Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim Henderson on January 9, 2010 at 5:45pm

I was thinking what about a column on items that celebs will not sign or pens that celbs will not sign with. For instance Chad smith (drummer for red hot chili peppers and chickenfoot) the nicest guy in the world if you hand him a black sharpie but if you hand him blue he totally changes. Also Cher I have seen her walk over to a person start to sign and see it is a blue sharpie and turn around and walk away. Or like Eddie Van Halen will not sign anything already signed by Sammy Hagar or Ryan Howard does not like to sign Bats in person only if you pay him, or Emmit Smith will not sign anything Florida because his MOM sells it in her store. IN fact Emmit usually will sign a Baseball hat or a piece of paper. I have seen that on many occasions, but nothing else. These are just a few that I know but I bet other people on here will have more and it will help us when we go out to meet a celebrity in person, so that we do not give them the wrong item or pen and blow an oppurtunity of a lifetime. I will never forget I was waiting on Isiah Thomas when he coached the Pacers and he walked out and said I do not sign basketballs. If I would have known that ahead of time I would have got a sports illustrated signed and not the back of my business card. By the way that is the onlt Isiah I have in my collection to this day! Thanks and hope this idea helps. KEEP GRAPHIN!!!!

Permalink Reply by Louis Becerra on January 11, 2010 at 3:37pm

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the idea. But, I think it may be too broad for a single column since there are dozens of celebrities and athletes who are very finicky when it comes to how and what they sign. Maybe we could start another discussion somewhere on the website that specifically addresses people's signing habits?

Permalink Reply by michael bartow on January 11, 2010 at 5:21pm

maybe what type of pens (sharpie, paint or what ever) works best on different items. lets say like with football if I had a chance to have one signed what would be a good item to use and maybe show how they look after they are signed. like comparing a football signed in a paint pen to one that was signed with a silver sharpie and see if one looks better then the other.

Permalink Reply by Louis Becerra on January 12, 2010 at 3:16pm

Hi Michael,

Actually, my second column that came out in the December issue addressed this topic (Sharpies vs. Paint Pens), but I suppose I could get more specific by item type in some column in the future. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by michael bartow on January 12, 2010 at 3:39pm

No problem Louis.I know I commented on it its just that I'm starting to switch over to a paint pen and being a newbee with them I wanted to see if there maybe a difference in the way the autograph comes out. I have read the horror stories about how when you autograph the lesser grade balls vs the real deal ones how they bleed away when you use the lesser types.

Hey sheldon great ideas and I would like to see something done with that one also

Permalink Reply by Sheldon Gajarian on January 11, 2010 at 5:47pm

How about, insuring your items against theft, fire, flood, maybe how value them for insurance, who will and won't, an agreed upon value, are you covered if snow caves in the roof on the game room, how about water damage...You egt the idea..

Permalink Reply by Sheldon Gajarian on January 11, 2010 at 5:57pm

Or how about, storing items that are not on display, whats the best products for safe keeping, standing up or laying down(depends on if you use a paint pen), baseballs from fade, bats from warping, hockey sticks from warping, etc..

Permalink Reply by Louis Becerra on January 12, 2010 at 3:15pm

Sheldon,

I love both your ideas! I'll definitely look at turning both of them into future columns...

Permalink Reply by Sheldon Gajarian on January 12, 2010 at 7:47pm

Thanks for the props Louis! How about this, getting your collectibles framed properly, mat types, glass quality, mounted or not. How to display them properly, almost museum style, how to properly shadow box, keeping your collectibles in place safely......

Permalink Reply by jtk on January 25, 2010 at 1:17pm

What about the point/value of inscriptions? For example, I recently went to an autograph show for Troy Polamalu. The autograph itself was $140, with an inscription costing another $40. I would have loved for him to add Super Bowl Champ or listed his SuperBowls, but his autograph isn't worth $180. How much value does a HOF or WS Champ inscription add to an autograph?