Beckett 20 Questions on … collecting autographs
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Few things in the trading card industry these days — except maybe licensing — are as vital as the autograph.
For the next issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, we’ll once again be taking a look at autographs. Among the selections, of course, will be 20 Questions.
We want to know what you think about certain things when it comes to autographs in the hobby as well as know what kind of collections you might be building. (Be sure to tell us more if you need to in the comments below.)
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See the rest of the questions … after the jump.
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I’m so sick of junk autos that I wish they would just make it harder to pull them but be better players when you do pull an auto.
The 1996-97 Skybox Autographics Basketball Set is probably the most important autograph insert set ever created. It laid the path to chasing stars, rookies, set builders and was a guide to other companies on how to make a great autograph chase set.
I’m sick of the players’ autos looking like they just got out of a bar or the lazy initials. My kid is just learn to sign his name and it looks better than more than half of these adult’s autos. Nothing is better than getting a good looking auto that you can actually read the name of. And I agree autos need to be harder to get and all need to be numbered so there isn’t ten million scrub practice squad guy’s autos and ten of the top draft pick’s autos when you pay for a $200 hobby box. Hit fillers are ruining the hobby box market. Why pay $200 for a box when you know it is cheaper to just buy the auto on eBay because you are almost guaranteed to be dumped on by a cheap patch card or hit filler scrub auto.
Lou- I totally agree with you. Cut down on the high guaranteed # of “hits” to just 1 or 1 every other box but stock the non-auto box with short print parallel’s or whatever.
I’d MUCH prefer to spend my money on that then the middle tier or upper tier products with guarantees that can be “run-of-the-mill” guys (although – for football – it’s amazing how a quick review halfway thru the season and those AUTO RC “duds” are now “STUDS”) to absolute nobody’s you hit a pretty good box but it’s ALWAYS based on ONE card that is in that purchased box!
We can’t predict the future but in Football, Lineman & DB’s have NO place getting an AUTO RC. If they prove their salt, or are drafted Top 10 (DL or DB only- NOT OL), then give them an AUTO the next year that way it’s slimmed down to PROVEN players instead of the ridiculous Practice squad guy’s AUTO who ends up on IR with a torn Achilles and is never heard from again.
Another issue- when a product contains Veteran Auto’s of WAY too many guys that are obviously no longer a player collectors are chasing (QB Colt McCoy??!!). I’ll take an AUTO RC common versus a Veteran one 99/100.
Little long but as a collector I’d love to see this fixed
the card companies are responsible for the initial and abrreviated signatures. if you had to sign 1000 cards at one sitting wouldn’t you shorten your signature?
I feel as dumb as a box of rocks because outside of baseball, I couldn’t answer half of the questions. That’s the only sport I watch, so it’s the only sport I collect.
Just received my 2 boxes of Topps Turkey Red Football Cards, my 2 autos were : Nico Johnson n Miguel Maysonet
I did get 3 short prints T Austin /Rams. E Lacy/Packers. T Mathieu/Cards. Nobody else worth mentioning
I’d like to players do a little drawing next to their autograph.
This survey should have addressed the growing trends of “scribbles” and how its negatively affecting the hobby. Card companies should have higher standards for players they pay considering that the end user needs to be happy with the overall product. I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly thrilled about getting a Manny Machado auto if it looks like a three year old signed it.
I used to buy tons of hobby boxes, especially the boxes from the past. 2012 topps chrome bought in 2015, chasing Andrew Luck for example. I never hit anything except no name tight ends or DB’s who aren’t even playing. I then got wise and just bought the singles on Ebay. Always buy in the off season, you will notice the auto’s are about 33% less. Also, it’s great to buy a proven stud auto when he is hurt. Hint> Buy up Trout now along with JJ Watt and even Luck since he had a bad season last year. Buy the players that you believe in, not some new fruit loop rookie who had a couple good months. Conclusion: Hobby Boxes are a waste of money!