General Forum

I had the opportunity to meet Devin Booker today, and I was debating whether or not to have him sign one of my trading cards of him. I decided against it because I didn't know if I wanted to have a non official autograph on a card. I ended up deciding against it and got a photo signed instead. Curious as to what people's thoughts are on getting cards signed in person. Kinda thinking maybe I should have at least brought a non rookie base card with me. 

Thanks!

If it's for personal satisfaction then I'd have done it, but for valuation purposes then I'd guess some sort of proof would be needed to authenticate it.

I'm an autograph collector myself. I don't think I have any cards signed in person, but that's from a lack of opportunity. I've got a few baseballs and a bat but that's it. Because I collect for my personal collection and not resale I wouldn't mind an in person signed card. 

I don't collect autographs, but if there was a player I liked and I had a card, I wouldn't hesitate a second to get him to sign. As stated by others, I'd do that for my own collection, though, not to resell. I suppose you could try to get a quick picture of him holding the card as a bit of authentication. But I just want to know if a card or auto is real. If I saw it with my own eyes, it's real. Who cares what anyone else thinks? 

I love getting cards signed by players in person. Makes for some great stories. And since I don't sell those, I don't need to worry about authentication. It's for me, and I know it was signed by the player because I saw it. Good enough for me. (And I have many signed cards.)

After getting my first signed card a month ago, I love getting cards signed now.  I went to the Mariners Fanfest this weekend and ended up getting 3 cards signed.  I like it better than just a photo since I collect cards and they are easier to display/store. 

I'm not a big fan of getting regular cards signed. It just doesn't look good when the auto is over the picture, especially when it's a fairly closeup image and is signed over the face.

What I really can't stand is serially numbered cards getting signed, especially 1 of 1s. IMO a true collector would not do that, because they know that destroying history for the sake of getting something easily available elsewhere is not something that should be done.

I've only ever sent two TTM autograph requests- only one of which I got back. It was to a NASCAR driver who didn't have any autographs issued, or at least I didn't think he did at the time. (Stanton Barrett). The one I did not get back, which I sent as a school project, was to adopted hometown hero Rik Smits. Considering I sent it in 1997 I doubt I will ever get it back, and I have to be honest- the fact that I was totally ignored, not even a team form letter saying he was too busy- kind of cut my fandom of him down a bit. It was sent to the team address published in Beckett at that time. I still remember that I sent a duplicate of his 1996-97 Metal base card.

Where I live and with my health problems I don't get to see athletes very often in person- I met some Sprint car drivers in 2008, and I got their autographs in my official race program. I've met two Harlem Globetrotters and I could swear I got their autographs on index cards but I can't find them. That's it...

Most athletes' autographs are fairly easy to find, and I've got more than 1000 pack pulled autographs in my collection- I enjoy getting them, but on cards that are designed for autographs they actually look good, because there is a space for them. I couldn't care less if the card was signed on card or it is a sticker autograph- either way the athlete or famous person actually signed it, so it doesn't matter to me.

Just my thoughts.

I really only care about autographs that I got personally.  I would never buy an autographed item from a third party (nor would I pay anyone for their autograph).  If I think I might have an opportunity to get a card autographed, I look for a duplicate card in my collection to have signed.  This way I still have the original as well.  The last card I had autographed was by Greg Zaun, Blue Jays analyst. It was a minor league card that he got a kick out of seeing so many years later.

I'm with Billy on not getting a rare card signed.  As a set collector, I don't want a card with a signature that doesn't have one.  That said, given the opportunity, I would have no problem getting an extra card signed.  Somewhere in a box, I believe I have a Willie Mays or Willie McCovey 1972 In Action that I got signed as a kid.  I also got my Beckett Guide #1 signed, who new someone would consider the early guides collectible.

Except in rare cases, I don't buy autographs. Heck, I won't even pay to get an autograph in person. But I do like getting base cards autographed, although since I'm primarily a TCU Horned Frog fan, I really prefer getting a ball signed by a whole team (personal point of pride, I managed to get every member of the TCU football team that won the Rose Bowl to sign a football in person).

The main exception is if the person is deceased and I really want an autograph. But yeah, autographs I don't get in person don't excite me much.