seeking autographed rookie cards the new trend?

austinchau · August 20, 2009 4:38PM

I am seeing more and more competition in bidding for PSA/DNA auto rookie cards for HOFers ... is this a new trend that is gonna get bigger or still just a small subset of collecting community?

csmtampa · August 20, 2009 5:11PM

Signed rookie cards has always had its popularity. Maybe the intense bidding is by a few people who need that specific card, or are bidding for the player in general.

majorflux · August 20, 2009 5:41PM

<< Signed rookie cards has always had its popularity. Maybe the intense bidding is by a few people who need that specific card, or are bidding for the player in general. >>

I remember back in as recent as 2000, there were much less high dollars autographed rookies on sale. Perhaps that has to do with lack of trusted authenticators like PSA/DNA. And also I remember that having an autograph on cards were considered "altered" and some collectors actually consider that to be less valuable than an unsigned one.

zep33 · August 20, 2009 11:25PM

<< 

<< Signed rookie cards has always had its popularity. Maybe the intense bidding is by a few people who need that specific card, or are bidding for the player in general. >>

I remember back in as recent as 2000, there were much less high dollars autographed rookies on sale. Perhaps that has to do with lack of trusted authenticators like PSA/DNA. And also I remember that having an autograph on cards were considered "altered" and some collectors actually consider that to be less valuable than an unsigned one. >>

Yup, that's how it was many years ago. I remember when I was a kid and had a Yaz rookie card signed, I was told by quite a few people back then that it devalued it immensely and I should have gotten a 2nd year card signed instead. I grew up believing that and never got another rookie signed.

Dboneesq · August 21, 2009 1:21AM

Zep and Major,

YUP! That's how I remember it as well. Back in the mid 80s when I did a few TTMs I remember being sure to NOT send out any expensive cards, because the auto would actually decrease the value of a nice card. There used to be guys at some of the larger shows around back then that had higher grade auto cards and I remember the prices actually being not more (or at times cheaper) than the same card w/o the auto. Oh times have changed. (Kind of like how the grading standards have changed since TPG came along ... What is now given a "7" was commonly considered MINT by collectors and dealers alike back in the mid 80s.)

yankeeno7 · August 21, 2009 1:34AM

I also remember when signed cards were not very desirable. It was all about OMLB and photos.

I am one of those guilty for collecting autographed rookies or any hand signed autographed cards, especially vintage. Collecting signed cards has brought back the fun to collecting for me. I still continue to upgrade my sets from 71 up, graded RC's, and graded Mantles.

leathtech · August 21, 2009 1:57AM

for me it's about doing something with those mid grade cards.... I can't afford a PSA 9 Nolan Ryan Rookie but I can afford a nice PSA 4 or 5 and then make it special to me by having it autographed.

majorflux · August 21, 2009 2:43AM

I wonder if there are still guys who feel that way, that an autographed rookie is less desirable than its counterpart?

And back to the original question, I do believe the trend is toward more and more collectors looking at autographed rookies as the big collecting thrill. It doesn't get any more collectible than finding the very sport hero card you are holding was once personally held by the same guy. The last 7-8 years registry and graded cards have created a high end graded cards frenzy and I am seeing the beginning of that with this trend.

zep33 · August 21, 2009 5:14AM

Well, nowadays the best rookie cards come autographed out of the pack

TheBoz · August 21, 2009 5:23AM

doesnt PSA have a qualifier for writing on a card? wouldnt a signed card have this qualifier? im a bit confused (MORE SO THESE DAYS)

majorflux · August 21, 2009 7:26AM

<< doesnt PSA have a qualifier for writing on a card? wouldnt a signed card have this qualifier? im a bit confused (MORE SO THESE DAYS) >>

I don't think so ...

yankeeno7 · August 21, 2009 8:47AM

An autograph is not just random writing on a card like when people crossed out the team and wrote in the new team.

IchiroDeported · August 21, 2009 8:51AM

"Well, nowadays the best rookie cards come autographed out of the pack "

ill have to disagree with you on this point... unless you like sticker autos lol

zep33 · August 21, 2009 9:19AM

<< "Well, nowadays the best rookie cards come autographed out of the pack "

ill have to disagree with you on this point... unless you like sticker autos lol >>

Bowman Chrome are typically the best rookie cards now and those are all on-card

thenavarro · August 21, 2009 2:18PM

Majorflux,

I agree with you in that I think there is a lot of potential in HOF signed rookie cards. For the most part, on vintage and modern cards, there is only a very small fraction of the quantity of any particular signed rookie card as opposed to the same card unsigned. As more and more of these players pass away, the finite available supply is going to be absorbed into permanent collections and as new collectors enter the market, the prices will rise due to supply and demand. I think what helps values, is that a lot of average autograph collectors will not part with some of their personally obtained items, because it holds a special memory for them, therefore not a lot of the signed ones enter the market.

Who knows though? What's in today could just as easily be out tomorrow. Whether it's high grade unsigned, signed, or just trading cards in general. That's why I think the most important thing is just collect what you enjoy. I've always loved autographs and trading cards in general, so it's a natural fit to me to collect HOF signed rookie cards. I could care less about the modern, shiny, serial numbered cards (however, I do enjoy watching the passion of those that collect them, and admire their collections because I know what it means to them as a collector myself), but that's one of the great things about the hobby, there is usually something for everyone.

Mike

EB22 · August 21, 2009 3:14PM

Its threads like this that make more conpetition!

Just kidding... But seriously, I first took interest in autographed rookie cards after reading a few threads about it.

Autographed RC rock!!!

seeking autographed rookie cards the new trend?

Comments