Help with a large autograph collection

blacksoxfan · 01-05-2025, 09:45 PM

I have been helping someone appraise a fairly large collection of memorabilia. While there are some bats and balls and headshots that have been signed (and the important ones are at JSA) there are also a TON of other items.

Included in this trove are autographs on index cards, a giant book with maybe a hundred or so cut sigs of Philly baseball personalities (players from the 20s - 80s), and just a whole bunch of other stuff as well.

I'm not well versed in this area of the hobby and would love some advice on a few things.

First and foremost - how the heck do you identify "non-obvious" signatures? There are certainly plenty I can make out, but also plenty I can't. Would it behoove us to scan/take pictures of all the signatures and post them online?

Secondly, I have a really good footing in the trading card world and have a feeling for what drives prices on items (pre-1980) regardless of theme. However, autographs are a whole different ballgame. My "client" and I have talked pretty openly about this.

If there is some super valuable signature (think 4 figures+) - we don't have any interest in giving it away for free. However, There's a sweet spot for him whereby he is happy to sell something at a price that allows someone to profit off the collection but doesn't return pennies on the dollar either.

What do people in the autograph industry do to identify items?

Would someone be willing to provide me with a rough outline of how values are arrived at on such unique items?

01-05-2025, 09:45 PM	#1
blacksoxfan Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Posts: 1	Help with a large autograph collection I have been helping someone appraise a fairly large collection of memorabilia. While there are some bats and balls and headshots that have been signed (and the important ones are at JSA) there are also a TON of other items. Included in this trove are autographs on index cards, a giant book with maybe a hundred or so cut sigs of Philly baseball personalities (players from the 20s - 80s), and just a whole bunch of other stuff as well. I'm not well versed in this area of the hobby and would love some advice on a few things. First and foremost - how the heck do you identify "non-obvious" signatures? There are certainly plenty I can make out, but also plenty I can't. Would it behoove us to scan/take pictures of all the signatures and post them online? Secondly, I have a really good footing in the trading card world and have a feeling for what drives prices on items (pre-1980) regardless of theme. However, autographs are a whole different ballgame. My "client" and I have talked pretty openly about this. If there is some super valuable signature (think 4 figures+) - we don't have any interest in giving it away for free. However, There's a sweet spot for him whereby he is happy to sell something at a price that allows someone to profit off the collection but doesn't return pennies on the dollar either. What do people in the autograph industry do to identify items? Would someone be willing to provide me with a rough outline of how values are arrived at on such unique items?