Why the fascination with autos/auto cards?

[shepsspot]

What I dont get about this thread is this. Why do you have a sig with two "iconic" rookie cards and then change then to something they are not? Superfractors WITH autos! I dont follow these boards enough to know if its the new big thing or not but I just find that funny.

Shep

 

[flightposite]

To the last two posts: I am not saying I don't like autos... I'm merely asking why people think the industry got to the point where stuff has to be auto'd.

 

[muchuckwagon]

While I do agree...not a lot in this hobby makes sense. Why does someone pay $2k to $5k for a card of a player than might never throw a pitch or have a single MLB at bat? For $200 you can get a RC of a HOF player like Henderson (PSA 9) or Gwynn (PSA 10) for $200 or less.....Boggs (PSA 10) rookies sell for as low as $30.

Too me it seems that too much emphasis is put on the autograph in the sports card industry. When a player is dead and gone, he will have left literally hundreds of thousands of autographs... Why do people care so much if their card is autographed?

I'm sure some of you will say that it brings you closer to the player, he touched that card. Well, sticker autos have been serving the same purpose in the industry for years now and most would still take a sticker auto'd rookie 100x over a nice looking base rookie.

I think that the importance placed on the auto has grown too much in the industry. Doesn't anyone like just a nice plain rookie with not auto or game used? That's what makes the iconic cards in the industry iconic. When you think about it, isn't an auto sort of dumb anyway? I mean, you are adding meaning to something because someone just scribbled there name on it (and in most cases, I do mean scribbled).

Just a thought... I know about 99% of people are going to disagree, so please, tell me why autos are so great.

 

[predatorkj]

To the last two posts: I am not saying I don't like autos... I'm merely asking why people think the industry got to the point where stuff has to be auto'd.

My guess to that is they just figured that once they started they couldn't go back and take it away.If they had done so...it would not be taken lightly by most collectors.Another thing is...they most likely felt that getting the cards to be auto'd would create and even greater interest in something that was clearly dying down 10 years ago.So they started creating GU and autos to spice it up a bit and bring in new collectors as well as old ones who had grown tired of the card hobby as it was.Now people think of autos and GU as they used to think of base and inserts.Pretty soon (hopefully) there will be a new type of card that comes out and they spark a lot of interest.

The whole point is...you can't really introduce something like that and then take it away.It would probably make the hobby take a great hit.

 

[Mighty Bombjack]

Does anyone know the process of how a manufacture obtains each autograph weather it be on sticker or on card? Do they send the stickers or cards to the player and then in turn they are sent back to the manufacture? What steps are in place to insure that the autographs are "real"?

Topps used to have a representative watch the player sign all of the cards, but I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. I was lucky enough to do a few of them when I worked there. The other companies are pretty open about the fact that they send the cards/sheet of stickers to the player and have him sign and send them back.

 

[bc81758]

Here is an example of why some people want autographs on cards:

1st card is a cert'd autographed sticker.
2nd card is a cert'd on card autograph.
3rd card has an autograph I got in person from Andre with an inscription.

People have different reasons why they like autographs on cards. For me, I like to get autographs in person in part to talk to the athlete and shoot the bull with them if you will. Also for me, I know the sig I get is legit since i saw Andre sign the card with my own 2 eyes.

 

[klute14]

I couldn't agree more.

While I do agree...not a lot in this hobby makes sense. Why does someone pay $2k to $5k for a card of a player than might never throw a pitch or have a single MLB at bat? For $200 you can get a RC of a HOF player like Henderson (PSA 9) or Gwynn (PSA 10) for $200 or less.....Boggs (PSA 10) rookies sell for as low as $30.

Too me it seems that too much emphasis is put on the autograph in the sports card industry. When a player is dead and gone, he will have left literally hundreds of thousands of autographs... Why do people care so much if their card is autographed?

I'm sure some of you will say that it brings you closer to the player, he touched that card. Well, sticker autos have been serving the same purpose in the industry for years now and most would still take a sticker auto'd rookie 100x over a nice looking base rookie.

I think that the importance placed on the auto has grown too much in the industry. Doesn't anyone like just a nice plain rookie with not auto or game used? That's what makes the iconic cards in the industry iconic. When you think about it, isn't an auto sort of dumb anyway? I mean, you are adding meaning to something because someone just scribbled there name on it (and in most cases, I do mean scribbled).

Just a thought... I know about 99% of people are going to disagree, so please, tell me why autos are so great.

 

[kentuckyderby]

great thread.

I have often thought the same

I had zero auto cards until the 2002 USA products. I then became addicted to those cards and I cannot say why.

I don't know how to answer your question but it is an interesting one

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

Great topic. I like cards more than autos so I don't need too many autos in my collection, just a few to make things a little more interesting. I guess I'm more of a card purist, for me a 'simpler' card without too many extras is better and more 'pure' if you will.

Too me it seems that too much emphasis is put on the autograph in the sports card industry. When a player is dead and gone, he will have left literally hundreds of thousands of autographs... Why do people care so much if their card is autographed?

I'm sure some of you will say that it brings you closer to the player, he touched that card. Well, sticker autos have been serving the same purpose in the industry for years now and most would still take a sticker auto'd rookie 100x over a nice looking base rookie.

I think that the importance placed on the auto has grown too much in the industry. Doesn't anyone like just a nice plain rookie with not auto or game used? That's what makes the iconic cards in the industry iconic. When you think about it, isn't an auto sort of dumb anyway? I mean, you are adding meaning to something because someone just scribbled there name on it (and in most cases, I do mean scribbled).

Just a thought... I know about 99% of people are going to disagree, so please, tell me why autos are so great.