A massive collection of baseball memorabilia from Foley’s, a legendary sports pub in New York is about to go up for sale. The place closed a couple of years ago during the height of COVID and all of the memorabilia went into storage. Now, owner Sean Clancy has worked out a deal with Duck’s Dugout, a large hobby shop in Marietta, GA, to sell it all. There are … [Read more...] about Notes: Foley’s NYC Collection Up for Sale; Fanatics Auction; Giannis Jersey; Clearly Authentic Checklist
autograph collecting
Dribbles and Scribbles: Al McGuire and the Strangest Autographed Item in My Collection
In the second of an ongoing series, long-time collector Tim Gallagher takes over the Editor’s Blog to share stories from 50+ years of chasing basketball autographs. An early morning visit with legendary coach and broadcaster Al McGuire after a sports talk radio interview more than 25 years ago led to my friends and I getting the strangest signed "collectable" in all … [Read more...] about Dribbles and Scribbles: Al McGuire and the Strangest Autographed Item in My Collection
Dribbles & Scribbles: A Little 80s “Magic” Restarts a Collecting Journey
In the first of an ongoing series, long-time collector Tim Gallagher takes over the Editor's Blog to share 50+ years of memories from chasing basketball autographs. ---- In the early 1980's a fortuitous convergence of geography, hotel ownership and a superstar player's absence from my collection reignited my passion for pursuing basketball autographs. COLLECTING … [Read more...] about Dribbles & Scribbles: A Little 80s “Magic” Restarts a Collecting Journey
Memories of Beau and The Kid: Jim Stinson Recalls Autograph Sessions with Boxing Greats
I began doing private autograph signing sessions in the mid-1980s during the advent of the "Baseball Card Shows". To those of us who remember those shows, along with the various dealers selling cards and memorabilia, there were often at least a few former baseball or football players signing autographs to draw fans who might remember them. Pricing ranged from free to … [Read more...] about Memories of Beau and The Kid: Jim Stinson Recalls Autograph Sessions with Boxing Greats
Notes: Coronavirus vs Autograph Seekers; Stolen Hockey Cards, Topps Olympic Set; Sports Museum; Palmer Stamp
The Coronavirus is having an impact on autograph collectors at spring training. New MLB policies discourage players from accepting items from fans and collectors seeking autograph, choosing instead to have players pass out pre-signed baseballs, cards and photos. Spring training is typically when autograph hounds descend on Florida and Arizona, hoping to score as many … [Read more...] about Notes: Coronavirus vs Autograph Seekers; Stolen Hockey Cards, Topps Olympic Set; Sports Museum; Palmer Stamp
The Bizarre, The Historic and The Most Memorable: Les Wolff’s Memorabilia Tales
This is Part 2 of a two-part series with sports memorabilia appraiser and authenticator Les Wolff. In Part 1, Wolff discussed his lecture series on the hobby and how to protect a collection. In Part 2, Wolff talks about his more memorable collecting moments. Les Wolff is known for his skills as an authenticator and appraiser of sports memorabilia. His work over more … [Read more...] about The Bizarre, The Historic and The Most Memorable: Les Wolff’s Memorabilia Tales
Spring Training Means More Returns in Less Time for the TTM Autograph Collector
Major League Baseball’s Spring Training is a six week window of opportunity for the autograph collecting community. Running from February 12 through the end of March this year, Spring Training is an autograph collector’s paradise where you’ll find players more relaxed, accessible and for the most part open to signing. Everyone, however, may not have the chance to visit with … [Read more...] about Spring Training Means More Returns in Less Time for the TTM Autograph Collector
Dave Hill’s Massive Autograph Collection On Block Via SCP Auctions
Dave Hill spent a lifetime collecting autographs. His family is going to realize a signature moment when they are sold this weekend in SCP Auctions’ Fall Premier sale. The Dave Hill Autograph Collection, consisting of 16 lots and 8,732 autographs — including 186 Hall of Famers — is part of the SCP Auctions sale that ends Saturday night. Hill was … [Read more...] about Dave Hill’s Massive Autograph Collection On Block Via SCP Auctions
News & Notes: Tigers Talk Fan Mail; Heritage Expands in Chicago; eBay & ESPN
The mail comes from kids. From adults. From fans. From collectors. And it keeps coming. Spring training. Regular season. Off-season. Fan mail is nothing new, of course. Fans have always sent players notes of admiration, praise, encouragement--- or something not so nice. In an age of social media, though, most of … [Read more...] about News & Notes: Tigers Talk Fan Mail; Heritage Expands in Chicago; eBay & ESPN
The Rise of Signed Baseball Rookie Cards
Stern was the warning to neophytes at card shows where old-timers were signing in the 1980s and 90s: "Get an autograph on a baseball. A picture. A program. DO NOT have him sign his rookie card!" The reason? Some non-written rule about a signature--even a real one--lessening the value of the card itself. So card-focused was the hobby's old guard at the time that an autograph was … [Read more...] about The Rise of Signed Baseball Rookie Cards