OK, I Give Up.... Help Identify 1968 NFL Auto's

[JessEm]

I posted this on Beckett for a few weeks without much luck. I'm hoping someone has some insight...

Help. I have these NFL autos but, for the life of me, I cannot figure out WHAT they are. Google? No help.

The players are:
Willie Wood - Packers
Don Perkins - Cowboys
Wayne Walker - Lion's
Dave Osborn - Vikings

Here's some clues.
- Signed in 1968
- Framed, 7.5" x 10.5" overall dimensions.
- NFL teams (not AFL)
- Real Kodak photographs (these were probably expensive to make)
- Limited production, with COA.
- Two player signatures. (On front, and COA on back).

I tried Google search terms like:
- 1968 NFL autograph picture / photo
- "Certification Of Genuineness" NFL
- Vintage Framed NFL Photo Autograph

No luck.

I have a few thoughts which may, or may not be accurate.
- Too limited to be a Season Ticket Holder perk.
- Multiple teams indicate 'front office' or league-wide origin.
- The earliest examples of Certified Memorabilia/autos I'm aware of.

Here's the pics. Any thoughts are appreciated. If anyone can confirm that one of these photos was also used on a particular card, or a Team Issue Photograph, it would go a long way to identify them.

[JessEm]

Someone on Beckett found this picture but he has no clue what it's from. It's the same Don Perkins, which at least proves it's from somewhere.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1579/perkins.jpg

At this point I'm really leaning torward a connection to Team Issue Photos. If someone can confirm that one of these pictures is the same, it would go a long way torward identifying them.

[jaydoublez]

Original photo shoot pictures for team and cards

[JessEm]

Original photo shoot pictures for team and cards

Thanks, jaydoublez. Any and all ideas and thoughts on these are appreciated! I'm coming to the same conclusion...

It would be great if someone can confirm that one of these pictures is the same as a Team Issue Photo. Probably would've been a '68... Thx.

[JessEm]

Bump for more views. I'm keeping the Osborn for myself. The Walker is gone.

[xdvop86]

They are called promotional pictures. Teams used to give them out to kids or too people who wrote in asking for freebies. I have a couple of the ones from the Cowboys from the early 70's. As far as the signiture, I would say it is just something that someone typed up. I have seen something like it on 5x7 cards before. I hope this helps.

[JessEm]

... As far as the signiture, I would say it is just something that someone typed up. I have seen something like it on 5x7 cards before. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the input... Not sure I follow.. The signatures are definately genuine, not typed up... If you're referring to the COA's being typed up, that wouldn't make sense either, because those are also signed by the players...

[xdvop86]

I was talking about the fan types up the COA and had it signed by the player.

[JessEm]

I was talking about the fan types up the COA and had it signed by the player.

Ok, I see what you're saying but it doesn't quite fit. A COA signed separately kind of defeats the purpose... Especially if it's something 'homemade' from a fan. Also, it seems unlikely that all of these players would sign something stating their signature on something else is real, without knowing what that something else is.

They are all dated within a two week period also, which, at least in my mind, makes it even less plausible that they were obtained by a fan.

It's a damn mystery.

[JessEm]

Second Saturday in March bump!