A Big Start to the Week

I received a bunch of mail-in signing returns, a couple ttm successes and some purchases to kick off the week.

I added two more Grand Slam prints to my collection with signings returns from Robin Yount and Trevor Hoffman.  I continue to really like these prints.  I wish there were a few more non-Hall of Famer options.  The Bobby Richardson and Jerry Koosman-type players, for example.  I have a Don Kessinger print on the way, which is another good example.

My first ttm success came all the way from Japan.  Masanori Murakami signed my 5th copy of his 1965 Topps, as well as a 1978 TCMA.  I sent this request before receiving another card I had ordered on eBay so I'll need to send that out at some point.

This request took less than a month to make the round trip, which is amazing considering some of the times my domestic shipments have taken.

My other ttm success came from Mike Andrews, who signed four cards for me, including a 1970 Topps Buy Back and a 1980 Fleer Laughlin commemorating the 1973 World Series.  The 1967 Topps will be off to Reggie Smith next.

I bought a couple duplicate cards from Tom Orr via his eBay auctions.  I already have both of these, but the prices were pretty low and the 1970 Topps leaders card, with both Carew and Oliva, is a favorite of mine.  I wouldn't mind filling up a 9-pocket page with this signed card.

I also ordered a few cards from Past Pros while they had a sale.  This included a couple Vicente Romo cards to help replace the ones I got at a recent signing but were returned pretty smeared.  Apparently, he smears about 50% of the cards as he has trouble due to his old age.  I wish I had known that prior to sending in.  At this point, you're probably better off trying to find cards already signed.

I sent in some cards to a Luke Keaschall signing.  This Twins infielder has a lot of potential.  I just hope he can stay healthy, which seems to be a continuing issue with the Twins.  There were two signings with him posted on SCN for the very same day.  One of them was charging an extra $10 for signing his Topps Living Set card.  I chose the other signing, of course.  This was with Guy Puglia, who always does a great job.

I was considering sending in a baseball to be signed too.  When I was on eBay though, I saw what his signature looks like, and decided I wasn't going to pay $35 for that signature on a baseball.  I can tolerate almost any checkin scratch on a baseball card, because it's obvious who signed it.  But I'd like to be able to know who signed a baseball without having to label it.

I wonder if I'm not the only one who feels this way, and if so, how much does it cost him in lost autograph requests.  In other words, how much more would he make signing autographs if he had a nice, legible signature.  And, does he care?

I'm gathering some cards to send in for a JSA/CGC authentication/grading submission.  I think I've got them all identified.  I just need to finish documenting them and ship them off.  I'm anxious to get my last order back.