My beef with Memorabilia stores.

[W_Marone]

Ok guys, I am currently in Cooperstown, getting ready to go to the Hall of Fame tomorrow and today I was looking through the stores, since last time I was here I didnt purchase anything. One big problem I have is when I go into stores that have autographed baseballs current players who are ok signatures cost a great deal more than hall of famers autographed balls. For Example, a Stan Musial signed ball costs $ 69.00 and a Robinson Cano costs about $110.00. The same goes for a guy like Bill Mazeroski costs less than a guy like Jorge Posada or David Ortiz. Personally I find it ridiculous that a hall of famer's auto costs less than a current players sig. They get no respect.:( Is it just becuase people like the current players more or what is it?

[SouthSideChamps05]

I wouldnt say HOFers get no respect, but there stuff is probably still worth more. It's just that current players are much more popular. For example, you said David Ortiz. There's a hell of a lot more David Ortiz fans right now than there is a guy like Nap Lajoie, or Robin Roberts. Also, I can see that you are a huge Jonny Gomes fan. I bet that you'd rather have a Jonny Gomes auto (if you don't have one already) more than lets say, Luis Aparicio. It's all just popularity.

[W_Marone]

I wouldnt say HOFers get no respect, but there stuff is probably still worth more. It's just that current players are much more popular. For example, you said David Ortiz. There's a hell of a lot more David Ortiz fans right now than there is a guy like Nap Lajoie, or Robin Roberts. Also, I can see that you are a huge Jonny Gomes fan. I bet that you'd rather have a Jonny Gomes auto (if you don't have one already) more than lets say, Luis Aparicio. It's all just popularity.

I wish I could say that, but today I hunted down an autographed Jonny Gomes card, cost, thrity bucks, no way I'm paying that much, even for my favorite player, I much rather have a Juan Marichal or Richie Ashburn or Robin Roberts, or Stan Musial, etc. etc. More history behind them.

[SouthSideChamps05]

Yep, you're totally right to think that. But there is a lot of people who would rather have their current favorite player rather than a HOF. It's just with me, that an autograph from one of my favorite players, like Bobby Jenks or Joe Crede, would mean a little more, because I see them play everyday, and I have memories of them. Of course I'd take a Juan Marichal auto over any White Sox player, but I never saw Marichal play, he was on a team I don't at all care for, and I couldn't tell you a whole lot about him, besides that he's in the HOF.

[RuthMayBond]

Ok guys, I am currently in Cooperstown, getting ready to go to the Hall of Fame tomorrow and today I was looking through the stores, since last time I was here I didnt purchase anything. One big problem I have is when I go into stores that have autographed baseballs current players who are ok signatures cost a great deal more than hall of famers autographed balls. For Example, a Stan Musial signed ball costs $ 69.00 and a Robinson Cano costs about $110.00. The same goes for a guy like Bill Mazeroski costs less than a guy like Jorge Posada or David Ortiz. Personally I find it ridiculous that a hall of famer's auto costs less than a current players sig. They get no respect.:( I am in agreement with you 100% on this :grouchy :ughh :confused: :crazy :mad: :evil :noidea which certainly didn't hurt in my starting a HOF sig collection

[darthb]

good old supply and demand.

[forktender]

Here's my experience with the life-cycle of autographs.

Rookie/Prospect = Low $
Current Player average skills = Moderate $$
Current Player HOF potential = High $$$
Retired and out of the limelight = Starts to decline $$
Retired and out of the limelight and spends his days autographing = Sharp decline $
HOF and Dies = Back to High $$$

[Erik Bedard]

Honestly, who would rather have a Robinson Cano auto when they could have a Stan Musial one for 40$ less? That's just stupid.

[Mike D.]

Don't blame the stores...they simply charge what they can for the stuff. It's supply and demand. A new, hot player is going to be more in demand than a Hall of Famer for a couple of reasons:

1) Casual fans are interested in modern players, not older guys. Because of this, demand can be higher.

2) A HOFer has been signing for ages (Musial), where a newer player hasn't had as long to sign, and may not be a big signer. Because of this, supply is smaller.

[flyingdutchdude]

Its simple...... supply and demand!

Autograph values are driven more by scarcity than popularity at times.

Someone like Musial has been signing thousands of items a year for dozens of years, his autograph is extremely common, as is many other living HOFers. A modern player in thier 20's has only a fraction of the volumn of autographs out there compared to some of these 60-80 year old HOFers.

It the same reason why a Jake Beckley, Roger Conner, Ed Delahanty, or Addie Joss signed ball is worth 20X more than a Cy Young or Honus Wagner signed ball. because the supply is extremely low.