Does anyone ever see any overpriced autographed memorabilia?

[predatorkj]

I am talking autographed footballs and hats, jersey's, baseballs, bats, anything you can think of.

I had to go to the mall today with my wife's grandfather for christmas shopping and we stopped along at a booth selling auto'd sports memorabilia .They had a Steve Slaton auto'd football for $200.TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS! And it wasn't even an official NFL ball.It was a cheapy you can get at Academy for a 20 spot and some change.

I know for a fact that he is signing on Monday very near my house and I fully intend to nab some autos but I think they are charging maybe $10 an auto if that.I also mentioned this to the owner of the kiosk because my jaw dropped and they said it was a good price for his auto.Thats the only reason I mentioned anything.

They also had a Berkman bat going for a cool $300.Not game used or even personally owned by him might I add.Same for Bagwell and Biggio.They even had crappy photos in frames for $50 and they were unsigned.

I think the thing that bothered me most was that people were flocking around this booth like it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.I felt very badly for the people dishing out the money they were for the crap they got.This is bad.


And then I find its owned and operated by field of dreams.So that explained it.I just cannot believe people will not do a little more shopping around for this stuff.Hell...I would get you Slaton footballs all day long for $50 bucks(covers my gas, time, football and auto price) and still come out like a king.Maybe I need to set up my own booth out there.

I am all for people charging a fair price but this stuff is laughable.

 

[craiger122003]

Try coming to vegas to see pete rose parked at ceasars charging like 75 to 100
per auto then he gets the cash and hits the blackjack tables like clockwork all day every day as a ballplayer i respect his numbers but as a person he is a fraud/scam artist/douchbag

 

[predatorkj]

Try coming to vegas to see pete rose parked at ceasars charging like 75 to 100
per auto then he gets the cash and hits the blackjack tables like clockwork all day every day as a ballplayer i respect his numbers but as a person he is a fraud/scam artist/douchbag

Eh...I actually paid $35 a piece for my huge signed picture and my auto'd ball of his.

I guess its not a big deal to charge for an auto as much as its is(to me at least) to try to gouge something that is completely not worth what your charging.I mean...I guess a lot of people buy these things as a christmas present or a birth day present but if my wife ever came home with an auto of somebody like Slaton and I found out she paid two bills for it...I would want to know who she got it from and I would have a talk with them.Its also why I tell my wife never to get me auto's or stuff like that.She would have no idea what she is doing.I just feel bad for people.

 

[craiger122003]

Didn't mean to get off topic but just saying with rose you can watch him sign for like 3 hours then goes to the tables comes back for like 3 hours to sign then hits the tables again same cycle 24/7 for that guy But yes if i knew somebody bought mea slaton for 2 bills i would expect at the very least a COA

 

[predatorkj]

Didn't mean to get off topic but just saying with rose you can watch him sign for like 3 hours then goes to the tables comes back for like 3 hours to sign then hits the tables again same cycle 24/7 for that guy But yes if i knew somebody bought mea slaton for 2 bills i would expect at the very least a COA

Oh I am sure it comes with one but the fact that a lot of these autos can be had for free or close to it is what leads me to detest having anyone pay $200 for them or more.Especially when its unsuspecting people buying a gift.And I think that is exactly what this is geared towards.No self respecting collector would pay those prices.Of course you can always say that its the buyers fault but I would suspect they are just trying to get something nice and have no idea.

As for Rose...I have heard all sorts of crap about him but I have to follow my number 1 rule:I only collect based on performance in the sport.Anything else is merely a detail to me.Otherwise...I would probably only collect a few guys and even then I would always be worried they would pull something stupid or do something I do not agree with.I try to leave emotions out of my collecting habits for the most part.

 

[craiger122003]

Thats the same reason why i told my girlfriend NOT to buy me any baseball stuff
except for hats i said if you wanna get me some cards thats fine but let me do the deal its the same as a woman at a mechanic's shop per say true scammers can sniff out the weak ones as for rose i am sorry but i lost all respect for the guy and I didnt feel that way about him until i met him and saw how he works he is a snake

 

[EmeraldRain]

I remember that shop well.. at least as far as the insane pricing goes. My best friend worked for them 10 years ago when they had a shop around here. Walked in one day to see a Goalie stick in the case, auto'd by Kelly Hrudey(I was a big kings fan back then) and of course it wasn't a gamer but it was $250, which back then was probably like it being $500 now, just stupid prices.

If it's valuable enough to that person to pay that much, then to them it's a good deal.

I feel the same way watching people spend hundreds of dollars on gu cards, like what the hell are you thinking, that's just an inch or two of fabric!? In the end though, it makes them happy and that's what they collect, that's the hobby.. everyone has a spot.

 

[predatorkj]

I remember that shop well.. at least as far as the insane pricing goes. My best friend worked for them 10 years ago when they had a shop around here. Walked in one day to see a Goalie stick in the case, auto'd by Kelly Hrudey(I was a big kings fan back then) and of course it wasn't a gamer but it was $250, which back then was probably like it being $500 now, just stupid prices.

If it's valuable enough to that person to pay that much, then to them it's a good deal.

I feel the same way watching people spend hundreds of dollars on gu cards, like what the hell are you thinking, that's just an inch or two of fabric!? In the end though, it makes them happy and that's what they collect, that's the hobby.. everyone has a spot.

I could see your point but the difference (at least for me) is that the one inch of gu jersey you get in a card is at least somewhat limited whether or not the actual piece you get is limited or the card itself is numbered.Its unique in some way.Otherwise it would be a waste.Sure nothing beats the whole jersey but the card is limited in some way.These autos and these basic stock crud you can pick up at academy are not limited in any way.And the fact that even on a good day you can pick the same stuff up in any shop or on ebay for way less and it is really pretty bad.

To each their own but I would bet my bottom dollar a good percentage of those sales are to unsuspecting people buying a gift.Chances are if your collecting autos...you know better.

 

[jas1214]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

 

[autocut]

How can you say the autographed memorabilia is overpriced when people pay much more for an autographed card?

An autographed Warren Spahn baseball goes for $30-$40 on the Bay. You have a card that sells as high as $82. I guess it all depends on supply and demand. And when you think about a store, it's supply and demand (in that area) plus overhead.

 

[righteousmike]

Ah one booth in my mall I believe the same company Field of dreams, they were selling an IP Jeter auto on a really crappy card for $120 then a a few GU and autos of Okay players, and starting price was $20 at least,I think someone bought the Jeter as it was there for months and I went back recently to get gifts and wanted to take a look and it wasn't there.

 

[archiebunkerjr]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

This is exactly what I was thinking when I saw the subject heading. The next thing I thought of was Upper Deck Authenticated.

 

[A_Pharis]

Going to a small show today that will be ALL overpriced. I'll let you guys know.

 

[predatorkj]

How can you say the autographed memorabilia is overpriced when people pay much more for an autographed card?

An autographed Warren Spahn baseball goes for $30-$40 on the Bay. You have a card that sells as high as $82. I guess it all depends on supply and demand. And when you think about a store, it's supply and demand (in that area) plus overhead.

Because the card may or may not be limited.But for the most part it is.I mean I know these companies churn these things out like there is no tomorrow but if you take the Spahn auto...lets say its numbered to 500.There are only 500 of that exact card in the world.I know these days even that kinda seems normal and no big deal but if you really think about it...it does make it limited.The lower the number...you get the drill.

But what I saw would be like me driving to acadmey and picking up a random football and then getting the player to sign it.Then turning around and selling it for a huge amount.Sound good so far?But the thing is...that player signs for free several times during the season.Even then he is not even a star yet.Its not like we are talking about Roger Staubach here.This guy is a rookie.The fact that he is doing good should not warrant a $200 price tag.I know its their stuff and if I don't like the price...I shouldn't buy it.Let it go and move on.I just think very poorly of it though because I do think its all about preying on people.Nothing less and nothing more.

In any case...I will enjoy the hell out of getting the very same players auto monday evening.Oh...and by the way...I will save about $190 on it too.What a hell of a deal huh?

 

[predatorkj]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

Steiner is a joke. I would never buy anything through them.Hell...I couldn't afford to if I wanted to.

 

[jas1214]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

Steiner is a joke. I would never buy anything through them.Hell...I couldn't afford to if I wanted to.

I completely agree - but there must be a lot of people shelling out the dough cause they've been in business a long time.

 

[predatorkj]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

Steiner is a joke. I would never buy anything through them.Hell...I couldn't afford to if I wanted to.

I completely agree - but there must be a lot of people shelling out the dough cause they've been in business a long time.

I thought that some of the steiner athletes were exclusive.Thats what I heard anyway.People like Derek Jeter and such.That kinda puts a monopoly on the market unless your gonna go after cards of his that are auto'd.

I think its bogus to charge those prices for an undead non HOF player.I am sure some of them, will get in but as of right now...the prices do not equal the performance or rarirty of the auto.

Basically the same way I feel about the Slaton football.Its not rare and his performance has been great so far.But lets not start charging HOF money for a rookie RB .

 

[EmeraldRain]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

Steiner is a joke. I would never buy anything through them.Hell...I couldn't afford to if I wanted to.

I completely agree - but there must be a lot of people shelling out the dough cause they've been in business a long time.

I thought that some of the steiner athletes were exclusive.Thats what I heard anyway.People like Derek Jeter and such.That kinda puts a monopoly on the market unless your gonna go after cards of his that are auto'd.

I think its bogus to charge those prices for an undead non HOF player.I am sure some of them, will get in but as of right now...the prices do not equal the performance or rarirty of the auto.

Basically the same way I feel about the Slaton football.Its not rare and his performance has been great so far.But lets not start charging HOF money for a rookie RB .

The way of the prospectors.. it's really no different. Prices seem silly and downright stupid most of the time imho, but there's clearly a market for it, otherwise FoD, Steiner, etc. would be out of business.

 

[predatorkj]

Yep - this website is pretty much dedicated to this exact topic http://www.steinersports.com

Steiner is a joke. I would never buy anything through them.Hell...I couldn't afford to if I wanted to.

I completely agree - but there must be a lot of people shelling out the dough cause they've been in business a long time.

I thought that some of the steiner athletes were exclusive.Thats what I heard anyway.People like Derek Jeter and such.That kinda puts a monopoly on the market unless your gonna go after cards of his that are auto'd.

I think its bogus to charge those prices for an undead non HOF player.I am sure some of them, will get in but as of right now...the prices do not equal the performance or rarirty of the auto.

Basically the same way I feel about the Slaton football.Its not rare and his performance has been great so far.But lets not start charging HOF money for a rookie RB .

The way of the prospectors.. it's really no different. Prices seem silly and downright stupid most of the time imho, but there's clearly a market for it, otherwise FoD, Steiner, etc. would be out of business.

I think the difference in prospectors and this instance is that prospectors are after rare first cards of a player.Those would be worth mega bucks if that player ever makes it big.If Steve Slaton ever makes it big his auto on a regular ordinary ball probably won't go for too much more than $200.And thats a big if.Most people are not willing to shell out for an "if" unless its a rare and possibly profitable "if".At $200 with hardly any rarity at all...thats a pretty damn dumb thing to do and a pretty big "if".We are not talking a rare item here.

Oh well...I can't complain.I just dropped $30 tonight and got him on a ball, a team ball, and a 16x20.I do understand though that there may be people out there willing to pay the big bucks.I just happen to think they are being taken advantage of.