A collector who spent 23 years getting a helmet signed by all 22 players who played on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four 1970s Super Bowl championships, has turned his quest into a book. Merrill Shaffer is a life-long Steelers fan and collector from Palmyra, PA. His book, “A Super Steelers Journey”, has just been published by Sunbury Press. That journey first started in 1994 … [Read more...]
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Navigating the National’s Autograph Lines
Walk into The National and take a hard right; you will see multiple lines stretching to the back of the ix Center. No need to worry, these aren't the lines for the restrooms or to buy a $3 bottle of water. These are the patient collectors lining up every hour for the more that 140 autograph signers passing through the Tri-Star Autograph Pavilion this week. What looks … [Read more...]
Thousands of Items from Jack Smalling Autograph Collection at Auction
Anyone compiling a list of the most impactful people in the sports collecting hobby would have to include Jack Smalling. A collector of autographs since 1962, the Iowa resident not only amassed a jaw-dropping collection of baseball autographs, he actually wrote the book on where to find some of the players. Now, the best items in his massive storehouse of signatures are … [Read more...]
Spring Training: Chasing Autographs
The early days of spring training are often the best time to snare autographs. The mood is generally relaxed and while crowds of autograph seekers do make their way to Florida and Arizona, it's not as busy as it often is when the games begin. Here's a sampling of some social media posts showing successes--and another with some insight if you're heading to the … [Read more...]
Notes: Not All Transcendent VIP Are 1/1s; Dedicated Autograph Collector; Brady RC Hits $93K
It turns out not all of the “1/1” cards inserted into the special packs given to attendees at last week’s Topps Transcendent party in Atlanta were actually one-of-a-kind. Topps notified collectors Friday that several of the autographed cards were mislabeled and actually have multiple copies. Each pack contained four cards and all were supposed to be 1/1. The … [Read more...]
Lost Childhood Collection of All-Star Autographs Discovered
He thought they were gone forever, tossed out or lost with other childhood keepsakes. Then Al Mead got a phone call. A cousin in Florida was going through some boxes and discovered a pair of old notebooks that he knew belonged to his baseball-loving relative. Inside were autographs Al had collected as a young boy in Boston back in the early 1960s. “I … [Read more...]
Finding Affordable Baseball Autographs
I travel the country and do several public speaking engagements each year on vintage baseball cards and sports memorabilia. One question that is always asked is, “What are some of the more affordable autographs?” Generally speaking, an autograph on a piece of paper is worth less than the same autograph on a jersey, football, or other premium item. Paper … [Read more...]
Topps Creates Exclusive Cards for Charity Autograph Program
Topps has created special edition baseball cards for the Detroit Tigers Foundation and its Autographs For a Cause program. The cards were given to players participating in the program, who sign them in exchange for a flat fee of $15-$25 plus shipping with all proceeds going to the player’s favorite charity. Players will match the amount of money collected through … [Read more...]
The National Continues to be a Family Affair
The 38th installment of The National Sports Collectors Convention has officially come to a close and (hopefully) everyone left Rosemont, IL with exactly what they were looking for. That said, if you weren’t among the lucky few that got to brush elbows with Jennifer Lopez while she was slumming it alongside her latest boytoy Alex Rodriguez or catch up with Los Angeles Lakers … [Read more...]
Steiner Sets Autograph Sessions
It’ll be a busy spring for those who coordinate autograph signings for Steiner Sports. The company has announced its schedule for public and private signing sessions with dozens of past and present athletes on the docket. Just a few of the names who will wield pens between now and the end of April: Hank Aaron, Tom Brady, Bo Jackson, Bill Russell, Derek … [Read more...]
