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

[mrmopar]

Pretty much a weeks worth of mail call after we lost power the afternoon of Tuesday because of the "Bomb Cyclone" that hit our area. It felt like a typical windstorm we see some winters, but whatever...

Garvey/Schmidt/Rise /12
Garvey /4
Nastrini /25
Vendette/Urias TTM/IP
Grimes, Furillo, Reese, Snider, Pafko on 2 8x10 and one 5x7

I really like these, but they are not easy to find, nor are they very cheap considering the line-up. I had to get Johnny Oates when i saw one and now I have Lopes. I don't recall who the Dodger manager was at the time, but have never seen one available. Maybe Jim Tracy or Davey Johnson? There is probably a Dusty Baker as well. Not sure if any more Dodger connections off the top of my head, but my active search for them turns up 1-2 a month maybe..


Two more of these goodies...after not seeing any for YEARS! Wall & Garman, both in a full sports section like the other 3 I found before.

 

[mrmopar]

A couple of real obscure guys who did short stints with the Dodgers in the 80s.




These may be aftermarket fakes, not sure. The regular patches were about the size of a 4 pocket page. These fit into a standard toploader


A 2nd copy (with a different front photo oddly enough) of the paper with the Scrapbooks arrived today as well, containing the Garman and Wall items. No pic needed.

Finally, another Al Oliver Archives. this one to /38

 

[mrmopar]

Anxiously awaiting a few big pick-ups. Until then...

Vargas /10

DePaula /25. I couldn't land a Bowman, but I can win his off brand stuff. That is the joy of collecting autos. I don't been the "premier" copy. Odds are, most of them selling for stupid $ upon issue will tank in value anyway. The big downside is a card that is not clearly a Dodger card, even though he is with the team currently.

 

[mrmopar]

Another cheap Vargas and this Taylor had eluded me until now. What if the Mariners had held on to him. Of course, when he played in Everett, it was a year I didn't go to the trading card set giveaway either.

 

[mrmopar]

As we approach December, I realized this thread is coming up on the 5th full year that I have been sharing Dodger additions to my collection. That is crazy to me, as it feels like I just started doing it. I never meant to go this long and I have even trimmed it down a fair amount lately when I win 20-30+ signed cards from sellers who sell singles. I no longer take the time to post each of those cheaper single cards and I don't seem to be able to click and save ebay scans now, another solid USELESS change they have made.

I cut way back on the monthly pick up threads recently as well and know that I will miss it if I stop all together, but still wanting to cut way back on my buying and thinking about maybe modifying this one to only show actual NEW Dodger additions. That will be a seldom updated thread at that point, but will also mean no more Garvey updates! I have a month to think it over before I hit the 5 year anniversary.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

Thank You fellow Dodgers fan for sharing your Dodger collection.
2024 World Series Champions Dodgers
Go Dodgers!

 

[mrmopar]

I was able to negotiate a deal with someone (via ebay) for 10 issues of the Herald Examiner that contained Dodger Scrapbook "cards". They arrived yesterday. I have 21 different subjects now, but doubtful that is a full set, since there are a couple gaps in the dates of the issues. Hoping this same person had a few more he missed the first time! The major excitement for me was that one of the issues had the Steve Garvey!


A few Dodger related items as well. I have the trivia game already, but it was a much smaller box. It might have been a booster edition. The trivia cards are about the size of standard trading cards and will often be sold to oddball collectors because the names are featured. I'll admit I would collect them for that reason, except I am not willing to pay $2-3 per card like most sellers seem to want. I paid about $5 for the entire game, although the shipping was 2X+ that!

The Heritage strip is a tribute to the salesman samples and featured Sandy Koufax on the back.

 

[mrmopar]

LKast November mailday.

Garvey SC /5. I do like a good green card. This is the first/only SC Garvey auto I have been able to win so far. The price for cheaper Garvey basic autos has gone up in recent years, at least until set builders get their fill.

Garvey T206

Still after 25+ years on ebay and nearly daily searches, I rarely see this magazine pop up. This magazine had regional covers at this time. This one seems to be a bit harder to find for whatever reason.

Lofton /25

Osteen/Debus

 

[Dodgerfan74]

I remember those Herald Examiner papers with the cards. I grew up reading the Herald Examiner and LA Times sports papers. Even the local Daily News-San Fernando valley.
I kept some of them, but no longer have them. I’m pretty sure I had that Sport magazine Garvey issue too

 

[mrmopar]

It was a Garvey kind of day. Archives /22, Pristine 60/75


4x6 custom print. Only a buck, but not worth much more, if that.


Carousel. Have one with a more complete address, but they are getting harder and harder to find certain addresses.


Finally, an Outman Au

 

[mrmopar]

I am naturally hesitant to chase stuff like this, because I really don't have the knowledge. I did check out similar Goodman coats before making a bid and feel as though I saw enough to justify my purchase either way.

From what i found, there are W.A. Goodman & Sons coats that were either made for major league club and/or they also made professional model coats for retail purchase. They were a retailer in the LA area years back and supplied various uniforms to various clubs. Here are some photos I found online. You can see on both examples, a name is stitched on the back of the coat, adding to the authenticity factor.


Danny Goodman, who was the marketing master of the Dodger for many years also sold coats through his mail order and concessions. It would appear that the quality between the two was substantial, but I would want to have a souvenir stand coat in hand to feel the difference. I am not opposed to buying one if the right one at the right price came around.


An ebay seller advertised this one as a Garvey owned/worn coat, and although it is clearly one of the nicer "professional" coats, there is no name stenciled on back like many of them I saw did. If there had been, it probably would have sold for a lot more $ too. The seller was not selling a bunch of stuff, which kind of helps me feel better. about this too If Garvey actually gave this jacket to someone back in the day, odds are it was a fan who held on to it for a bit and not some mega seller who has endless piles of stuff to sell. However, anyone could also write any name on a blank tag and that doesn't mean squat, unless you matched their handwriting. I really don't know what to think.

In the end, I figured the opening price of the coat was worth it alone and went for it. I ended up winning at the opening bid. Now I just have to wonder if Garvey ever wore/owned this or if someone just put his name in one that had a blank tag. Could it have been a spare that those without coats could grab from the clubhouse or the bench or did this sit on a rack on a showroom floor?

It is a solid, well made jacket that is of very nice quality either way.

 

[mrmopar]

1966 Dodgers Photo pack. Most of mine are 70s/80s with a few 60s. This may be the first that contained a Koufax for me.

Mickey Owen

 

[mrmopar]

Bought these from one seller because they were pretty cheap and also just in case. I didn't need any of their signatures, as I had other cards already for all 4. Unfortunately 3 of 4 are already out of the Dodgers system, with only Munoz remaining with the club. I think Leonard is probably on his way out before ever even cracking the bigs with Detroit. Doncon is in A ball with the Twins and just turned 21. Ruiz has done OK in Washington it appears. It's a team collector thing, but odds are I will have overpaid for all of these after a couple years, even at the cheap prices.

 

[mrmopar]

Garvey /25

AG back


Three gold timeless Teams Dodgers. These are all /5. None are major stars in the traditional sense. John continues to be discussed as a potential Hall of Famer and someday I hope he gets the call. This purchase really made me think about serial numbers and how they are seen today in the hobby.

Have you really sat and thought about serial numbered cards lately? What was your conclusion?

When the serial numbered card debuted in the hobby, they were ghosts. You had to be a miracle worker to pull one and then you were amazed that this card was only numbered to 10,000! Ever since, the numbers have been shrinking and the introduction of the 1/1 may have been the ultimate death blow to collecting and especially serial numbers. Now, it became virtually impossible to collect every card. Before, there was a chance. Now, no way. Each year, more 1/1s load up on wantlists, many never even seeing the light of a marketplace. Anything below about 100 copies is almost forgotten immediately and you have to get down to 10 or less before people really seem to get excited, but despite that, there are plenty of low print run cards that have fallen into obscurity. With the glut of low print run cards and now they are of guys who never amount to much, how much does one really care about a common scrub numbered to 5 or 10 copies?

I am guilty of this mindset and it has shown in what I am willing to pay for these serial numbered cards. Heck, these 3 were listed at something like $12 and an offer was tossed out almost immediately to take 20-25% off. I think the end price was $9.60 per card. There are about 10 more listed ranging from $12-15 and some stars that were upwards of $30-40. Yet, I only bought 3.

There are only 5 copies of each of these cards though. 5 people can own one, that is it. Some people try to corner the market and then 1 person owns all 5. Regardless, it really made me think that very low serial numbered cards appear to be way undervalued in many cases, but there still have to be a demand and I think that is where the problem lies. Too many cards, and many of these just tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Thanks for reading, if you even made it this far. Just a random thought I had to share.

 

[mrmopar]

I'll call this a Garvey/Dodger addition. Uncut sheet of 74 Checklists.


Garvey Leaf /2


Hurt

 

[mrmopar]

Leaf /5

Yeiner Fernandez off brand 1/1. Wild Card, but not sure if they are affiliated with the original or just a brand that someone now owns. He is just 21 and played in Tulsa last year at AA and is currently playing the Venezuelan winter league.


This kind of counts for the Dodger tally for Rodriguez. He was a Dodger prospect and had a few cards, but never made the club. I really like this set design for autos though and will buy any player that is even remotely recognizable for the right price, but the set is loaded with no-names too. All three were same seller at around $1-1.50 each. I'll take that deal any day.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

I like the 74 Topps uncut checklist. I’m putting the 1974 set together-including Traded and checklist 1* and 2*. I also have some stamps

 

[mrmopar]

A rare 1/1 that I was able to win. If I am going to win, I prefer them to be autographed. Not willing to pay big $ for GU or parallel 1/1s any more and clearly not even enough to win very many of the autos either.

I had this but surprisingly won it cheap. These were offered through Burbank Sports only I think. It was some sprt of special promotion. You had to spend XX amount and then got this card. If I recall correctly, they advertised 300 copies. Not limited these days, but the way they were distributed only helps the scarcity factor down the road.

Knack

Weiss. Always like grabbing up obscure guys on minor league cards. Weiss has one regular card, 81 Fleer, as well.

 

[mrmopar]

Another Garvey PP 1/1 I managed to sneak away.

Also this AG /25

A couple more variants (base & mini black)

Taylor /499

Outman /199. This reminds me that I really am not much of a fan of all the different colors and patterns that Topps and some other use. A couple variants was OK, red, black, gold. Weird speckled aqua and swirly neon green just are a bit too loud for most cards and completely unnecessary. The cat is out of that bag already though.


The highlight of the mail day despite the Garvey 1/1 was this item though. His auto isn't all that easy to get to begin with, so was happy to finally grab an Archive Signature at a real bargain price. Wish is was the 67 design instead, but this beggar won't be a chooser. The 69 is a solid design. 61 would have been the best, but then it would not have been a Dodger card.
Chase Utley Dodgers Auto /39

 

[mrmopar]

I know I need to stop buying, but I can't! I am part hoarder and part, ooo, that is cool, I need it!
Sarting off with a good size lot of Dodger PCs, which is probably 100% duplication for me. Then another pack of 5x7 Photos, also probably completely duplicates. Can't ever have too many, right?



Then a few not overly exciting autos. I remember whne the prospect of hitting one of these 4 sport autographs was like winning the lottery. Sheehan is /50.


Then a couple TTM/IP. 2 Dodger connections.


Finally a lot of 8x10s. I won't show all of them, but about 15 Dodgers or Dodger players. All were super cheap, I think $3-4 at most, some were 99 cents. Best player was probably Chris Taylor, but I was most excited for this Wayne Kirby.