Garvey and Mahaffey TTM Returns and a 71 Topps Batting Leaders Purchase

It's been very quiet but that's due to the fact that I haven't sent out many requests this month.  I did get two back today though.

Steve Garvey signed his 1972 Topps high number card along with the Dodgers team card from that year.  I don't normally pay much to have team cards signed, but thought Garvey really needed to be on this one.  I wish his pen was a bit stronger.  I included $10 per card with my request.

Art Mahaffey signed a 1963 Jell-O card and a 1972 Phillies team card.  It looks like he signed the team card twice: once over the banner in the lower left of the card, and then again under Cookie Rojas' signature in the bottom of the yellow section.  Mr. Mahaffey also charges $10 per card.

It seems like more and more players are charging for their signatures.  Even the old timers.  I don't blame them.  Why spend so much time creating value for other people for free?  I suppose the volume of requests has increased significantly since I started sending out requests in 2003, and charging even $5 per probably significantly reduces that volume.

I think that if the number of players that charge today charged back in 2003, I probably would have limited my collection to a very small number of higher-tier players, and probably wouldn't have started working on any sets.

I also received a purchase from Bud's Sportscards, whose signings I used to participate in quite a bit.  I don't know if they still do signings, but I haven't seen them advertised.  Anyway, I bought a 71 Topps Batting Leaders card signed by Yastrzemski and Oliva.  I paid too much for this probably.  It was cheaper than if I sent this to each of their upcoming signings, but not by enough to consider it a bargain.

It was also part of the "Authenticity Guarantee" program on eBay, which I will try to avoid in the future. I'm not sure exactly what its purpose is, but I'm guessing it's to avoid a seller from putting a different card, no card, or a rocks in to the package and claiming it was delivered so the buyer must lying when they say they didn't get it. However, I don't think they actually verify that the autographs are authentic.  Just that I got what I agreed to buy based on the listing.  This actually caused this order to take about a month to get to me.  I already trusted Bud's Sportscards, so this was completely unnecessary.

Carlton Fisk Rookie Cards

I received a couple 1972 Topps Red Sox Rookie stars cards back from Carlton Fisk, who completed them nicely after having previously been signed by Garman and Cooper.  I received these back in just 10 days between Minnesota and Florida. 

This makes seven copies of this card that I have signed by Fisk.  Six of them are signed by all three players, with just one being left with Fisk only.

I took pictures of the latest round of bobbleheads I bought.  I added my third Willie Mays.  This one has a different body style, holding a ball and glove instead of a bat.

I bought a couple more Twins nodders including another moonfaced mini, and my 11th blue squared base version from 1961-62.  I think I may have Tony Oliva sign one of these.  Mauer too.  What do you think?

I bought an unusual "Anaheim" Angels version which was several years ahead of the team's actual move to Anaheim.

And another nice Angels version:

A Tigers version with great colors:

Dodgers and Red Sox dolls wrap up my baseball purchases.

I bought a few more football dolls than I usually do, including a nice Vikings version from 1965.  The other three are the older versions from 1960-1961.

Updates After Being Distracted For a While

Our new cabin is taking up a lot more of my time than I expected, especially since it's only about a four year old cabin.

Anyway, filling up that cabin with furniture, including beds, along with other household items has resulted in a lot of credit card points.  I used a lot of them to buy three new cards for my 1958 Topps set.

In that same order, I bought a couple Jim Nash cards, who is a good ttm signer, but personalizes.

Last week, I received a disappointing Jack Hiatt return.  Mr. Hiatt usually uses a black pen that smears easily.  Last time I sent to him, I included a sharpie and that worked well.  So, I tried including a sharpie again, which means it cost about $6 in postage each way.  I also included $20 as a thank you for the hassle.  But this time he didn't use my pen, and used 'old smeary', which didn't disappoint.  He smeared three of the four cards, including a team card that had five signatures on it.  Ugggh.  I know, I know.  Don't send anything you can't afford to lose, and he doesn't owe me anything, but I can still be disappointed.

Today I received ttm returns from a couple TTM All Stars: Ken Aspromonte and Marty Keough.  They both signed my cards nicely and in just nine days.

I should have another JSA/CGC submission back by the end of the week.  I also received my last bobblehead order back but haven't had the time to photograph them yet.  They are still in their boxes.

Kessinger, Law and Pascual

Today brought three returns, all of which I had sent in bubble envelopes via Pirate Ship rather than regular sases.

I sent Don Kessinger a Grand Slam print and four cards, which he signed nicely with the pen I enclosed.

Vern Law signed six cards for me and included a seventh.  He sent a preprinted note asking for some donations for him to use to contribute to a favorite charity.  On the back of that note, he wrote that this is the last time I'll get "subscription" for free.  I think he meant "inscription".  And from here out, it will be $20 per card.  I actually wouldn't mind to get a few cards signed by him with just his signature instead of the ton of inscriptions he almost always includes now.  I do love the inscriptions though, and a card like the 58 Topps he signed this time is really amazing.  But sometimes a simple signature is nice too.

Finally, Camilo Pascual signed his 1963 Jell-O and a few Twins team cards.  I sent him both a blue sharpie and a blue Staedtler, and noted in my letter that I'm appreciative of his habit of using a thicker pen when space allows, and a finer pen in smaller spaces, like team cards.

I've been "investing" in some more Hall of Fame rookie cards.  I sent three Johnny Bench 1968 Topps rookie cards into a signing today, as well as a 75 Topps Yount, and a 73 Topps Mike Schmidt.  I took advantage of a few signings that have lower fees than most signings, even though these lower prices are rising, as are the regular prices.  For example, Carl Yastrzemski's price on cards has gone from $60 in 2017, to $100 in 2020, to $135 in 2024, to $195 this year.  I know I say this occasionally, but my days in this hobby are numbered.

For most of the expensive signings I've been sending in for, I look at sold listings on eBay to see what that market value is, and try to be sure that the price I pay for the cards plus the signing and slabbing are at least 10% less, so that if I needed to, I could turn around and get my money back on these cards.  For several of the Hall of Famers, it can be cheaper to find an authenticated card already signed for less than the cost of finding a decent card and sending it in.  I am still going to send in for Yaz this time, but it's probably my last.  And at $195 per card, I'm only getting his rookie card signed.  Most others can be purchased for less already signed.

I'm building on some vintage bobbleheads tonight and hope to add about a dozen to my rapidly growing collection.