Base card with a self obtained autograph, any value?

[GreenCap]

Does a base card with a self obtained autograph on it have any value?
Seeing some of these on ebay, wasn't sure if they were worth anything...

Anyone can help?

Thanks!

[sko789]

so you mean like a in-person auto on a base card.

from what i know it actually decreases the value. the only time the auto's are legit are if they come from the card company.
maybe im wrong, someone else will chim in soon

[GreenCap]

so you mean like a in-person auto on a base card.

Yeah that's what I mean.

[Estovia]

Typically IP autos have little to no market value. People get them for their personal collection, not (typically) for the purpose of selling them.

The exceptions really only fall to players who are old or deceased and in the HOF, or players who's autographs are particularly hard to come by .. and even then you need authentication and/or a COA before anyone reputable with touch it.

Autographs can most certainly still be legit without being something pack-pulled with a company COA. There's a myriad of ways to get them.

Now if your question is "should I buy it?" I would say no. Unless there's something particular about THAT CARD that is drawing you to it, it's just a card that someone scribbled on with a marker. There's no good way to find out if it's a legit auto or not without sinking far too much money into the process.

[comfortably9numb]

yeah, if you get one, and you feel confident in it, it would increase the sentimental value, but most people stay away for those because they may be either completely faked, or auto-pen. Many people send cards through the mail to major athletes and some of them sign with an auto-pen machine (Gretzky does this), so if you aren't too good at spotting it, it may not be real even if the curves of the letters match up. Like I said, I'd stay away if you are looking for value to sell, but if it is a player you love and collect, I'd go for it if it looks legit. Just be sure to compare it to certified autos (ones by Upper Deck or Panini), and try to see any specific auto-pen issues.

[GreenCap]

Typically IP autos have little to no market value. People get them for their personal collection, not (typically) for the purpose of selling them.

The exceptions really only fall to players who are old or deceased and in the HOF, or players who's autographs are particularly hard to come by .. and even then you need authentication and/or a COA before anyone reputable with touch it.

Autographs can most certainly still be legit without being something pack-pulled with a company COA. There's a myriad of ways to get them.

Now if your question is "should I buy it?" I would say no. Unless there's something particular about THAT CARD that is drawing you to it, it's just a card that someone scribbled on with a marker. There's no good way to find out if it's a legit auto or not without sinking far too much money into the process.

yeah, if you get one, and you feel confident in it, it would increase the sentimental value, but most people stay away for those because they may be either completely faked, or auto-pen. Many people send cards through the mail to major athletes and some of them sign with an auto-pen machine (Gretzky does this), so if you aren't too good at spotting it, it may not be real even if the curves of the letters match up. Like I said, I'd stay away if you are looking for value to sell, but if it is a player you love and collect, I'd go for it if it looks legit. Just be sure to compare it to certified autos (ones by Upper Deck or Panini), and try to see any specific auto-pen issues.

Thanks for the replies!

[mysmith121350]

Yes they do provided that the autograph is real and can be seen clearly as well as the photo on the card is not completely covered. Also card condition must be a factor also. Just because the person says he or she got it signed in person doesn't mean it was. Take great care when looking at these cards and bidding on them.

[87sluggo]

Personally I love the hand-signed cards, I think they look fantastic...........but they're only worth what you're willing to pay for them in the end, I'm usually in the $2-5 range, more for some players, I just take it on faith that they're the real thing.........................

[30ranfordfan]

Are they worth something? I guess it depends on what you mean by "value" and to who.


I have many IP autos that I obtained myself. Most of them came from Team Canada WJC tryouts in the mid 90s. Most players never became stars, but a few did..... or at least serviceable NHLers. I have no desire to move them, at all.

I've got a couple of Gordie Howe IP autographs, that he signed for me when touring Canada to celebrate his 65th birthday. I have no desire, at all, to go out and buy a "certified" autograph of Mr. Hockey.... these two are enough for my collection, and the fact that he signed these for me personally, IMO - that makes them better in my collection.

What are these things worth in resale value though? Almost nothing. Most IP autos sell for $2-$5. Bigger stars like Howe, I'm sure I could flip those for $10 or $15.... but what's the point? If you're obtaining IP autos for the purpose of selling them (to make a profit) I would suggest there are much easier ways to make money.

Certified autographs (from the Card Companies) have pretty much killed any value for autograph'd cards from anyone else. You can say "it's only valuable with a COA" but that's not really true either. Anyone can write a COA. Most of them arn't worth the paper they're printed on. If I use my Gordie Howe autographs as an example.... if I include a piece of paper that says "I gaurentee that these autograph were obtained in person, at the Halifax Metro Centre, on XXX date" does that really make them any more valuable? I say it does not.... becuase you really don't know me, so what is my gaurentee really worth?


As was already mentioned, deceased players.... and players who have not signed certified autograph'd cards (for the card companies) do hold a bit of value. I can tell you that I've been working on a collection of Edmonton Oilers autographs. My goal - One autograph from every player to have ever played a game for them.

This is not easy. Most players from the last 10 years do have a pack pulled autograph, becuase of the rookie card obsession in today's hobby. Many players from the 80s or 90s though, they do not.

I'll use a couple of examples.... Jimmy Carson first. Until just recently (ITG's Motown Madness) he never had a certifed autograph card. This meant that the only way to get an autograph of his.... it would have been to meet him, mail to him, or purchase one that someone else did the same. They would quite often sell for a couple of bucks. He was never really a superstar, but he was a decent player for a long time in the NHL..... so he had lots of different cards over the years, and I'm sure signed 1000s of them.

The opposite end of the spectrum: Bob Dupuis. Anyone reading this is probably thinking "who??". They should :) He played 1 NHL game, back in 1979-80 (for the Oilers). I have seen his autograph show up online ONCE in the last five years. It was signed on piece of white paper, that was glued to a blue index card (and then put into a top loader). I did not win the eBay auction for it, becuase the $120 it sold for was much more than I was willing to pay. If someone could sell me an IP autographed card of Don Ashby tomorrow, I would be happy to pay "low end Bobby Orr" prices ($80-$100). Ashby played a few years in the NHL (EDM, TOR, COL) but died in 1981 (car accident). His autographs are almost non existant.


So really, I guess my answer is - not all IP autographs are created equal. If I have the good fortunre of meeting a player, and getting him to sign a card for me - that autograph is mine, and not for sale. It's worth more to me than it is to you. If you are dealing in IP autos, the pack pulled autos have killed that market..... except for players that have never signed for card companies.

[Sportfreund]

Yeah the autos I have, I want for my own collection and most of them were custom cards so it means something to me because they take a while to design and then print/cut/glue evenly. I've seen people selling them for $2-10 on eBay but it really isn't worth it for them to forge it and if they forged enough...they would get caught and called out by someone.

So no don't do it in order to make $.....that's why I never understand why people sometimes send 4 or 6 cards sometimes multiples of the same one to a player to sign.

Also, I don't really like the idea of having to pay a lot for an autograph especially at places like card shows and appearances which charge ridiculous fees at times. It doesn't feel personal that way, I'd rather get a cheap auto or one that I sent myself which I know the player took the time to sign, possibly read the letter, and mail back.