All I can do is shake my head at the stupidty of this.

frankhardy · June 18, 2011 2:01PM

Just take a look at both links. I think you will shake your head too.

Autograph #1

Autograph #2

otwcards · June 18, 2011 2:30PM

It is quite simple. Ruth and Maris aren't hitting any more home runs. When all is said and done, people pay for hype. Sad, but true.

al032184 · June 18, 2011 3:16PM

No serious person would ever buy a Ruth/Maris cut signature off of ebay if it was not certified by PSA and JSA.

Mickey71 · June 18, 2011 3:17PM

I can't figure it out either. Why would someone by the Ruth when they could have the Harper. He will be the greatest batter of all time. When he gets to the major leagues he will get a 99 MPH fastball up and in and be on the DL.

MooseDog · June 18, 2011 3:41PM

Well Bryce Harper is already in the Hall of Fame isn't he? Hasn't he broken every record in the book? Wait, what do you mean he hasn't played an MLB game yet?

Actually, when I first looked at the first link, it was the

BABE RUTH RP AUTOGRAPH/JERSEY SIGNATURE AUTO 1/1

and others under "Recommendations For You"

Not THAT has me shaking my head. As far as I can tell that seller is selling 1/1 cards with digital reproductions of fake autographs (on stickers no less) with a random piece of cloth.

stevek · June 18, 2011 4:46PM

I'm not sure if anyone saw this on the news or not, but Bryce Harper has stated that he will no longer sign his name, not for autographs, not even on his checks, not even on legal documents such as a mortgage or automobile purchase...so that the intrinsic value of these autographed cards can be maintained forever.

fiveniner · June 18, 2011 7:26PM

Didnt Clint Hurdle make it to the Hall Of Fame Yet??????

YogiBerraFan · June 18, 2011 9:39PM

Just silly

SDavid · June 18, 2011 10:26PM

Still less stupid than what people have paid for "low pop" 84 Donruss commons.

Blackie · June 18, 2011 11:09PM

Especially the second one. With 6400 you can fly to meet this Bryce Harper dude and get him to tattoo your arm using his own blood as ink....ok a bit morbid but still this is outrageous but it doesn't have any effect on my wallet or account.

cincyredlegs · June 18, 2011 11:49PM

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me the people who pay $6K+ for a Bryce Harper auto rookie aren't really collectors but more speculators who are trying to make a quick buck. I haven't made my mind up whether they are good or bad for the hobby yet.

As for me, I would prefer to spend that kind of green on minty 50/60's HOF's and Reds cards.

Mark

Blackie · June 19, 2011 12:06AM

<< Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me the people who pay $6K+ for a Bryce Harper auto rookie aren't really collectors but more speculators who are trying to make a quick buck. I haven't made my mind up whether they are good or bad for the hobby yet.

As for me, I would prefer to spend that kind of green on minty 50/60's HOF's and Reds cards.

Mark >>

Mark, great point brother! I believe your right. Speculators seems to sum it up perfectly. I can't agree more about the HOF cards from the 50's and 60's ......just maybe not REDS cards...LOL

gtgrad99 · June 19, 2011 12:09AM

<< Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me the people who pay $6K+ for a Bryce Harper auto rookie aren't really collectors but more speculators who are trying to make a quick buck. I haven't made my mind up whether they are good or bad for the hobby yet. >>

Personally, it doesn't make much sense to me, but I don't think they are either good or bad for the hobby. Just another segment of it. As a mostly vintage collector, the fact that Harpers and Strausburgs (sp?) come along has absolutely no bearing on how or what I collect. Just my $0.02.

gtgrad99 · June 19, 2011 12:10AM

And remember, 20 years ago there was this guy named Kevin Maas...

cincyredlegs · June 19, 2011 12:29AM

I think the good thing they bring to the hobby is the attention. Lord knows we need more kids collecting cards. The bad thing is what type of people it attracts. It almost seems we are back in 1989/1990/1990 where "investors" were hoarding cases of overproduced junk thinking they were going to cash in and retire. Now the fad is short printed auto rookies and dead auto HOF's (Ruth/Cobb/Gehrig etc.) Neither one will payoff in 5-10 years because more and more of the HOF auto's are being produced and prospects are nothing more but prospects. It's not my thing but if others enjoy it, then have fun with it.

I remember Kevin Maas as well as Brien Taylor, Gregg Jeffries, Ryan Klesko, Ben McDonald, Robin Ventura, BJ Surhoff. We all could go on and on about the sure fire can't miss prospects.

Mark

stevek · June 19, 2011 12:36AM

One would think people would have learned from seeing what recently happened to Strasburg...but evidently not.

I mean who knows what will happen with Strasburg and how effective he will be in the future? I'd sure hate to have a lot of money "invested" in his rookie cards riding on it.

fkw · June 19, 2011 1:23AM

Good call on the Ruth/Maris lot

Very stupid $$ for very common sigs (cuts in modern holder).

Ruths autograph is one of the most common of its Era, if I was going to spend that kind of $$ Id get it (the full piece not some lame cut) on a vintage ball or a photo, not some lame modern Fleer thing... ruined. Maris is very common as well... and well..., very overrated in its own right. Maris= 2 years wonder...

As for the Harper piece, at least its a modern player on a modern piece, and the hype will follow so cant comment on if the $$ is well spent yet.

fkw · June 19, 2011 1:24AM

Good call on the Ruth/Maris lot

Very stupid $$ for very common sigs (cuts in modern holder).

Ruths autograph is one of the most common of its Era, if I was going to spend that kind of $$ Id get it (the full piece not some lame cut) on a vintage ball or a photo, not some lame modern Fleer thing... ruined. Maris is very common as well... and well..., very overrated in its own right. Maris= 2 years wonder...

As for the Harper piece, at least its a modern player on a modern piece, and the hype will follow so cant comment on if the $$ is well spent yet.

mcadams · June 19, 2011 1:29AM

<< It is quite simple. Ruth and Maris aren't hitting any more home runs. When all is said and done, people pay for hype. Sad, but true. >>

Of course people pay for hype. Thats ALWAYS been part of the hobby...nothing new. But I disagree with the framing of this thread as autograph vs. autograph. If thats how someone is comparing these 2 auctions, then you've really missed the point. The Babe Ruth / Roger Maris card is nothing more than a cut sig of both players. The greatness of both is not questioned. However, Bryce Harper autographs don't sell for $6k...The value of this card is because its 1/5 of his premiere RC.

A more apples to apples comparison would be to compare the value of cut signatures from Bryce Harper to those of Ruth and Maris. You would see a wide wide margin in those values, as would be expected. But to compare these 2 cards is a silly comparison- very different elements of value. Very much apples vs. oranges.

Planemonkey · June 19, 2011 1:42AM

Hensley Meulens
Geronimo Berroa
Dwight Smith
Jerome Walton
Ricky Jordan

not sure if these guys have anything to do with this thread

mcadams · June 19, 2011 1:51AM

<< Hensley Meulens
Geronimo Berroa
Dwight Smith
Jerome Walton
Ricky Jordan

not sure if these guys have anything to do with this thread >>

Not really. Because none of those guys have 1/1 RCs or 1/5 RCs. They only have 1 of 250,000 RCs.

Zixx · June 19, 2011 3:33AM

I think the main difference between those two cards is that the Ruth/Maris card probably will not go up in value or make any money for the buyer.

The buyer of the Harper card could actually make some money sometime in the next year or two if not less.

cincyredlegs · June 19, 2011 3:43AM

The Harper is defintely a high risk/high reward card. The buyer payed $6K for the card today but this time next year or two years from now it could literally be worth $5 if he turns into a complete bust (hurt or performance). Even if he does have a career like Pujols, I don't see his cards holding that kind of value. Wasn't the 2001 Bowman Chrome Pujols short printed? I don't see Topps short printing any of Harper's cards. I also don't see the Ruth/Maris card ever going from $6K to $5. It could possibly lose $1-$2K over the next few months.

Mark

zendude · June 19, 2011 7:50AM

That is just sad. You could buy some amazing pieces of legitimate baseball history with the 12 grand wasted on that junk.

miconelegacy · June 19, 2011 12:15PM

If you go back 7 to 10 years and pull out the superstar RC shortprint cards, you will see huge gains over that span. Here are just a few... Jeter, Pujols, Rodriguez, Manning, Brady, Rose, Wade, James, Durant,

Even Griffey Upper Deck. Think about it a PSA 10 has been selling around $200 for how long??? Just his base card. Imagine if his RC had SP's or Auto's. Those numbers would be considerably higher. When the Hall occurs for him, expect a very nice spike in his RC cards.

Strasburg RC's have declined considerably, I believe now is a good time to buy. If and when he gets back to playing, his cards will double. From the collector side all these crazy cards don't fit in my collection, it doesn't mean though, we shouldn't take part of the frenzy from the profit side.

Buy a case of 2011 Bowman Jumbo for around 1200. You can easily, double or triple ur money. Grade the 18 guaranteed Auto's and sit back on them for a few years. Then watch what those PSA 9's and 10's bring you. It's been proven time after time. I love vintage cards. My personal collection has 85 percent from 1980 or before. But I do take part on the money making side of modern cards to fund my PC.

If you are not there is money being left on the table. All it requires is a little cash, a little knowledge of the up and comers, and a PSA membership.

But don't knock it till you try it. Mike Stanton or Buster Posey?? I cleaned up on Posey cards last year. His base cards from the spring to the fall went up in some cases 1,000 percent or more. Did you take advantage of that, or are you sitting on your 56 PSA 6's

Oh wait I am building a set in 6's, nevermind...

corvette1340 · June 19, 2011 1:36PM

I can't believe the seller's of these cards actually took advantage of the buyer's like that. It was our responsibility to let the buyers know that these cards are most likely not worth that kind of money. If the seller doesn't refund a large part of the money then that is just wrong. How dare they make a big profit off of someone who doesn't know any better.

miconelegacy · June 19, 2011 1:37PM

Perfect.

mcadams · June 19, 2011 1:46PM

<< I can't believe the seller's of these cards actually took advantage of the buyer's like that. It was our responsibility to let the buyers know that these cards are most likely not worth that kind of money. If the seller doesn't refund a large part of the money then that is just wrong. How dare they make a big profit off of someone who doesn't know any better. >>

LOL. Great timing on that.....You tell em Corvette.... We got socialists on the board these day...

WinPitcher · June 19, 2011 1:48PM

And a few idiots too it appears.

miconelegacy · June 19, 2011 1:55PM

Just the "Post Alot's".

WinPitcher · June 19, 2011 2:29PM

Yeah them too.

JMDVM · June 19, 2011 4:55PM

<< And remember, 20 years ago there was this guy named Kevin Maas... >>

And last year there was a guy named Stephen Strasbourg......

VikingDude · June 19, 2011 9:57PM

Who is this Maris person?

StickNutzman · June 19, 2011 10:42PM

<< I can't believe the seller's of these cards actually took advantage of the buyer's like that. It was our responsibility to let the buyers know that these cards are most likely not worth that kind of money. If the seller doesn't refund a large part of the money then that is just wrong. How dare they make a big profit off of someone who doesn't know any better. >>

Glad to see discussions elsewhere have bled into other threads! Big difference here though. Just as your fellow capitalist mcadams' sig will tell you, the MARKET dictates what something is worth. If the MARKET says that the overpriced Harper cards are worth 6K right now, and every auction ends with 50 bids, then yes... they are worth 6K right now. That's completely different than offering someone who has no clue of what the current market is $25 for that same Harper card and then turning around and selling it for $6K.

frankhardy · June 19, 2011 10:50PM

<< 

<< It is quite simple. Ruth and Maris aren't hitting any more home runs. When all is said and done, people pay for hype. Sad, but true. >>

Of course people pay for hype. Thats ALWAYS been part of the hobby...nothing new. But I disagree with the framing of this thread as autograph vs. autograph. If thats how someone is comparing these 2 auctions, then you've really missed the point. The Babe Ruth / Roger Maris card is nothing more than a cut sig of both players. The greatness of both is not questioned. However, Bryce Harper autographs don't sell for $6k...The value of this card is because its 1/5 of his premiere RC.

A more apples to apples comparison would be to compare the value of cut signatures from Bryce Harper to those of Ruth and Maris. You would see a wide wide margin in those values, as would be expected. But to compare these 2 cards is a silly comparison- very different elements of value. Very much apples vs. oranges. >>

I understand your point. All I meant by the comparison is strictly this - if I had $6k to spend on an autograph, am I going to buy an over-hyped rookie, or I am going to buy 2 legends like Ruth and Maris. The reason I chose those two listings is because one was listed right after the other in the completed listings when I searched for "auto". I was just dumbfounded that a Bryce Harper would bring the same money that a Babe Ruth would.

All I can do is shake my head at the stupidty of this.

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