Five More TTM Successes

I received five more ttm successes today.  

Darrel Chaney signed two copies of the 1973 Topps World Series Game #3 card: one already signed by Tony Perez and Gene Tenace, and one with no signatures on it.  I purchased the already-signed copy from Tom Orr.  It was very reasonably priced but is very off center, I'd say miscut.  I'm not sure I'd have Perez sign the other copy though, unless his fees came back down to where they were not long ago ($40, instead of the more recent $60 or higher).  I might send it to Gene Tenace though, just so it's ready in case I find a good price on Perez.

Chaney also signed a 1975 and 1978 Topps (which smeared) and enclosed a signed religious card.  I've had this notion in my head that Chaney is expensive, but he only charges $5 per card.  It has kept me from sending to him in the past and then I'm mad at myself when I discover it's only $5.

He is also on a World Series card from the 1971 set, commemorating the 1970 Series.  He's not called out on the card, but it's only him and an umpire pictured.  He signed this one for me back in February of 2021.

Tom Griffin signed his 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1982 Topps nicely in blue sharpie.  I've been pretty lucky lately, with most players using a blue sharpie and not many smeared or creased/bent cards.  I love the action shot on his 1973 card.

I sent a 1971 Topps to Jerry Morales, who signs via PastPros.  Despite being in Puerto Rico, it only took 13 days to get this one back and I can check another 71 Topps off my set.  I paid $13 to PastPros for him to sign this.  I'm not sure what advantages PastPros offers the players, but it's nice for the collector to have someone to reach out to in case there are any problems, which you can't really do if you just sent it to the player directly.

Jim Marshall signed his 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962 Topps beautifully in fine blue sharpie.  Mr. Marshall always does a great job, although I did have a couple returns over the years come back signed in black.  I didn't do anything to prevent it though, like send a blue sharpie, or even request it in my letter.  Like my Roy Face return yesterday, I didn't need any of these cards for my sets, and I had already upgraded the cards I received signed in black with ones signed in blue, but I miss receiving these vintage cards in the mail, so I occasionally send out a handful, for old times' sake.

And Dave Morehead signed his 1964, 1965 and 1966 Topps. adding to the list of nice, blue sharpie signatures.

Lately, if I see on SCN that a player sometimes signs in black and sometimes in blue, I will request in my letter that he sign in blue "if convenient".  If I really want it in blue, then I send a blue sharpie in a bubble envelope, and usually with a bubble envelope for the return, just so I can track it.  I always tell the player to keep the pen.  Hopefully that results in more collectors getting their returns in blue as well.  I just noticed that I forgot to post my returns from January 28th, when I received a return from Les Cain on his 1971 and 1972 Topps.  I have held off sending to him because he charges $25 per card, but I need him for my 1971 and 1972 Topps sets.  Unfortunately, his 1972 Topps is also a high number card, which cost about $14 after tax and shipping.  His history on SCN shows he usually signs in fine black marker, which tends to blend into the 1971 Topps card's facsimile signature, making his autograph barely visible.

So, due to the expense, and because these were set cards, I decided to send a blue sharpie along, requested in my letter that he sign with the enclosed pen, and even put a sticky note on the 1971 Topps asking the same.  I assume that since I'm paying a fee, and a rather high one at that, that I should be able to make a request like this, especially if I make it as easy as possible by enclosing the pen.

Using the return bubble envelope, with a postage label from Pirateship, also included $100 insurance in case something happened to my cards on the way back to me.