Changing Signatures

[duckydps]

I was wondering if any of you have noticed players signatures being different on TTM auto's rather than ones that signed for dealers such as Steiner Sports or different over time. I have a David Justice signed bat that looks great and then I have one I just got TTM and it looks like he got in a hurry and signed it a little different. Just curious if you guys have noticed anything like this...

[Pods fan 22]

last year at sox fest joe crede seemed like he was in a real bad mood, sigend my world series ball extreamly slopy.

[forktender]

Most of these guys get big $$ for paid signings with Steiner ,TriStar, Mounted, etc., so you bet they're gonna take there time and get it right! Depending on the player, and number of pieces, the player can make $100K in a couple of hours!

Edit to add: Consistancy is key with the big memorabilia distributors.

[AutographCollector]

Give me 100 baseball cards to sign, and I guarantee you, my signature will NOT look the same on all of the them. Hell my sig changes now all the time at work. It just depends on my mood.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Can anyone explain why Carl Yastrzemski's signature on his 1967 Topps card is so different than his distinctive signature seen everywhere else?

[dmbfan]

Can anyone explain why Carl Yastrzemski's signature on his 1967 Topps card is so different than his distinctive signature seen everywhere else?

If you look at many of the cards that have reprinted autographs on the cards and the player's autograph obtained in person or TTM, they will look different. The reason for this is that the card companies (many times Topps) lifts the players' signatures off of the contracts that they sign and place them on the photo on the card. If you ever get a chance to look at the 1989 Bowman cards that have the preprinted signatures, guys like Tim Raines, will have Timothy Raines.

[jakre]

Could be a couple things. I think Topps forged many of the facsimilie signatures back in the old days. Also guys will change they're signature at times. Below are two Gary Gaetti sigs signed a year apart in person.

17508

17509

[Captain Cold Nose]

If you look at many of the cards that have reprinted autographs on the cards and the player's autograph obtained in person or TTM, they will look different. The reason for this is that the card companies (many times Topps) lifts the players' signatures off of the contracts that they sign and place them on the photo on the card. If you ever get a chance to look at the 1989 Bowman cards that have the preprinted signatures, guys like Tim Raines, will have Timothy Raines.
Well, sure, but the difference between the reprinted sigs is distinct, even.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1967-TOPPS-CARL-YASTRZEMSKI-355-bK-60-00-EXMT_W0QQitemZ140071679950QQihZ004QQcategoryZ60492 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/CARL-YASTRZEMSKI-1977-TOPPS-480-NEAR-MINT_W0QQitemZ230074274459QQihZ013QQcategoryZ60506 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The sigs I actually have of Yaz resemble the latter. Maybe he changed at some point in his career, I don't know. But that's a bit drastic.

I posted the above before I saw Gaetti's autographs. Maybe it's ease on the wrist? Who knows?

[dmbfan]

It's not uncommon for some players' signatures to change completely. A good example of this is Mickey Mantle. If anyone has seen examples of his signature from his playing days and compare it with his signature when he really started hitting the autograph show circuit, which is the most recognizable, you would swear that two different people signed, much like the Gaetti example listed. This is why it's important to be knowledgable about the hobby as well.

[Dalkowski110]

I have one card and one baseball that were signed by Willie Mays (the baseball is a team ball, but Dad has a signature key for it). He signed the card when he was really tired, and as such, it came out a lot more "deliberate" looking, where you could tell he was just trying to sign his name straight. On the other hand, on the team ball, it just flows really nicely and looks great. It's almost a dead ringer for the autograph price guide examples (I can't say the same about Davey Williams, the Giants second baseman...his hand slipped and his signature curls upwards as a result).

[Mad Guru]

When I was younger I had Mitch Williams sign a Bowman card with a replica signature on it at a game. He looked at it and said "Whose signature is on the card already? It's not mine".