Three TTM Returns and Some Purchases

I sent Jim Nettles six cards and a blue Staedtler since you never know what kind of pen he'll use.  He signed a couple 71 Topps already signed by Hamm, and four Topps Buy Back cards from the early 70's.  I included $30 with my request although he doesn't normally charge.

Jerry Kenney signed his 1971 through 1973 Topps and a 1972 Yankees card that smeared a bit.

And Eddie Watt signed four cards in black.  Every request prior to this one was signed in blue by him so I was a little surprised to see them in black.

I bought several items from Main Line Autographs, both from their web site and via eBay, including a 2006 Allen & Ginter.  I need Morneau, Hunter and Liriano to complete the 06 Ginter Twins team set.  I also bought a Gary Sheffield card and have a couple items coming back from a mail-in signing, thinking he might make the Hall of Fame, but unfortunately, he didn't come close.

I also bought a Johnny Blanchard 8x10 which was priced for about what you'd expect for an unsigned photo, and they included a free Glenn Brummer 8x10 with my order.

I sent a couple cards in to a Chris Sabo signing, including a 1972 Rookie of the Year Award card and a 1989 Topps All-Star Rookie Trophy card.

It's going to slow down a bit as I haven't sent out many requests for a couple weeks.  Time flies, I was surprised to see how long it's been.  I will have a few returns from paid signings assuming they don't get delayed, which seems to be the norm lately.

Luis Aparicio Purchase

I made another SCN purchase from a seller that has worked with Luis Aparicio several times.  I decided to upgrade the 2008 Goudey I have signed by him, which is in black sharpie, with this nicer, blue sharpie signature.

Here's the one I bought earlier.

I also added his 1963 Topps to my set collection.

I have a long way to go on the 63 set.  I have 377 signed cards from the 576 card set and there are very few players I need to sign that are still with us.  I was fortunate enough to get some great players before they left us though.

Billy Williams Grand Slam Print

I received this print a couple days ago but forgot to mention it in my post.

Billy Williams signed his Grand Slam print at a mail-in signing.  He signed right where I asked (via sticky notes).

I wish I knew how large a player was going to sign before requesting a location.  If he had signed this in the size he would sign a card, it might have gotten lost in the picture.  On a couple of these, I've asked the player to sign in the white area to one side, and they signed very large so just the end of their signature overlapped the image.  Had I known, I would have requested that they sign across the body.

For example,

Billy Williams is a pretty streaky/spotty signer through the mail.  He has a 71% success rate on SCN.  It appears that if he isn't going to sign, he will RTS the letter, so you won't lose your card(s) or money.  There is no set fee, but $20 per card seems to work. I am 1 for 2 with him.  In 2024, I received my money and card back, but the card got pretty beat up in the mail.

I tried again in March of this year, and he signed a 1963 Topps for $20 in a little under two months.  I don't think I'm missing him in any of the sets I am serious about, but I may try to find a card from the 60's that I like, and give him another shot.

A Couple Purchases and a Mike Schmidt Rookie Card Signing Return

Last month I missed out on getting my Johnny Bench rookie card signed when the Post Office decided to take 13 days to get my cards from Minnesota to Illinois, when it normally takes 4.  I didn't procrastinate sending either, I sent it the day after I received it from eBay.

Anyway, about the same time, I sent this 1973 Topps rookie card for Mike Schmidt to sign. I plan on leaving just Schmidt's signature on the card.  The card was graded 3 by Beckett, the grade level I look for on expensive, vintage cards, depending on the flaws.  This one is pretty nicely centered, which can be tough to find.  I passed on higher grade cards that were not centered as well.  This was the most I've paid for a signed card when adding both the price of the card and the signing fee.  

I've mentioned this before, a lot, but I'm spending a lot of money on signatures that I know I'll regret not having if I don't get them done before the players pass away.  Mike Schmidt is 76 years old, which isn't that old these days and could be with us for a couple decades.  But, we've seen players that receive bad health news and are no longer with us after just a few months after that.  You never know.  Also, the prices aren't getting any cheaper, and the signed card will only go up in value once the player passes away, so trying to buy them later will cost more.

I bought a Hall of Fame plaque postcard signed by Joe Mauer from Fan HQ's Cyber Monday sale.  It's also Beckett Witness authenticated.  

I decided to make sure I have all the Twins Hall of Fame players on their postcards and realized I don't even have Harmon Killebrew's!  How embarrassing.  I'll need to right that wrong soon.  I'm also missing Kirby Puckett and Tony Oliva.

But I do have Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Jim Kaat, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris and Dave Winfield.  I suppose Winfield and Molitor don't technically count because they aren't wearing Twins gear on their plaque, but they were also born in Minnesota so that helps I guess.

Steve Carlton, Jim Thome and David Ortiz don't count since they didn't play with the team long enough according to my own rules for such things that I'm making up on the fly as I write this.

I bought three more signed Twins cards from Main Line Autographs via eBay, but also have an order on the way that I purchased directly on their web site.

I didn't yet have a Dave Boswell card, despite him having played for the Twins for the second half of the '60's, so I bought this poorly-centered 1969 Topps with a nice blue sharpie signature.

Jimmie Hall's 71% success rate on SCN seems more optimistic than the reality of getting a return from him.  His returns are spotty, especially in the last few years, and he often takes a very long time to respond.  There are at least a couple returns that took over six years posted, and many over three years.

I am just one for three sending to him.  The one success I had with him back in 2009 took just 31 days and he signed and returned the extra 1965 Topps I had enclosed for him as well as a 1969 Topps.

In 2021, I sent him a 1964 Western Oil Nicholas Volpe print and a $20 check.  I never heard back.  I usually send cash, but I didn't want to risk losing $20 on an unlikely request. About two years ago, I sent two cards and $10 cash to sign a 1964 and 1966 Topps.  I appear to have lost that $10 and have since purchased the 1964 Topps and now this 66 Topps.

Finally, a bought a 1966 Topps of former-Twin player and manager, Frank Quilici.  He was a good signer before he passed away and I wish I had sent to him more often.  

I met him once at the 2007 Twins Autograph Party when it was held at the Metrodome, and he signed his bobblehead from the 40th Anniversary of the 1965 World Series team set.