The Autograph Thread

[Dom Heffner]

Anyone collect? Big names?

I have a pretty sizable collection that I am trying to downsize a bit to focus on more high value signatures (keeps me from buying a bunch of nobodys and preserves wall space).

If anyone else collects would love to hear about any items or experiences you have had in getting them.

I think the highest value ones I have are Madonna, Brando, Michael Jackson and David Bowie.

My personal favorite is a self portrait/sketch by Phil Collins of himself playing drums. It was owned by a pretty famous soccer player and he donated it to charity and I won. Love that thing.

[westofyou]

I have never asked anyone for one myself, had a Roberto Clemente one once on a ball.

Yeah I ruined it

[redsfanmia]

I have 2 that I asked for Johhny Bench at a book signing for his master piece Catch you later and former ABA Pacer great Roger Brown.

[Dom Heffner]

I have 2 that I asked for Johhny Bench at a book signing for his master piece Catch you later and former ABA Pacer great Roger Brown.

When I worked at WCKY I was in a room with just Johnny Bench and me for about five minutes.

I never asked for an autograph. Never even brought up baseball.

I don't even know if I said anything.

[westofyou]

I don't even know if I said anything.

Soooo..... how's Miss Vicki?

[Dom Heffner]

I was producing the talk show he was on- I shook his hand and I don't remember much else, other than I couldn't stop thinking that hey, that's Johnny Bench.

[redsfanmia]

I was producing the talk show he was on- I shook his hand and I don't remember much else, other than I couldn't stop thinking that hey, that's Johnny Bench.

My conversation was Hey kid what's your name, I told him Bobby and my longer hair must have made him think I was female because he spelled it Bobbie.

[reds1869]

I have a pretty decent collection of baseball autographs, my favorites being a Pete Rose baseball and a pretty hard to come by Ichiro autograph. I have quite a few entertainment related autographs as well. I don't usually ask in person but I have some autographs of pro athletes I grew up with.

[OldRightHander]

I have two that are still intact, Phil Keaggy and Joe Nuxhall.

[cumberlandreds]

In 1976 I got George Foster,Ed Armbrister and Manny Sarmiento's autgraph at Riverfront. When I went through the gates an usher handed me a card if I wanted to get autographs and told me where to go to. I wnet and stood in line for a while and finally they came. I think everyone was surprised that Foster was there. We were all saying we get nothing but scrub players.
I also wrote to Johnny Bench and Roger Staubach and received autograph pictures back from those two. Also my brother got me one of those Reds highlight records from the 75 or 76 seasons back then. He bought it at some book store in the Cincy area. Marty and Joe were there that day autographing the records. So that made it neat to have. I remember covering it in plastic so the autographs wouldn't wear away.

[WMR]

Honus Wagner

[RichRed]

I'm not a collector but I do have a baseball autographed by Johnny Bench and one autographed by the immortal Steve "Rainbow" Trout.

Also, when I was a kid and rabid Redskins fan, I thought Joe Theismann was the greatest QB who ever lived (I know, I know). My dad went out and bought Theismann's book, "Quarterbacking," then stood in line at an appearance at a Va. Beach mall to get him to autograph it. He surprised my brother and me with it. Back then, I thought it was one of the coolest things my dad could've done, and I still think it's pretty cool.

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/12855/4dda4861e9932_12855s.jpg

[George Anderson]

In the early to mid 80's I used to send off post cards to baseball players home addesses and had them return it in a self addressed stamp envelope. Off the top of my head I got

Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Ted Williams
Joe DiMaggio
Pee Wee Reese
Sadaharu Oh
Stan Coveleski
Leo Durocher
Monte Irvin
Burleigh Grimes
Preacher Roe
Mike Schmidt
George Brett
Phil Rizzuto
Joe Nuxhall
Joe Charboneau
Gary Carter
Ray Morehart--Last living member of 27' Yanks
Sparky Anderson
Steve Sax
Ron Cey
Steve Garvey
Craig Nettles
Carl Erskine
Hank Greenberg
Charlie Gehringer

Oh and a autograph phote from the actor that played Ernest T Bass on The Andy Griffith Show.

[marcshoe]

I have an autographed picture of Mickey Mantle that isn't in great shape because I thought it was fake for more than a decade. Mantle was signing autographs before a minor league game, and I was late. I found an autographed picture on a table and thought it was a cheap stamp. Quite a while later I was going through a chest and noticed that the ink had smeared a little. A closer look showed that it was unquestionably real.

[Dom Heffner]

I have an autographed picture of Mickey Mantle that isn't in great shape because I thought it was fake for more than a decade. Mantle was signing autographs before a minor league game, and I was late. I found an autographed picture on a table and thought it was a cheap stamp. Quite a while later I was going through a chest and noticed that the ink had smeared a little. A closer look showed that it was unquestionably real.

His signature is a dangerous investment....lots of fakes. If yours is real, great for you.

[George Anderson]

His signature is a dangerous investment....lots of fakes. If yours is real, great for you.

Dimaggio is to.

I guess his sister signed his name alot.

I kinda think mine is fake.

[Dom Heffner]

Dimaggio is to.

I guess his sister signed his name alot.

I kinda think mine is fake.

Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods.

All tough investments due to limited supply high demand.

[Dom Heffner]

I have golf pro relatives who will personally testify Tiger Woods doesn't sign.

Other terrible signers?

Would you believe Will Ferrell?

Hardest one in Hollywood- it's so rare that if you got one, nobody would believe it's real.

[BurgervilleBuck]

Tim Conway
Bill Cosby
Jerry Springer (from back when he was an anchor at WLWT-TV)
William Gibson (author of "Neuromancer")
Clive Barker
Kevin Smith
Most of the cast of MST3k (post-Comedy Central)
A bunch of Doctor Who autographs
Phil Esposito
Boomer Esiason
Anthony Munoz
Ron Harper
Most every Red that was at Redsfest 2008
Pete Rose
Johnny Bench

[marcshoe]

His signature is a dangerous investment....lots of fakes. If yours is real, great for you.

He was present in the ballpark before the game signing autographs at the table where I picked up the picture. I was stupid to think it was a stamp, I guess, but I was probably about eleven or twelve at the time. I've never checked on value or anything; I kind of assumed that he signed so much, doing minor league tours and the likes, that it was pretty common. I'll have to check it out.

[Dom Heffner]

He was present in the ballpark before the game signing autographs at the table where I picked up the picture. I was stupid to think it was a stamp, I guess, but I was probably about eleven or twelve at the time. I've never checked on value or anything; I kind of assumed that he signed so much, doing minor league tours and the likes, that it was pretty common. I'll have to check it out.

I love stories like this.

One of my neighbors was talking today about autographs and he said he had only one: Neil Armstrong.

Checked it out and it's probably worth 12 grand.

He has one. And it's a freaking doozy.

I've been collecting for years, I have over a hundred and they are all pretty good names. Not one anywhere near that kind of value.

Neil Armstrong hasn't signed autographs in 30 years and he just passed away, which means the market is pretty limited.

[Dom Heffner]

He was present in the ballpark before the game signing autographs at the table where I picked up the picture. I was stupid to think it was a stamp, I guess, but I was probably about eleven or twelve at the time. I've never checked on value or anything; I kind of assumed that he signed so much, doing minor league tours and the likes, that it was pretty common. I'll have to check it out.

The fact he was at a ballpark signing for people is terrific.

Someone like, say, Mick Jagger knows his autograph is an $800 value- so he now just refuses to sign and basically sells his signature on prints on the Stones website.

They had a signing of 1000 posters which sell for 2 grand a set.

That's 2 million in signature sales. Unreal.

And if you buy one you'll probably make out on the deal eventually.

[edabbs44]

My father's cousin sold peanuts at Yankee Stadium in the 50s. He and another guy won a contest and won an autographed ball. He gave it to my father as a gift. For years we couldn't figure out why all these names were on the same ball. Speaker. DiMaggio. HR Baker. Foxx. Gomez. Hartnett. Waner. Mize. Frisch. I think roughly 20 HoFs.

Years go by and my father gets me a baseball book called Every Pitcher has a Story, or something to that effect. In there is a story and a letter from Nixon in 1955 to the Yankees thanking them for the invitation to Yankee Stadium hall of fame day. It named a ton of the guys who were on the ball and lined up with the explanation my father was given as to the origin of the ball. Pretty random. More random was that the letter was recently auctioned off. We were out bid but I thought it would have been great to pair with the ball.

The most upsetting part was two of the names on the letter who did not sign the ball. Ty Cobb and Cy Young. But we have most of the other names.

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7051&lotIdNo=37116#75147514078

[texasdave]

I have a Manute Bol. Only autograph I ever got. Saw him in a hotel lobby and I was awestruck.

[improbus]

My dad got me a Yaz autograph at the 88 All Star game. But, I would never seek one. My cousin pitched I the majors and when he first got called up some of my uncles asked for an autograph. It was one of the most awkward things I can ever remember. I felt really bad for him.

I avoid awkward situations whenever possible (which is also why I can't watch George Costanza, almost any of Ben Stiller's work, or Curb, even though I know most if that stuff is funny).

[Roy Tucker]

I have two that are still intact, Phil Keaggy and Joe Nuxhall.

My older brother snuck me into a bar circa 1968 up at Kent State twice (I was like... 16). Once we saw the James Gang and the other time was Glass Harp.

I thought Phil Keaggy was the greatest guitar player I'd ever seen.

[OldRightHander]

My older brother snuck me into a bar circa 1968 up at Kent State twice (I was like... 16). Once we saw the James Gang and the other time was Glass Harp.

I thought Phil Keaggy was the greatest guitar player I'd ever seen.

I've seen him live 5 times, all in the 90s. One of those shows was at a church and I had a friend who attended that church. We hung around shooting the bull with him for about 45 minutes afterwards. He signed the liner for one of his CDs I had. The music's now on my iPod, but I haven't lost the CD or the case. The guy is phenomenal, acoustic or electric and his voice reminds me a lot of McCartney.

[Patrick Bateman]

I would never sell any of the autographs because they only have sentimental value to me. When I see a celebrity, I try to get a picture instead because it means more to me. For example the fantastic Charlie Sheen picture to me left where he looks just awful.

I have also been on a pretty big luck streak in regards to NHL players the last year. Got my picture with kris Draper, Shea Weber, Jonathan Toews, Jeremy Roenick, the Blackawks GM, Calgary Flames GM, and various other less known Blackhawk players.

[George Anderson]

Does anyone NOT have a Pete Rose autograph?

[texasdave]

Does anyone NOT have a Pete Rose autograph?

Bud Harrelson?

[Dom Heffner]

Does anyone NOT have a Pete Rose autograph?

I would doubt there are many fakes. He has signed thousands, hasn't he?

[edabbs44]

I would doubt there are many fakes. He has signed thousands, hasn't he?

Probably much more than anyone would guess.

[George Anderson]

I kinda figured since Pete has flooded the market with his autograph and with the whole supply and demand thing, his autograph wouldn't be worth as much as you would think. I however did a quick search of ebay and found an autographed ball with his signature on it goes for around $60 and an autographed picture goes for around $50. This really isn't to far off from what Bench gets which kinda suprised me because while Bench signs I seriously doubt if JB has signed even half of what Pete has signed over the years but Pete's autograph has still maintained a strong value.

[Dom Heffner]

I kinda figured since Pete has flooded the market with his autograph and with the whole supply and demand thing, his autograph wouldn't be worth as much as you would think. I however did a quick search of ebay and found an autographed ball with his signature on it goes for around $60 and an autographed picture goes for around $50. This really isn't to far off from what Bench gets which kinda suprised me because while Bench signs I seriously doubt if JB has signed even half of what Pete has signed over the years but Pete's autograph has still maintained a strong value.

For being the all time hit leader, $60 is pretty bad.

I doubt you could get an authentic Kevin Bacon for that.

[Gizmo]

Not a collector, but have gotten a few:
Marty Brennaman- HOF baseball
Archie Griffin signed photo
Bob Newhart- Newhart show shooting script for one episode
Chris Sabo? baseball (I bought this in the 90's and never had any authentication to prove it isn't fake)
2004 Bengals playoff cap signed by a few Bengals at '05 training camp, no big names.
Hockey puck signed by a couple Cincinnati Cyclones in the late 90s/early 2000s.

I used to have Dave Parker and Ron Oester signatures on separate pieces of paper, but those have long since been lost.
I also had a few Anthony Munoz signatures when we've seen him at Pizza Tower when he owned it.

[Strikes Out Looking]

My best one is my Willie Mays baseball that I got him to sign at spring training. I also have a Hank Aaron and a Yaz that were given to me as gifts.

[RedsBaron]

I've never really been a collector but I do have a very few.
I still have a 1969 Reds scorecard that was signed before a game by Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez.
I have a letter or two from the late Jack Kemp.
I have two Chuck Yeager autographs, including an autographed copy of one of his biographies that I know is genuine because he signed it while I was talking to him at a Yeager Scholars event at Marshall University.
I also have several Martina McBride autographs, including an autographed photo of Martina, my wife and me. Again I know that these autographs are genuine because I was talking with her when she signed each time.

[dougdirt]

I have about 150 baseball autographs, maybe closer to 200. My favorite is an 8x10 Ken Griffey Jr. He is easily my favorite player of all time. I have a Jay Bruce autographed baseball that is also up there in my favorites. Stan Musial, Greg Maddux, Ozzie Smith and Frank Robinson are also among my favorites. Mat Hoffman (bmx bicycle rider) is my favorite and probably only non-baseball/football autograph. It ranks up there above plenty of my other sports autographs.

[REDblooded]

My two favorites:

PSA/DNA Jay Bruce Rookie ball serial numbered as the 13th auto he had authenticated...

2004 All-Star Game Miguel Cabreara authenticated by Fleer as one out of 24... I got this in trade at a local (indianapolis) card shop for a few rookies and an Anthony Gonazlez auto'd rookie card.

Others include - Todd Frazier in gold pen, Devin Mesoraco, Homer Bailey, 2 more Jay Bruce's, Goose Gosage, Pete Rose, and Aroldis Chapman 2011 All-Star game ball...

Biggest snub? Easily trying to get Aroldis to personally sign a ball following a Louisville Bats game vs Indy Indians... He signed for a few Cubs fans (wearing jerseys) and gave me the aloof "Get lost" hand gesture after I somewhat chased him down respectfully (didn't interrupt his phone call) while wearing a Jay Bruce jersey and being nowhere within 50 feet of another fan. My wife still hates him due to the snub and Louis Vitton purse he was wearing...

[Dom Heffner]

Ickey Woods snubbed me while taking the time to write down his phone number for the married woman next to me.

Still hate Ickey Woods.

[cincyinco]

Joey Votto and Scott Rolen signed a cap for me a couple years ago. Aroldis Chapman signed a rookie card, an official mlb baseball, and my 6 week old son's Cincinnati Reds onesie for me a year ago. Also had it signed by Phillips, Frazier, Yonder Alonso, and Bill Bray if I'm not mistaken. I have collected various other Reds players over the years, but none of real consequence.. Other than Barry Larkin..

Ernie Banks is in my collection too..

That's about it for sports for me.. As far as music goes, I have the 3 members of Keane who I was fortunate enough to meet and snag pictures with... All members of The Stone Temple Pilots..

What I mainly have in my collection are Djs.. My sincerest passion and probably have little more than sentimental value... Chemical Brothers, Tiesto, Paul Van Dyk, Sasha, Digweed, Timo Maas, James Zebiela, Bingo Players, Richard Vision, Bad Boy Bill, Donald Glaud, Dieselboy, Dara, Ferry Corsten, Mark Farina, Jon Bishop, Reidspeed, Charles Feelgood, Kimball Collins, Josh Wink, etc... and hundreds more stashed away that I can't even recall off the top of my head right now. Names that mean the world to me, but probably nothing to the average person, especially if you don't listen to EDM.

[dougdirt]

I added some guy named Frank Robinson to my collection this week. Maybe some of you have heard of him before.

[Dom Heffner]

I love him because he reminds me of my dad. Frank os obe of my favorite Reds and I never saw him play.

[HatchMo]

I was gifted these for Christmas to add to my collection. 6389