What's the most you'll spend on an auto?

[jyosi]

I won't pay for a signing to meet a player, but I do spend some money on certified pieces.

To answer the question of most I've ever paid, it was $320 for a Ken Griffey Jr. UDA Mariners jersey. Second most was $250 for a Griffey Jr. UDA Mariners batting helmet. Griffey is the only player I will shell out the cash for. He was the greatest player that I grew up watching (the only person you could argue was better was Barry Bonds), the UDA certificates are 100% legit, and I am not going to be getting Griffey in person ever and even if I did how much would an Authentic Collection Griffey Mariners jersey made by Russell circa 1997 cost me to purchase blank to get signed? Then if I do find that jersey and the stars align and Griffey is signing in front of me I still have to pray that he switches to a silver paint pen and the thing works perfectly.

Anyway, I digress.

Cliff's Notes: $320 for a UDA Griffey Jr. Mariners jersey.

[*censored*]

im not saying i dont want a jordan its just i dont like it wen ppl brag about a collection that they put no work into and just bought

My thoughts exactly.

And while it's true that we all pay in some form or another (as mentioned via postage for TTM's, gas spent in driving, etc.), to me there's a difference. Those have a degree of gambling and having to work, whereas finding a paid signing and buying a ticket or mailing your item involves limited work. I take pride in having worked for my collection. I've found the hotels. I've made the connections with others to let me know where players are, and I do the same for them. I've stood in single degree temperatures with a 30-mph wind blowing down the road at me and only come away with five signed cards. I've gone waited around in rain and snow. I've stood in 100+ degree temperatures in scorching sun and come away with only a handful. I've walked a mile to a hotel on what turned out to be a bad tip to find out the team is staying at a different one.

And on the other side, I've had days of 50 and 60 new additions to the collection.

I've made my trades to get what I want. I've gotten help from other collectors via 50/50's and such, and helped them out to get what they're looking for.

The point is, I worked for it. I didn't just throw money at it on a guarantee of getting what I wanted. And in my years of working at it, who have I gotten? Ernie Banks, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Dominik Hasek, Yogi Berra, Sidney Crosby, Terrell Owens, Charles Barkley, Bob Feller, Maurice Richard, Mariano Rivera, Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez, and a couple thousand others. And I didn't buy them or pay for a signing. I put in the work to get what I wanted.

Anyone can take pride in their collection, and they should. But the real sense of pride should come from the work of putting it together.

[awz50]

My thoughts exactly.

And while it's true that we all pay in some form or another (as mentioned via postage for TTM's, gas spent in driving, etc.), to me there's a difference. Those have a degree of gambling and having to work, whereas finding a paid signing and buying a ticket or mailing your item involves limited work. I take pride in having worked for my collection. I've found the hotels. I've made the connections with others to let me know where players are, and I do the same for them. I've stood in single degree temperatures with a 30-mph wind blowing down the road at me and only come away with five signed cards. I've gone waited around in rain and snow. I've stood in 100+ degree temperatures in scorching sun and come away with only a handful. I've walked a mile to a hotel on what turned out to be a bad tip to find out the team is staying at a different one.

And on the other side, I've had days of 50 and 60 new additions to the collection.

I've made my trades to get what I want. I've gotten help from other collectors via 50/50's and such, and helped them out to get what they're looking for.

The point is, I worked for it. I didn't just throw money at it on a guarantee of getting what I wanted. And in my years of working at it, who have I gotten? Ernie Banks, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Dominik Hasek, Yogi Berra, Sidney Crosby, Terrell Owens, Charles Barkley, Bob Feller, Maurice Richard, Mariano Rivera, Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez, and a couple thousand others. And I didn't buy them or pay for a signing. I put in the work to get what I wanted.

Anyone can take pride in their collection, and they should. But the real sense of pride should come from the work of putting it together.

You could not of put that any better man!

[yellowsuby03]

Wayne Gretzky game puck..paid him a little over $200 for one.

but i am about 50/50 on getting free ones vs. paying for certain ones. some players sign crappy when rushed..but at a sit down you get much nicer autos and i get nicer things signed when paying for them.

[walker066]

My thoughts exactly.

And while it's true that we all pay in some form or another (as mentioned via postage for TTM's, gas spent in driving, etc.), to me there's a difference. Those have a degree of gambling and having to work, whereas finding a paid signing and buying a ticket or mailing your item involves limited work. I take pride in having worked for my collection. I've found the hotels. I've made the connections with others to let me know where players are, and I do the same for them. I've stood in single degree temperatures with a 30-mph wind blowing down the road at me and only come away with five signed cards. I've gone waited around in rain and snow. I've stood in 100+ degree temperatures in scorching sun and come away with only a handful. I've walked a mile to a hotel on what turned out to be a bad tip to find out the team is staying at a different one.

And on the other side, I've had days of 50 and 60 new additions to the collection.

I've made my trades to get what I want. I've gotten help from other collectors via 50/50's and such, and helped them out to get what they're looking for.

The point is, I worked for it. I didn't just throw money at it on a guarantee of getting what I wanted. And in my years of working at it, who have I gotten? Ernie Banks, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Dominik Hasek, Yogi Berra, Sidney Crosby, Terrell Owens, Charles Barkley, Bob Feller, Maurice Richard, Mariano Rivera, Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez, and a couple thousand others. And I didn't buy them or pay for a signing. I put in the work to get what I wanted.

Anyone can take pride in their collection, and they should. But the real sense of pride should come from the work of putting it together.

I commend you on your collection. You have a great story. However, people don't always have the time you might have. I for one, don't always have that time to follow people to hotels, restaurants, parking lots, outside stadiums, etc. So why shouldn't I feel that my collection is just as good as anyone else's because I paid a couple hundred bucks for it IP?

I have a story with some of my autographs (like Mariano Rivera coming to my house in 2002 which I'm sure tops a majority of people), but some of my stories are getting them at a show. I don't buy them off dealers or ebay, so I know mine are still IP. Some people just prefer it that way. All of my favorite teams/players aren't in my general area and when they are, I'm just happy to see them playing the sport instead of chasing them around the city for a couple of days.

I respect people who do it your way, but sometimes I feel like people who wait in front of hotels are the reason why some athlete's refuse to sign. Not saying it's right or wrong, but people can be pests who do it this way.

[Eddie_2]

I never spend anything that crazy, like what some of the Philadelphia athletes get around here. To me, I can never justify spending over $100 on an autograph, I rather spend that money elsewhere or on season tickets, etc. But the bottom line is everyone spends money on autographs, from the gas in your car, to the amount of getting the tickets, to buying the baseball/items you want signed. So there is never a truly free autograph out there. I have friends who go to Spring Training each season to get autographs, but they pay big money for plane tickets, hotels, game tickets, food, gas, etc, etc. So there is never that truly free autograph that people talk about.


I will say a couple things, I will probably never pay more than 30 bucks for a paid IP signing because to me, I rather give some effort on my part and try them IP or TTM, or just buy a certified autograph card of them off ebay. Because if I pay that amount at the paid IP signing, I still have to get said autograph certified, and that isn’t cheap to do.

But at the same time, I commend the people that just pony up the money and pay for those signings. I don’t think other people should give them any crap about it either, they are spending their hard earn money on an autograph they really want, and they don’t want to go through the IP hassle of dealing with the jerks, dealers, and double dippers.


I’ve also send donations TTM, and I have no problem doing that. In my opinion if a player wants anywhere from 1-10 bucks for his signature TTM and you complain about it, stop being cheap and just pony the money up. I remember someone was yelling about Sid Bream asking for $1. C’mon man it’s one stinking dollar! But to each their own.

[walker066]

I never spend anything that crazy, like what some of the Philadelphia athletes get around here. To me, I can never justify spending over $100 on an autograph, I rather spend that money elsewhere or on season tickets, etc. But the bottom line is everyone spends money on autographs, from the gas in your car, to the amount of getting the tickets, to buying the baseball/items you want signed. So there is never a truly free autograph out there. I have friends who go to Spring Training each season to get autographs, but they pay big money for plane tickets, hotels, game tickets, food, gas, etc, etc. So there is never that truly free autograph that people talk about.


I will say a couple things, I will probably never pay more than 30 bucks for a paid IP signing because to me, I rather give some effort on my part and try them IP or TTM, or just buy a certified autograph card of them off ebay. Because if I pay that amount at the paid IP signing, I still have to get said autograph certified, and that isn’t cheap to do.

But at the same time, I commend the people that just pony up the money and pay for those signings. I don’t think other people should give them any crap about it either, they are spending their hard earn money on an autograph they really want, and they don’t want to go through the IP hassle of dealing with the jerks, dealers, and double dippers.


I’ve also send donations TTM, and I have no problem doing that. In my opinion if a player wants anywhere from 1-10 bucks for his signature TTM and you complain about it, stop being cheap and just pony the money up. I remember someone was yelling about Sid Bream asking for $1. C’mon man it’s one stinking dollar! But to each their own.

Well said. But why would you need to get it certified if you got it IP?

[Eddie_2]

Well said. But why would you need to get it certified if you got it IP?

I like my autographs to be certified, especially if the player is a big name. Plus, it's easier to do trades with people if they know your autographs from your collection are certified.

[Texas Red]

I'd like to get a Davey O'Brien autograph some day.

Those seem to be pricing now around $900-$1,200.

Like I said, I'd like to get one, but it would be VERY HARD for me to justify spending that much coin on an autograph.

Hey, maybe I'll be blessed enough to get one on the cheap eventually.

[magic_bobcat]

It would be virtually impossible for me to get IP autographs of many people as they play 1000s of miles away. Does that make me feel my collection is worthless no. But I would LOVE to get to meet some players. I am insanely jealous and feel for some people on here its just become as routine as watching a tv programme. I just hope you people realise how lucky you are to live near your favourite team, or have the ability to do ttm.