National Baseball Hall of Fame Autographs

The initial class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame was selected in 1936 and included: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, and Christy Mathewson.  The Baseball Hall of Fame building was opened June 12, 1939 in Cooperstown, NY.  All baseball fans owe it to themselves to visit this piece of American History.  The Baseball Hall of Fame membership is very exclusive with only 292 members as of 2010, including 3 new members in 2010.  The 292 consist of 203 former Major League Players, 35 Negro Leaguers, 26 Executives or Pioneers, 19 managers, and 9 umpires!

Any baseball autograph collection worth its salt must include people who have reached the Baseball Hall of Fame!!  These players  represent the BEST ever to play America's past-time!!!!   The hardest to find are from those members that passed away in the late 1800's or early 1900's including: Cap Anson, Jake Beckley, and Alexander Cartwright.  Baseball legends such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Rogers Hornsby, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and Tris Speaker are very desirable.

Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb would readily offer their autographs but mint condition autographs from these greats have incredibly high interest among collectors.  During the 1980's and 1990's the autograph show circuit exploded (and it remains very active today) and thus Baseball Hall of Fame autographs from players such as Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, Ernie Banks, Bob Feller, Stan Musial, Harmon Killibrew, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and the greats Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle are very plentiful.  The extordinary high demand demand for Williams, DiMaggio, and especially Mickey Mantle offset the abundant supply for each of these greats.

The key factors that impact values include date of a players death (unfortunately short life spans translates into lower supply and usually higher quality as the player's autograph is not negatively impacted by age), supply of autographs, quality of autograph (especially for Baseball legends pre World War II), popularity of the player, the players teams popularity, and the type of item autographed. Single Signed Major League Baseballs (on the SWEET SPOT) Hall of Fame Plaque postcards, Perez-Steele postcards, and single signed baseball bats are the most desirable. 

Values (estimated median price for medium quality) for single-signature (generally SWEET SPOT) baseballs for the certain players range from  Yogi Berra - $50 (very High Supply and growing), Babe Ruth - $6,000 (High Supply but Extremely high demand), Ty Cobb - $5,500 (Very High Supply and Very high demand), Ted Williams - $350, Stan Musial - $60 (high supply and growing and moderate demand),  Lou Gehrig - $8,000 ( Moderate Supply and Very High Demand), Mickey Mantle - $350 (Very high Supply and very high demand), Hank Aaron $60, Cy Young - $3,500, Walter Johnson - $3,500.  Single Signed baseballs from Hall of Famers such as Christy Mathewson, Cap Anson, Morgan Bulkeley, Miller Huggins, Ban Johnson,  and Monte Ward are unknown and thus if one is found it would command incredible value!!!!!!!

EBay is a very active Baseball memorabilia auction site and recent sales are plentiful and thus reflect current market value.  Probably the most logical value expectation is to always keep in mind that demand is impacted by interest level of collectors.  New collectors are influenced by sport season (opening month and the World Series time are the most logical times plus always Christmas season for Current players) and current baseball events.  When the Yankees win the World Series time to sell your Mantle items!!!!

 The Media Meccas of New York and Los Angeles make Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers (Brooklyn and Los Angeles) Hall of Famers the King of Popularity!!!!!  The New York Yankee greats usually command the maximum value!!!!!

Baseball Autograph Grading Agencies

PSA/DNA and James Spence Authentication are considered the premier baseball (and also in other memorabilia areas) autograph authentication authorities in the world!!! Each of the service websites include examples of sports autographs!  James Spence was an early leading authentication expert with PSA.  PSA/DNA and James Spence Authentication authenticated baseball memorabilia will always command maximum value in the market!  Global Authentication ranks in a second tier of baseball memorabilia authentication services, but is also very good and reliable!  Each of these authorities have easily assessable web sites that clearly lay out cost of their services as well as an internet search service for all previously graded items by that service  that include a respective grading agency serial type number (All Do)!

Buying an un-authenticated item (No COA) invites forgeries.  Remember an authentication is only an opinion, unless the authenticator was present at the time of the signing, obviously that only works for modern day players and the few living Baseball Hall of Famers!! Always buy autographs from a reputable seller that offers a Full Money Backed Guaranty!!!  All Sellers realize that a Good Reptutation takes years to earn but only a short time to lose!!!!!  Every seller can make mistakes, but a reputable seller will always offer a NO QUESTIONS ASKED money backed guaranty!!!!!

There are many other authentication services but always view items authenticated by these services with the appropriate level of doubt. Many, many fakes are offered on a regular basis on auction sites.  Buy from a REPUTABLE seller that always offers a money backed guaranty - NO QUESTIONS ASKED. There I've said it twice, but it can not be said enough times! Nolan Ryan, Willie Mays and many non Hall of Famers such as Bobby Bonds and Roger Clemens offer their own stamp of authentication for personally autographed items.  Check out their web sites which are easily found through Google or other search engines.  Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens donate the majority of the money raised through autograph sales to very worthy charities, so I always recommend their web sites!  I have found Stevens-Taylor Authentication at statauthenticate.com to be very good!

It is possible to obtain many Hall of Famer autographs from the autograph-by-mail approach through the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main Street, P.O. Box 590, Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326.  This is a hit or miss method that depends on timing and is most effective with recent Hall of Fame inductees.   Send the item that you want autographed most easy and common is a Yellow Hall of Fame Plaque Postcard, always send a flat item with a stamped self addressed return envelope!