What would you rather have, prices being equal?

[xpress34]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

True, maybe a million is a bit much, but that number has been floated because he loved to sign autographs. The cool thing about Ruth autographs is that anybody that wants one can pretty much get one (if the price is right) and they will appreciate in value. I just sold a 1934 signed Yankees ball with Ruth on the sweetspot that was heavily toned and the autographs ranked from a 1 to 4 (Ruth 4, Gehrig 2) for $2200 after I had bought it two years ago for $1200. I've been offered upto $2800 for a Ruth signed grocery receipt that I bought for $900 four years ago. Heck with the Mauer, buy a Ruth!!!!

Rob -

I'd love to own a Ruth someday for the collection... doesn't have to be pristine, just want to have one. As far as the 1,000,000 - there may be over 1,000,000 Ruth autos floating around what with the forgeries and secretarial sigs and such. Hell, who knows how many secretaries he had signing for him???

I agree on the bat. As far as Mauer, I got him here in Colorado during Inter League play a couple of years ago on a unique piece - my Heart of the Hide, Gold Glove Model Catcher's Mitt that now has around 40-50 MLB catchers (current and former) on it.

- Chris

[joelsabi]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

Legal -

1st, let me say that no, I don't have it in for you (I say that since this will be the 2nd time I have questioned something you wrote)

2nd, where did you get that stat? Ruth died at 53 years of age - less the fact he Debuted at 19 years old - so he had 34 years of people wanting his auto.

1,000,000 / 34 = 29,411 Autos per YEAR

29,411 / 365 = 2,673 Autos per DAY

2,673 / 24 = 111 Autos per HOUR

Which would mean that from the day he made his debut to the day he died he would have had to sign 1.85 Autos per MINUTE for EVERY single minute (including his playing time, sleeping, etc) to hit the 1,000,000 mark...

I only jumped on this because in our society today, 1,000,000 doesn't have the grandeur that t once did and if you do the math on a stat like that, you'll realize it is very likely impossible. Simply to COUNT to 1,000,000 (saying one number per second) without a break would take you almost two straight years (1.9 years).

I hope this is taken in the vein it is intended.

- Chris

Chris you really are a stat man. i figured that it would be 3.8 year of his life to sign a million sigs @ 5 sec/sig

[justinwc80]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

I was interested to read the number crunching on the Ruth, I just purchased a Ruth signature from the latest Hunt auction and got a 3 x 5 photo with a JSA authenticated signature grading 8/10, its a beauty and at 2,000 I figured it was a pretty decent deal for the quality although after the buyers premium it came in over 2300, but its one of those non game used items that I will keep forever.

[legaleagle92481]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

Legal -

1st, let me say that no, I don't have it in for you (I say that since this will be the 2nd time I have questioned something you wrote)

2nd, where did you get that stat? Ruth died at 53 years of age - less the fact he Debuted at 19 years old - so he had 34 years of people wanting his auto.

1,000,000 / 34 = 29,411 Autos per YEAR

29,411 / 365 = 2,673 Autos per DAY

2,673 / 24 = 111 Autos per HOUR

Which would mean that from the day he made his debut to the day he died he would have had to sign 1.85 Autos per MINUTE for EVERY single minute (including his playing time, sleeping, etc) to hit the 1,000,000 mark...

I only jumped on this because in our society today, 1,000,000 doesn't have the grandeur that t once did and if you do the math on a stat like that, you'll realize it is very likely impossible. Simply to COUNT to 1,000,000 (saying one number per second) without a break would take you almost two straight years (1.9 years).

I hope this is taken in the vein it is intended.

- Chris

Your math is off big time. I got this figure from Kevin Keating's newsletter on his website. Kevin puts the estimate at two million (196 signatures per day average over only 28 years) and assumes only 1/2 are still in existance, so that is where I got one milion. Here's the link: http://www.qualityautographs.com/new...r.php?s=4&np=8 It is on page 3 of the newsletter posted on 12-12-2008.

[joelsabi]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

Your math is off big time. I got this figure from Kevin Keating's newsletter on his website. Kevin puts the estimate at two million (196 signatures per day average over only 28 years) and assumes only 1/2 are still in existance, so that is where I got one milion. Here's the link: http://www.qualityautographs.com/new...r.php?s=4&np=8 It is on page 3 of the newsletter posted on 12-12-2008.

i side with chris on this. the math is fine.

you cannot believe everything that is written on the internet.

i doubt someone would spend 3.8 years of their life signing things. even if he was a speedy sinner (2.5 sec/sig) and put the 50% discount would be 1.9 years.

[earlywynnfan]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

Time to let a math major step in.

Chris, go back over your numbers. 29,411/365=80.something.

I trust Keating as much as any other auto dealer, but I have to say, I find it hard to believe Ruth, as often as he signed, signed an average of 196 autos every single day of his life! Think of all the days he was sick, or "in bed *ahem*" One day of not signing means about 400 sigs the very next day, and this was before auto shows.


Also, I think the typo "speedy sinner" is great!!

ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[legaleagle92481]

Re: What would you rather have, prices being equal?

Everytime Ruth signed his name counts as an autograph for collecting purposes, including when he did so for personal reasons. Checks, receipts and documents count just as much as baseballs. You see these items in auctions and offered for sale by some of the largest and most trusted dealers in the hobby all the time. Leaving Mr. Keating's math aside. If Ruth AVERAGED (some days, more some days less, some days none) only 100 signatures a day for all purposes, that would be 36,500 signatures a year. It would have taken him 27.5 years to sign a million.