Carl Furillo 1958 Topps and Some 1962 Post

I added another card to my 1958 Topps set today, via a purchase from Kirk Welch.  I need about 82 or so more to complete the set, which I never will. 

I had some credit card points to spend, so I also bought this 1965 Topps Yankees Rookies card, completed and slabbed.  I have this card with the two bottom players, but Lopez is a little sketchy ttm and I haven't been brave enough to try at the risk of losing the card.  Maybe I will send it now that I have this card completed.

I also point several 1962 Post to give to my son.  I'm not sure how many more I'll put into this set before giving it to him.  I've got at least one more coming in the mail.

Jim Kaat Grand Slam Print, a Ted Ford Purchase, and Some Vintage Bobbleheads

My Jim Kaat print got a little misplaced for a while, but it made it to me safely.  It was signed last month when he also signed a Metrodome seatback.

I bought a certified 2021 Topps Heritage Ted Ford signed card.  He was a bit of a spotty signer and passed away in 2020.  I was able to get a 1972 Topps signed ttm by him in 2019.

I bought a few bobbleheads at auction and received a few of them today.  I'm not sure why the second box, shipped at the same time, didn't make it yet.

Jake Wood TTM Return

Back in April, I sent 5 cards to Jake Wood along with a blue sharpie and $10.  He signed my cards, but only one of them was in blue, the rest were in his typical black.

So, I tried again, sending 6 cards, $20, and a blue Staedtler.  This time, he signed all 6 nicely with the pen I sent (I assume).

These cards included upgrades for some set cards including the 1961 and 1965 Topps sets.  He also signed two 1962 Post: one for me, and one for my son.

He also signed a couple of Tigers team cards, which are second copies I'm working on after the first ones got full.

His signature is pretty nice, and the ones in black don't look bad, I just prefer blue.  Here are a few he's signed in the past.

He did sign a 1963 Topps for me in blue back in 2014.

I sent off a couple more Grand Slam prints to signings today, including Tony Perez and Willie McGee.  I don't have too many regular ttm requests out.  I keep telling myself I should start working on the 1982 set and send out to the reliable, free signers to try to get away from spending so much, but I never seem to get around to it.

Steve Carlton TTM and Mickey Rivers Mail-In Signing Returns

I sent three cards, including his 1965 Topps rookie card, to Steve Carlton via Game Winner Sports.  I included $40 per card but received a rather passive/aggressive note including the price list which lists his rookie card signing fee of $75.  Someone wrote "Look" with an arrow pointing to the $75 fee and even drew in little eyeballs in the o's of the word "look".  I guess I'll send them the $35, but couldn't they just have written, "the fee for rookie cards are $75" or something along those lines?  Anyway, it's apparently a charity so I'll be sure to send them another check.  I'll probably send him a Grand Slam print to sign, and I'll just add on the additional $35 I owe them.

I didn't remember that little vertical line over his shoulder before and at first thought it was an accidently pen mark.  But after looking at cards on eBay, realized it's part of the picture, and might be a flag or foul pole or something.  This was not a cheap card, despite the PSA grade of 2 and a couple wrinkles/creases on the right side.

Fritz Ackley passed away back in 2002, so this card is as complete as it's going to get.  I'm not sure if I would have him sign it anyway.  Maybe if he participated in a mail-in signing, but I wouldn't risk it ttm.

I also had him sign his 1972 Topps Traded and the 1972 Topps N.L. Pitching Leaders card already signed by Downing and Jenkins.  The leaders' card has turned out great, I think, with matching ink and signature placement by all three players.  If it were signed by Seaver, this would be an amazing card.

I also sent in a 1978 Topps A.L. Championship card for Mickey Rivers to sign, after having Frank White sign it.  I paid just a few dollars more for this signing than he charges ttm, but wanted to increase the chances that it was signed in blue sharpie and made its way back to me since his success rate on SCN is at about 75%.

I purchased another bunch of vintage bobbleheads.  I've gone too crazy on these this year and need to slow down and be more selective now that have a nice start to a collection.  I'll post a few when I receive them, including another Twins version.  I'll have about 75 vintage baseball bobbleheads, with only a few duplicates, after I receive this latest lot.

Kent Hrbek Bobbleheads From a Mail-In Signing and a Garry Roggenburk TTM Return

This Hrbek signing with Guy Puglia was originally supposed to take place last month, but Hrbek had to postpone.  I sent in three bobbleheads.  

I think the Legends of the Dome bobble with the red base, which was part of a set along with Puckett, was a season ticket holder giveaway.  I'm not 100% sure, but I have a green base version as well that I think was part of a Stadium Giveaway in 2011.  This red base version, along with the Puckett, came in a plain white box with a complicated styrofoam insert.  The little sign at the bottom is actually broken off, which happened prior to me sending it into this signing.  I just propped it up for the picture but will glue it later.

The one with his fist in the air is his Twins Hall of Fame version from 2020.

And the one along with Ron Gant was a 2011 Stadium Giveaway.  I suppose I'll try to get Gant to sign it as well.  He's a great signer ttm, but hasn't done a signing since 2021.  Maybe I'll send him a letter to see if he's willing to sign it if I send it to him and include some cash and all the supplies necessary to sign and return it.

I love collecting signed bobbleheads.  I have eight signed Hrbek bobbles now.  The downside is the amount of space it takes to display them all.  And, for every bobblehead that is displayed, there is an empty box sitting somewhere, that takes up even more room.

I have mostly been able to confine my collection to Twins bobbleheads, but I have strayed a bit with Brooks Robinson, Juan Marichal, Bill Mazeroski and one currently out to a Rollie Fingers signing.

I also received a ttm request return from former-Twin Garry Roggenburk.  He signed three of his cards and a couple Twins team cards for me. 

The team cards are the second versions of them since I lost the ones I was working on to a request to Al Worthington.  That 1966 card had Rich Rollins on it who has since passed away, along with six other signatures.

I included a medium blue Stadtler with my request, which he returned despite me telling him he could keep it.  I have sent to him several times in the past and he always signs in some black ballpoint or very fine marker.  They don't look terrible, but these are significant upgrades in my opinion.  Here are some of my previous returns on the same cards.

Since I sent five cards and the pen within a bubble mailer with a return bubble mailer, I included $20 despite him not having a set fee.

I usually limit my requests to four cards, as long as I see that they are willing to sign four in their history on SCN.  Some people think that's too many.  I like to feel I'm getting the most return for my investment of two envelopes and a couple of stamps :-), despite not having any intention to sell them.  I'll even throw in a card or two that I already have signed with my request because, why not?

I almost always send money along with requests of 5 or more, as well as when I make it more difficult to handle, like using the larger bubble envelopes, or if I've included a pen and a bunch of picky instructions.  Even if it's not a lot of money, I think it shows them that you realize they are doing you a favor that has some value and that you appreciate their time and effort.

International Signings Returns and Some 1962 Post TTM

I finally started to receive a few "regular" ttm returns.  These are from requests I sent directly to players without sending a pen and having to ship via Pirate Ship with bubble envelopes both ways.  

Don Schwall signed a 1962 Post nicely in blue ballpoint.  The ballpoint ink is unusually strong, making it look like a sharpie or Staedtler.  I can only tell it's ballpoint by the indentations on the card.

Jim Gentile signed two copies of his 1962 Post, one of which will go to my son for his birthday, along with the Schwall.  His birthday is in a couple weeks, so I have to start putting the cards I've gathered into a binder.  I included $20 with my request to Mr. Gentile.  He used to sign for free, but as he has gotten older, it was too hard to keep up with the volume of requests.  A year or two ago, a collector that frequents SCN spoke with Mr. Gentile and agreed to help him with a signing.  It was great, because at the same time, he helped him go through his outstanding requests and send them back unsigned.  I was really happy to get mine back, because I had sent some multi-signed team cards.  At least I got them back and was able to send them back to him for the signing.

Since the signing, Mr. Gentile has agreed to sign for $10 per card.  The fee is intended to reduce the volume of mail he receives while still allowing him to sign for fans.

I also received a couple signings back from players that live out of the country.  This promoter arranges multiple players to sign and then travels to their home country.  I'm not positive, but I think both of these were from Mexico.

These signings can take a long time to get done and returned.  Often, the signings get postponed, and the promoter's trip is extended.  He also waits until he returns to the U.S. to return the packages to avoid international shipping.  These signings were supposed to take place in late July and mid-August, so there wasn't too much of a delay this time.

I had Max (Maximino) Leon sign his 1975, 1976 and 1977 Topps.

And Enrique Romo signed his 1978, 1982 and 1983 Topps.

These signings are usually quite affordable, usually $10 - $12 per card, with small discounts for multiple cards.  These signings are a bargain for set collectors who want these players in their collections.  They typically don't sign ttm, and even if they did, the international shipping is a hassle.  They also don't do many signings in the U.S., so their signatures are hard to come by, although they may have been good signers during their playing days.

I am participating in a few more signings from this promoter, including Vicente Romo, Orlando Sanchez and Horacio Pina, for December signings with an expected return in mid-February, once he returns to the U.S.