Oliva, Sheffield and Walker

I had a good start to the week with a paid-signing return and two ttm returns.

I haven't sent to Tony Oliva ttm in 20 years, but I was seeing some returns on SCN and thought I'd give it a shot.  He appeared to be personalizing returns, even with fees enclosed, but it wasn't clear to me if all returns were coming back personalized.  I decided to send him his 1964 Topps, which is a card he shares with Jay Ward.  I hoped that the small space available for signing would result in him not personalizing, but I was wrong.  I enclosed $20 with my request.

I sent a Grand Slam print and four cards to a Gary Sheffield signing.  It was more than I wanted to pay but thought that if he got elected to the Hall of Fame, his prices would go even higher.  Unfortunately, he didn't do too well in the voting, and it appears likely he'll never get elected.  I'm not saying that he does or does not belong, I've given up trying to guess how the voters will vote on the Hall.  I'm happy with how my items from the signing turned out though.  I just didn't get an instant appreciation in their value :-)

Larry Walker has been signing through his charity for many years but earlier this year he sent out notes that he would continue to sign up until a postmarked date of October 25th.  So, I decided to send him a few items that I wanted signed but had been procrastinating sending in.  Each item was $25 to have signed.  Not bad for a Hall of Famer.

I can definitely feel my interest waning a bit in the hobby when the rookie cards I'm getting signed by Hall of Famers are from the 1990's, instead of the 1950's.

I just discovered, although it hasn't been a secret, that Roger Clemens signs ttm through a foundation for $100.  Do I send in a 1985 Topps?  He charges more than that at paid signings.  Sometimes way more, especially for rookie cards.  While he's a suspected PED user, he's still part of baseball history and I don't avoid players like him.  I just don't know if I want to spend $100 on him.  I do kind of work on the 85 Topps set, so it would be nice to have his card included.  I'll have to think about it.

I don't have the Mark McGwire card from the 85 Topps set signed yet either but would consider it if an opportunity arose that I thought was reasonably priced.  The 85 set was the last regular set I can remember to have any cards worth more than a nickel, so having the two most sought after cards from the set signed would be nice.

I don't have any Roger Clemens autographs at all, and just one Allen & Ginter signed by McGwire that I bought from Tom Orr.

Closing Out a Slow Week With a Return From Frank Linzy

This has been the slowest week that I've had in a while, but it will probably stay this way for a few weeks at least.  I haven't sent out many requests, but should be getting a handful of paid signing returns.

Yesterday I received a return from Frank Linzy, who signed three cards for me, including a 1966 Giants team card already signed by Bill Henry, Dick Estelle and Jim Duffalo.

Juan Marichal TTM Return - 1968 Topps

Just one card in the mail today, but I'm happy to get it.

Juan Marichal upgraded the 1968 Topps he signed for me previously, which had a slightly bad corner that only got worse in the mail.

But this card it pretty nice.  It was hard to find a decent copy of this card though, and I'm convinced the 68 set used some soft cardboard to print on because many of the corners and edges were frayed on the cards I looked at, not to mention the terrible centering.  It's a nice set, but I'm glad I'm not collecting it.  I had to buy this one graded (5) to get a decent one. 

Here's the previous one with the bad corner.

I included his $20 per card fee.  I've sent to him a lot over the years, and every return has been great.  He always uses a blue sharpie, and I've never had a smear or smudge, which is impressive.

I am only missing one of his solo cards in the Topps run (1970), but I have him on a bunch of oddball, team, and leaders' cards.  He's on a LOT of leaders' cards though and since I can't complete them due to other players on them being deceased, I don't intend to get them signed by him.  I will be satisfied just to have each of his solo cards.

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.