MrMopar's New Dodgers Autograph Thread (and other interesting items on a slow mailday)

[mrmopar]

I have a crapload of Steve Garvey signed cards. I was putting some of the new arrivals away and it reminded me just how many. There has been a recent surge in demand for his autograph in general it seems, but still a few key players driving the higher prices. If there is still a demand when he dies, I could be in a very good position to sell at that point. We'll see..

Today brought 3 more low serial numbered additions.

/2

/10

/20


Finally, this little gem. Apparently the green crown is all that tells you this is a pack issued autograph. It was a small set, maybe 6-8 subjects. Glad the Dodgers were represented, as this is a very eye catching card.

Just finished reading Michael Cramer's book. He was the sole owner of Pacific Trading Cards, who turned his early collecting interest into a thriving business. Pacific put out some great stuff in their time. Very interesting read for anyone who might be interested. I was especially interested, since he operated out of my area and I used to visit his retail card shop every once in a while as a kid. The magnitude of his inventory that I was clueless about at the time was astonishing

 

[George K]

I do not. That is one I do not expect to ever land. However, I thought the same of Betts and his glut of unlicensed Leaf autos that started flooding the market about a year ago gave me a chance. I don't see this happening with Ohtani, but stranger things have happened. So, I am saying there is still a chance...

Yeah. I once had a shot get an Ohtani signed baseball from Topps at $400, and I passed because I thought that was too much. Even those Ohtani Dodgers game-used cards that I've seen go for crazy money.

 

[mrmopar]

Another one of these Leaf multisigned cards. I win a few now and again.

This one is /10


This is a case where I toss out a low bid, expecting not to win, and end up winning. Low is relative, since this is kind of a garbage card. It still went for more than it should have, but since Reese died in 1999, getting him on a "certified" card is tough outside of Front Row or cuts.


Hatcher Timeless Teams.

A Garvey insert I did already have, but it was cheap. /75

 

[mrmopar]

Orosco /5. Love to win these at good prices. Especially Dodgers.


Podres

Wallach future Dodger on early Archives certified auto

 

[mrmopar]

The 2nd /5 arrived today


A pretty basic variant (/75 blue) that has eluded me for a bit, finally landed at a good price.

 

[mrmopar]

Coke card (oversized), most likely only available at signing events, as I have never seen unsigned copies out there.

 

[mrmopar]

A couple uninspiring dupes today. I have a few fun items coming soon though...

Garvey /99

Gonsolin. One of many injured Dodgers pitchers once again this year. His is on the 60 Day DL currently. Had 7 games pitched in 2025. Nothing like his 16-1 2022 season!

 

[mrmopar]

A pretty exciting mail day for me today, for a few reasons. You'll have to see the New arrival thread to see the rest of the story though.

A Pujols dual bat/au /7. The story will be told in the new arrivals thread, but couldn't leave out this card in the Dodgers thread.


Garvey insert to get me started with the thread and for the new topps product. Have not landed anything better yet.

Henriquez actually crossed a name off the Dodgers autograph wantlist, something that seems to becoming harder and harder to do lately.

Wood /39

Hudson, a brief Dodger.

Lastly, besides Pujols which would have been an amazing addition if I didn't already have him, is this nice lot of 14 4 1/2" x 6 3/4" Lite Beer Dodgers cards that are all signed. I don't recall ever seeing these before in person or even on a checklist. I am guessing they were probably reserved for signing events. The person I got them from was a former MLB executive, so who knows...

Hershiser or maybe just the overall scarcity of these probably drove the price of what I had to pay to get these. Lets just say it wasn't anywhere close to the deal I got on the full set of Coke signed PCs a few weeks back. Most of the lot is rather mundane when it comes to that era of Dodger signatures, but excited for the Jarrin and Hershiser, as well as the Madlock & Whitfield cards. Unlikely, but maybe this could be considered an oddball Jarrin first issue (Rookie), although I have seen older team photos. I didn't pinpoint the issue year, because I am not sure you can with only these players and they are undated. It's looking like 1985 is a real possibility, but 86 could be true too. Whitfield's last season was 1986. i see 85 mentioned on the back of a few cards and nothing later, but they backs don't really talk about current stats either.

I mean I love them all, but nobody gets excited for Tom Niedenfuer, not even Tom himself. Fun fact, my brother attended HS at the same time as Niedenfuer.

 

[mrmopar]

Noah Miller checks one off the wantlist. EDIT: Mixed him up with Noah Davis. Miller is still in the minors, so he doesn't check anything off the list yet, because he is not on the list yet. If he makes the team eventually, I am covered.


I'll buy a GU card now if it appeals to me. The relic is meaningless, but as a unique card I like when the price is right, I will add them. I like this design and don't have much from this set. Shawn Green. These are /175.

 

[mrmopar]

Reese TTM/IP


Couple Garvey items that are dupes

 

[mrmopar]

Finally nabbed one of these box topper au/25 and way cheaper than most sold for. Patience pays off this time. Very weird size though.

Gold /50


Hatcher /5

 

[mrmopar]

A couple days worth, as I was otherwise busy

New 2025 Topps /10. I have seen /5, /25 & /50 as well. This was the first one I could land.

/25.

These Timeless Teams were not serial numbered, but it's reported that this card is limited to 35 copies.


A couple doubles that were cheap and I couldn't pass on them. Ned Colletti, GM card. I can't say enough how much I love this concept of including front office people for signature cards. Generally speaking, they don't appeal to many collectors I am sure, kind of like checklists or the Umpire cards back in the day. Still, a great way to grab some really unique autos. Current Dodgers President Andrew Friedman is in this set, but not as a Dodger sadly. Colletti got that spot. The Downs is /50 and I think this may be my 3rd copy of this card after trying so hard to land one when they were new. A bunch of people who beat me out really overpaid! Now a few bucks and it's mine.

 

[mrmopar]

/2 Leaf bat unload. At least MOST of the players are pictured, a change from when these were new and MOST were just pics of jerseys. I still buy a few of these here and there, but mostly done with them.


Gonsolin /10

 

[mrmopar]

Garvey /49


Then there is this sticker atrocity, although it is a 1/1. Leaf is just beating up the sticker auto market by dumping 8 billion different versions of this stuff each year, following in UDs footsteps from several years back. Not a bad line up though. Thought I would be outbid, but was not. All 6 should be in the HOF, maybe someday they will.

 

[mrmopar]

I had not seen one of these before. It's basically a supplement or "update" for 1982 issues only. I bought it because there is a Garvey card showing on the front. Yes, I am that nutty for Garvey stuff, or at least I was. I am still going strong, but have let us the gas a bit in recent years. Still, weird stuff like this is always fun to add if it's reasonably prices.

Its the size of the old Beckett/Sport Americana guides and only maybe 30-40 pages. Basic, but still kind of cool.


Buehler and Gallo, two former Dodgers. Gallo is /25. I don't love B&W cards and there could be a better Dodger card for him and maybe there is, but this seems to be the one I see the most. he did only play in 33 games for them, so I guess i should be glad he at least got this one.

 

[mrmopar]

Another departed Dodger


Bob Ojeda.

in case anyone was not aware of the story...He had signed with the Indians as a free agent after completed the 1992 season with the Dodgers, as had his Dodgers teammate Tim Crews. The next year after spending the day with their families and having a good time while enjoying a rare day off during Cleveland Indians spring training, the 3 new teammates hopped in a boat after sunset on a small lake to go gator hunting. Shortly thereafter, Steve Olin and Tim Crews would become victims of a devastating boating accident. They would be the first active players killed since Thurman Munson had died in a plane crash in 1979. Completely coincidentally, today marks the 46th anniversary of Munson's death.

Crews, who was apparently legally drunk and piloting the boat, didn't see or was unable to maneuver quickly enough and hit a pier at a high rate of speed killing Olin instantly, hurting himself severely as well as "scalping" Ojeda. Crews died while on life support the next day, leaving Ojeda as the only survivor of this accident. He apparently lived only because he was slouched down in his seat at the time of the impact. His career was essentially done at that point, although he pitched 9 games for Cleveland later that season and appeared in 2 games for the Yankees the following season before officially retiring.

 

[mrmopar]

Some low end, low numbered stuff among some basic items as well

Jackson & Gonzalez /25

Verdugo, Gagne & Taylor

I luckily got this for a lot less than it might have gone for, as I mistakenly thought it was signed. It's a 1/1, but I think everything The Bar made was a 1/1! It's a garbage product only a demented player collector could like.

 

[mrmopar]

The insert I thought was signed (DOH!) and paid way too much for. Stupid small pictures and not taking time to pay attention, again! I never learn. This is /50.

Russell Martin

 

[mrmopar]

River Ryan, his name seems backwards every time I see it.

Only got the Perez, hopefully Berroa follows tomorrow. Both players from the same set, same seller (I did separate BINs though) and both had very brief times with the Dodgers.
Antonio Perez and Angel Berroa

 

[BucCollector]

The Russell Martin is pretty cool despite being horizontally oriented.