a huge database of addresses and success rates from previous attempts. Using that, you can identify which players (or coaches or refs) will give you a decent likelihood of getting a return. They even have a section of HOF-only people, for easy use. I have found that hockey players are really good TTM, maybe because of something about the integrity of the sport, maybe because they get fewer requests because there is less demand. Either way, I have been happy with my success rate. I haven't sent a ton lately, mostly for my HOF set and a few others to some Red Wings players. You can't get everyone for free, especially the really big names (Yzerman, Messier, Bourque, etc. won't sign TTM), but you can probably get a dozen or so HOFers for free and another dozen or so for a small donation with your TTM. If you have any questions or need advice along the way, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to help you get started.
All eBay stuff today. I haven't been buying much, but the little I did recently purchase mostly arrived all on the same day.
I picked up this Johnny Bucyk rookie for a decent price. Overall, looks like a high end 5. Centering and colors are nice. No obvious creases. Corners downgrade. My plan is to get this signed to upgrade my current junker.
Martin St. Louis signed rookie. Not in the HOF. Probably will be one day.
Sergei Fedorov auto. 1995 Upper Deck SP, I think. I got it for $6, so I wasn't too concerned about what card it was on.
Comments
Picked up this 1961 Parkhurst Johnny Bower PSA 9. It's an upgrade; I previously had an 8. Brings me to 9 cards away from completing the set entirely in PSA 9 or better. Bower is a tough one: Pop 5 with none higher.
Got this 1951 Parkhurst Alex Delvecchio rookie back, signed TTM. Very nice!
A second HOF signed rookie; this one an eBay purchase. Ron Francis.
And, I thought I would show this off. It is a Frank Mahovlich rookie in a low grade. These are tough to find. I plan to get it signed at the next opportunity.
One more for the soon-to-be-HOF group. eBay purchase. He's a lock to make the Hall.
<< <i>Pretty good action today..
A second HOF signed rookie; this one an eBay purchase. Ron Francis.
>>
This is a great card...super simple design, great colors, old school logo and the picture just pops.
It was also my first time going to a live card show. Some thoughts:
--it was a lot of fun and definitely a different experience than trolling eBay. Very cool to see the cards in person and get to interact with live people
--I was impressed by the range and selection of the show. There were probably 30 dealers set up and they had a lot more vintage hockey than I was expecting. Going in, my targets were unopened junk wax and uncommon Red Wings items. Those were present, but I also found myself digging around for some older rookie cards for my signed HOF set and asking about vintage Parkhurst. Did not see that coming.
--everything was significantly overpriced. I wasn't pulling up my phone for VCP, but I do have a pretty good recall on that sort of thing. It was common for cards to have sticker prices at 3x what I thought "market value" should be. I wasn't sure if the dealers had their head in the clouds, were stupid, or just were really willing to negotiate. I didn't end up trying to make any big deals, but that would have been interesting.
--in-person haggling is fun and is something I should do more often
--I wish there were more local shows and the live card markets could find a healthier symbiotic relationship with eBay
--I am thinking I should go to the National and the hockey show in Toronto in the near future
--There are good deals to be had if you're selective and not just there to buy the first cool thing that you see
<< <i>Neat stuff, thanks for sharing. I grew up in St. Louis and remember when Bernie Federko played for the Blues. Seeing that name brought back some memories. >>
I still live in STL & Federko is now one of the main TV guys for the Blues. Not a play-by-play guy. Does the interviews w/ players between periods & gives insight before the games. Love me some Bernie
I mentioned earlier that I was looking forward to an Yzerman signing. This is isn't it, but I did snag it for a good deal on eBay. It is JSA-authenticated and in decent condition. So, I may keep this 1984 Topps rookie, or may sell it sometime soon. Unsure. Next to it is a 1990 Score rookie of Eric Lindros. Also eBay purchased. I have 2 of his UD rookies out TTM, so hopefully I will be able to add some more Lindros autos to the collection soon.
And, its not signed, but hopefully will be soon. One of the cooler looking cards that has never previously fit into my collecting interested but I always enjoyed the aesthetic of:
1952 Parkhurst Dickie Moore
1953 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau
1957 Parkhurst Bob Pulford
1957 Parkhurst Henri Richard
1957 Topps Glenn Hall
1958 Topps Bobby Hull
1979 OPC Wayne Gretzky PSA 3-5
Thanks!
When I got a saved search notification for this auction, I reflexively swore out loud. I immediately messaged the seller and got them to end it early. 3 days later, it's in hand and I don't think I'll be getting rid of this anytime soon ....
Signed 1961 Parkhurst #35 Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion! HOF.
As far as I know, it is a true 1/1. I have been watching for a year and have never seen another one. Many Google searches over months have turned up 0. Boom Boom died in 2006, making it pretty rare. I would be surprised if more than 5 exist. Until I see one, though, I will assume this is the only one ... Boom Boom was also a star. He's credited with inventing the slap shot and is a pretty big name. One of the bigger names remaining for my set.
The seller was a picker in MA who had no attachment to the card. You don't see many Boom Boom autos on vintage. Needless to say, I was VERY happy to pick it up.
It brings my number remaining for my signed 1961 Parkhurst set down to 11. They are:
#1 Tim Horton
#6 Ron Stewart
#10 Bob Nevin
#15 Billy Harris
#16 Allen Stanley
#19 Howie Glover
#22 Al Johnson
#31 Terry Sawchuk
#49 Jacques Plante
#50 Claude Provost
#51 Andre Pronovost
I am still holding out reasonable hope for Glover, Stanley, and Pronovost. All others: a wish and a prayer.
I also bought this signed McKenzie from the same seller. I know I previously said I was set on these, but I guess I've got a problem. Couldn't pass it up.
Bought this signed Sakic rookie. It's a duplicate. Price was right.
Last, not signed, but it is an OPC rookie card of Mario Lemieux. For future signing, hopefully. Looks good for a 6.
One more for the signed 61 Parkhurst set. My 2nd signed Duff; probably an upgrade. PSA 4 crackout.
2 cool 1980s Olympic cards signed by Miracle on Ice captain Mike Eruzione
You can't choose who you root for. Even in a world filled with choices, the teams we follow, the cards we collect, and the interests we have in life are inevitably and irreparably shaped by the circumstances in which we live. I was born in Michigan, a northern state and one of the few states where hockey competes with the other major 3 for popularity. I was fortunate enough to be born in 1984 and became aware enough to follow sports just as the Red Wings were becoming one of the most dominant sports franchises in the history of the league. My father was, and still is, a more than casual fan of the team--the type who follows them not only during the playoffs, but who would sit down and watch most regular season games. I collect what I do because I have chosen to do so, but those choices are probably unsurprising given my place in life.
I wrote earlier that I have been enjoying collecting because it provides a means to learn about the history of the game. That is true, but today was special because it also made me think about the history of my location and the history of my family.
Circa 1960: my Dad is a young recreational hockey player in a league around Farmington, MI. Gordie Howe, the best player in the NHL, happens to visit the rink on the same day that he is there (as I understand Gordie did from time to time--really generous with his time). Gordie takes my Dad's playing stick and signs it. Of course, back then, a lot of people didn't have money for more than one stick, so my Dad continues to use it with Mr. Howe's name written on the shaft. It eventually cracks, as wooden sticks do, and my Dad can't use it anymore. So, he has my Grandfather saw off both sides to keep the signature. As a kid, I remember seeing it in his desk drawer and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. About 50 years after it is signed, it was given to me:
2014: Gordie Howe is signing near Detroit! Even though I have been collecting autographs for a bit now, I have never been to an in-person signing before. Ever card I have gotten up until this point has been from eBay, TTM, trades, mail order, or consignments. Well, I decided to go. Perfect opportunity to meet the man and check a card off my signed HOF rookie set. This happened today:
Even though he is getting up there, Gordie seemed to be doing well. What a first signing experience! I got the chance to shake his hand and tell him how nice it was to meet him. And, (kind of) a funny story. I lay my 1951 Parkhurst rookie card down on the table. Gordie reaches for it to sign, then decides to palm it and pretend like he was pocketing it for his own! So, of course, that is pretty cool, that Gordie still likes to mess around and also sort of into cards. Then, of course, there is the part of my head that is like "OMG sh*t, that card is worth like $750, please don't bend it!!!". I guess if anybody gets the right to jack up a Gordie Howe rookie, it's Mr. Hockey himself! Fortunately, no damage and it is a fun story to tell that I will always remember when I see the card. He signed nicely and then asked me, "How much?". Guess he liked it! I told him that I would give it to him for a discount.
The card turned out great.
Here is a scan. These scans always make the card look worse because they really bring out every crease. Looks better in hand, I think.
Now, the question. I would like to send it in for PSA/DNA Red Flip. The choice is whether to go with a numerical grade or just "authentic". I am pretty confident that it will grade a 1 (Poor). Would be interested in thoughts on which is more desirable and resale/value, even though I have no plans on getting rid of it at any point, especially after a day like this!
First up, two eBay purchases. Neither fits into a core collecting area, but both appealed to me for some reason. A 1975 OPC WHA signed Gordie Howe card that is actually in very nice condition. I think these cards had big centering problems, but this one looks great. Auto is also quite nice--you can tell it was done many years ago. Second, a signed Chris Osgood card. It's not rare or valuable, but I like the throwback look of the 2009 Champ's cards. I recently bought one of Zetterberg and one of Datsyuk, so I thought an Osgood would be cool.
I have been trying not to do this, but I bought a modern card. It is of Petr Mrazek, current goalie of the Grand Rapids Griffins and is one of Detroit's top prospects. I have been wary of modern stuff--I feel like we are in a period of overproduction again with the number of different sets and the parallels within sets. Resale of modern stuff, at least in hockey, has been junky. So, I have tried to focus on older stuff, even though it is definitely fun to open up something new. This card was a steal on eBay, so I made an exception.
OK, so, TTMs! Today, I got 3 signed HOF rookie cards back, which is a rate that I would take anyday! First, from Harry Howell (1953 Parkhurst). I was slightly concerned as Harry is usually a really good signer, but this card had been out for a couple of months. I understand that he is going through some health problems
Next, two 1951 Parkhurst HOF rookies. One of Olmstead and one of Milt Schmidt. Technically, I don't think the 51 Parkie is Schmidt's "rookie" card (as he is in the 1940 OPC set). That would be a fun card to get signed someday! But, for now, I opted for this much cheaper edition. The Olmstead is in decent condition for a 51.
I sent Bert a small amount of money for the signing and he sent back a nice note thanking me for doing so. Makes me think I should do that more often for older guys, even if they don't regularly charge. I appreciate that they sign, so why not?
Last, from a private signing organized on SCN, an Ed Belfour rookie. Classic auto worth 40x the value of the card! Oh well, I needed it for the HOF rookie set. "The Eagle":
As of today, I don't have many significant TTMs outstanding. Most notable are Ted Lindsay, Bobby Clarke, and Bob Gainey. I have been shocked at my success rate for HOFers. So far, I am batting over 90% on successful returns. Exceptions have almost all been recent retirees who have low-value cards. Most of my wait now is for cards to be returned from signings: Ciccarelli, Langway, Cheevers, Bossy, Red Kelly, Bower, Yzerman and Kurri.
Pick-ups to show..
First, a signed Al MacInnis rookie. This was a PSA 9 rookie that I wanted to get signed as an upgrade over the one I already had. Sent 6/21/14; returned 7/7/14. Looks like it held up in the mail decently. Bottom right corner looks a little touched (I think it was that way in the holder..). Snow is on my CS1, not the card.
Also, some eBay purchases. 2 new inductees. With modern stuff, it is hard to what each player's "true" rookie card is. For these early 90s guys, I am assuming OPC Premier (Jagr, etc.). I got the Modano. For Blake, the price was right and I'll look to add his Premier rookie later.
<< <i>The Blake photo didn't load. I'd love to see it. >>
Should be fixed. Thanks for letting me know. Photobucket was giving me some issues earlier.
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What is Chris Osgood doing in a Blackhawks jersey???
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What is Chris Osgood doing in a Blackhawks jersey??? >>
That's really funny! Never noticed the striking resemblance before in all the countless times seeing that card.
First, an addition to my signed 1961 Parkhurst set. This isn't "new", but is a significant upgrade. Nice eye appeal on this Shack, with just a small wrinkle downgrading it. I actually got 2 of these signed, but this is the far nicer one:
Second, two additions for my Red Wings collection. These were both eBay purchases:
Third, some nice cards for my signed HOF rookie set:
Red Kelly (with one of the nicest autos I have seen from him--he does not normally sign "Len", which is cool)
Johnny Bower, with a very clear and readable signature
And, last, Mark Howe. This was TTM (with a donation). I already had one, but this is a much nicer card. Auto looks great.
This one made 2 trips to Canada and one to Florida. Got all 3 in about 2 months.
One more for the Mickey Redmond collection. Just need his rookie now..
A couple of eBay cards to show. Both are for the signed HOF rookies set. The Mahovlich was an eBay purchase and the Langway was done at the CSA Chantilly show in VA.
<< <i>When you buy your 9, will you sell the 8 to make back some of it? >>
Definitely.
To buy the Richard and Beliveau, I sold my PSA 8s of both. I purchased the 2 combined for $200 and sold them 6 months later for $260, so that was nice! Paid for about half of the new purchase. Definitely takes some of the bite off to essentially pay the purchase price over time by selling your duplicates.
Howe in PSA 9 is ~1000. PSA 8 is ~350.
The most expensive is actually the Horton in PSA 9, which is probably out of my spending range unless I get really fortunate somewhere along the way. I'd be happy for now with a nice centered PSA 8. Horton in 8.5 is probably a $1200 card and maybe $2000 in PSA 9? Hard to say because there's no VCP data and I've never actually seen one sell.
Order #20830372 / Submission #10001691
Line # Item # Cert # Grade Description Type
1 1 23184680 POOR 1 1951 Parkhurst 66 Gordie Howe PSA/DNA Certified Card
2 1 23184681 NEAR MINT 7 1965 Topps 116 Phil Esposito PSA/DNA Certified Card
I thought I'd show this off, too, because I've got Gordie Howe on the mind. This was an eBay purchase. Back has writing that says "In Person 12/4/79". One of the best signed Howe cards I have ever seen:
Also bought this signed Oates in a lot on eBay. Not a rookie, but was a steal for my Red Wings collection.
You can find addresses in several places. My current favorite is sportscollectors.net. They specialize in autographs and are a pay site ($15/year, I think, so not bad at all). They have a huge database of addresses and success rates from previous attempts. Using that, you can identify which players (or coaches or refs) will give you a decent likelihood of getting a return. They even have a section of HOF-only people, for easy use. I have found that hockey players are really good TTM, maybe because of something about the integrity of the sport, maybe because they get fewer requests because there is less demand. Either way, I have been happy with my success rate. I haven't sent a ton lately, mostly for my HOF set and a few others to some Red Wings players. You can't get everyone for free, especially the really big names (Yzerman, Messier, Bourque, etc. won't sign TTM), but you can probably get a dozen or so HOFers for free and another dozen or so for a small donation with your TTM. If you have any questions or need advice along the way, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to help you get started.
I picked up this Johnny Bucyk rookie for a decent price. Overall, looks like a high end 5. Centering and colors are nice. No obvious creases. Corners downgrade. My plan is to get this signed to upgrade my current junker.
Martin St. Louis signed rookie. Not in the HOF. Probably will be one day.
Sergei Fedorov auto. 1995 Upper Deck SP, I think. I got it for $6, so I wasn't too concerned about what card it was on.