A list of the most popular baseball autographs has been fairly standard stuff over the years. Start with Hall of Famers, mix in some of the fan favorites who didn’t quite get there and add in some of today’s current stars. Which ones you collect depends on what era or element of baseball you like best.
When looking for MLB autographs, you can choose from well-known names like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., and Derek Jeter, to name just a few.
A list of the most valuable autographs would include long ago stars like Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Cy Young. Anything with their signature on it, even a scrap of paper, will find buyers.
Bats, balls, photographs and jerseys are especially collectible, and you will want to be sure that all your potential purchases are authenticated before you decide to buy them.
One of the most popular sports autographs ever is Ruth. He signed thousands of autographs in his relatively short life. He was well-known for not turning many autograph seekers down, and he sometimes signed hundreds each day. Ruth is truly an icon who transcended the game, famous even among those who didn’t closely follow it. Supply simply doesn’t match demand and prices for high grade examples can be stratospheric. Unfortunately for collectors, there are forgeries of Babe Ruth’s autograph available as well, so you will always want to buy a Ruth autograph authenticated by a company like PSA/DNA.
As a rule, autographs of New York Yankees stars, past and present, are popular collectibles. They have a fan base from all over the world, and some of the game’s greatest players have worn Yankee pinstripes. Many former stars have actually signed more autographs since their retirement, than they did when they played. Perhaps few autographs are more treasured than those of Mickey Mantle. He was always very popular, and he had inexpensive signings when he first started signing with memorabilia companies and at card shows, although some fans still complained at the time.
Nolan Ryan autographs are still sought-after, since he is quite popular among MLB fans. He had a very large fan base, and a fan-friendly attitude, so he was easier than some stars to approach for signatures. Ryan feels that signing a lot of autographs means the value of his signature will stay low enough to stop forgers.
Whatever you collect; photos, bats, balls or jerseys, be sure to buy those with a COA from a reputable company.
The most popular sports autographs are really those you feel worthy of adding to your own collection.
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