Chris Potter - More than a friend to collectors

[metsman1986]

I'm not a TTM guy, but sympathize with their dilemma.............Especially stlcardtrader, whose thoughts about this I get right away.....................OK, this Potter is trying to start a business and that's well and good..................I lose that warm and fuzzy feeling when I read about "reality show" and "producers"....................He might want to think about "The Biggest Loser" if he's eating at McDonald's 2 or 3 times a day, really......................

 

[jrchoholic83]

I think Chris is great and I paid $30 per auto for Mookie who signs during ST for free. I just needed the inscriptions on a bat and a ticket stub, that can't be done through ST, and I am more than willing to shell out the extra cash for that service.

 

[mrmopar]

I believe there is a reasonable place for selling of TTM/IP autographs, especially if the players themselves don't take advantage of charging a modest fee (either for themselves or for a charity) or over do it with crazy prices that prohibit more buyers. I buy lots of autographs and without those willing to sell them, my collection would a shadow of what it is. I could TTM myself, but I just have never had the patience or desire to give it a full on try. I guess I would rather buy them. I need people who sell their TTM/IP autos and I don't want to see that stop, BUT I also only buy and expect to see a reasonable price structure too. There is a reason common collector cards of Bobby Doerr and other fantastic signers are never very much money. That is a good thing in my mind. The more a player signs, the more supply to cover the demand and the prices go down. Players who don't like their autograph sold need to sign like their time is running out so that nobody needs to buy it!

I've often said that players should feel some sense of obligation (not that there IS one, but that they SHOULD feel obligated to give a little back here and there) to reward their fans for the support we have given them in their endeavor to become professional athletes and to get rich at the same time doing it. I'd like to think that if I played ball and had fans, I would be a generous signer. I guess that ship has sailed and we'll never know though.

That being said, I certainly think some of the older players who charge a few bucks per signature are being very reasonable. $3-5 might turn away a few people, but I think just about anyone who enjoys autographs will pay that price for someone they want/need. All the better if it is helping a player or a charity. Most of these player had careers that warrant a reasonable fee. They were fan favorites or semistars. Stars could be in the same boat, but obviously the demand is greater because most have either signed less or they have figured out that they can easily charge more per signature and the supply had never wiped out the demand.

Newer players are in a different boat. Even rookies making league minimum will make more money in their career, even a short one, than many of us will make in our lifetime of working! I believe MLB, MLBPA and the other professional organizations could really improve their reputation and the favor of the sport by setting up some sort of a program for current players to sign and bring the fans closer to game like it used to be. I'll even go out of a limb and say this should be a REQUIREMENT of employment! If Arod, Jeter or the likes are being paid multi-millions to play baseball and this is generating billions for MLB and the owners, then a few hours of FREE autograph signing seems pretty damn reasonable to me to help repay those whose money is helping to fund those teams and players! Someone mentioned the Rangers doing free signings on this or another thread and I think that is awesome!

Now charging higher fees will only hurt the hobby in my mind. There are still going to be plenty of buyers. I'm sure we all know someone who isn't a collector, but knows one. They'll go buy some mall store sold "fancy" item for their loved one and pay ridiculous prices, because they don't know any better. I had a coworker ask me about SIs recently because her husband was a huge fan. She was going to pay a local dealer $75 for a Mario Lemieux SI (first cover) from 1989, and we are not talking about a signed item either. I showed her that they could be had on ebay for less than $10 and I said I thought I had an extra one she could have. Turned out I did. The point is, she would have paid $75 for that item to make her husband happy! People will buy, but it will be the uninformed or those with more money than time.

Even if a guy hides for years w/ signing, unless he had a great career or falls into certain categories that collectors desire (award winner, AS, Championship teams, etc), the demand just isn't there or the pricing is just too out of line. Mike Marshall is a favorite example. His autograph demand is great, but the pricing has all but guaranteed that the demand will not be met. He was an All Star, a record holder, an award winner, a member of a couple championship teams, a Dodger, a Pilot and has a run of Topps cards that set builders would like to get signed yet most collectors can't justify spending $250+ for his autograph regardless.

Rich Coggins is another example from the coming signing list. He is like a ghost in the autograph community, but $35? C'mon...what did the guy do, except refuse to sign and disappear? He played on the Yankees and was a Topps All Rookie Team member and that is about it. I paid $20 RELUCTANTLY (nearly half of what I'd have to pay through the private signing) for his 74 Topps card, because it would have had a trophy on it, has Topps not skipped that year. I'm sure that me and other crazy team or theme collectors will pay a premium for a guy like Coggins to complete a team set, a Topps set or something like the Topps ART, but we are definitely in the minority. Had I never found his card before today, I'm not sure I would have been willing to pay the $35 fee though.

 

[BoomerSooner]

Chris Potter has provided me great service the 3-4 times I have used him, and I appreciate that he makes an effort to get the tough guys to sign, at any price.

 

[MrMet86]

And just when you thought his service couldn't get any better.....

Paypal is accepted on our website.

The deadline to receive all items is March 2, 2012. Items will be mailed back by April 10th, 2012.

THE IMPOSSIBLE DR. MIKE MARSHALL

1974 NL CY Young Award Winner
1974 NL Sporting News Pitcher of the Year
1974,75 All Star
Pitched in 106 games in 1974

Detroit Tigers 1967
Seattle Pilots 1969
Houston Astros 1970
Montreal Expos 1970-73
LA Dodgers 1974-76
Atlanta Braves 1976-77
Texas Rangers 1977
Minnesota Twins 1978-80
New York Mets 1981

$185 - YOUR Cards
$225 - YOUR Balls/Flats up to 8x10
$300 - YOUR Bats/Jersey/Over 8x10
$400 - YOUR Game Used Item
$100 - Inscriptions
$5 - Add COA & Hologram (Hologram will be affixed to your item)
$245 - OUR signed Ball PPD - Inscriptions not included
$235 - OUR signed 8x10 PPD - Inscriptions not included


I have baseballs available for $13.00 ea
I have photos available for $5.00 ea

Have items mailed to:

Chris Potter Sports
9722 Groffs Mill Dr
Suite 107
Owings Mills, MD 21117

Please have all inquiries sent to: [email protected]

443 955 0071

Please send a SASE or contact me to arrange shipping.
Money Order or personal check preferred.


I know I'll be sending my Met card in - Thanks Chris!

 

[Hawaiian BamBam]

wow! mike marshall, now THAT might be worth paying the high price for, as he NEVER signs and the one son ebay sell for $250-$300!

 

[mort]

wow! mike marshall, now THAT might be worth paying the high price for, as he NEVER signs and the one son ebay sell for $250-$300!

That is correct! Chris bringing tough signers like Mike is always welcome!

 

[mrmopar]

The "Impossible" Mike Marshall, who apparently will sign in small quantities for large sums of money! He seems like a really approachable guy until it comes to his signature!

It's better than the previous signings I guess, but still a very healthy price for a guy who has singlehandedly shut down the supply of his own autograph. Bill Russell was the same way until recently and now he has signed many certified issues. Will we see a similar trend with Marshall after a bunch of people shell out 2 bills each for him?

I guess I am not looking in the right place, but I still see the current signing list and unless Marshall was added, I don't see it.

And just when you thought his service couldn't get any better.....

Paypal is accepted on our website.

The deadline to receive all items is March 2, 2012. Items will be mailed back by April 10th, 2012.

THE IMPOSSIBLE DR. MIKE MARSHALL

 

[oldmarine0311]

The "Impossible" Mike Marshall, who apparently will sign in small quantities for large sums of money! He seems like a really approachable guy until it comes to his signature!

It's better than the previous signings I guess, but still a very healthy price for a guy who has singlehandedly shut down the supply of his own autograph. Bill Russell was the same way until recently and now he has signed many certified issues. Will we see a similar trend with Marshall after a bunch of people shell out 2 bills each for him?

I guess I am not looking in the right place, but I still see the current signing list and unless Marshall was added, I don't see it.

Ya same here

 

[MrMet86]

He posted it over at SCN

 

[mrmopar]

Maybe he saw this thread and decided not to share with us.

You'd think that would be website worthy.

 

[DaNotoriousNIC]

Need Marshall to but still won't go thru him for any auto's. He wants a buisness cool but him explaining to free signers about autograph sites and what not...never will I assist in helping to speed up the death of ttming...already talked one player I met out of doing it a while back.

 

[mindbinge]

you can pick up Sax certified autos for $7 on ebay...

I had never heard of most of the people he was doing signings with Jan 6th.

As for the free TTM thing, I'm guessing that is his business model, look on Startiger or wherever and find out who signs for fee and contact them and explain how they can now make money with him.

he's no friend of mine, or the TTM community.

between postage rates and greedy people...the TTM scene is slowly dying off....sad.

 

[mrmopar]

That is actually a good draw to many. Obscure players who were not hanging around parks or hotels for years on end and disappeared into real life after baseball can be tougher to get. However, I think many of those guys are tough because everyone just forgot them, not that they wouldn't sign. I'd guess many would like or appreciate the admiration/attention and maybe some aren't even aware of the potential to make a few bucks or don't need to. A guy pitches one game in the 50s and then goes on to be a teacher or something. Nobody knows and only the most diehard want his signature. However, each year there are probably collectors of all ages changing their collecting habits to include a wider range of items, discovering things they didn't know, etc.

Two events opened my eyes to a lot of obscure players recently. One was seeking AS signatures. Many AS players are well known, but those who perhaps made 1 team in a year that the Blue Jays or Indians needed a representative when they sucked and the rest of their career was otherwise forgettable might not be too well known. How many people have heard of Sonny Seibert for example? He had a decent but not spectacular 12 year career and played for 6 different teams, yet was still a 2 time AS. Not exactly a household name though!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/siebeso01.shtml?redir

The other being my quest to obtain as many Dodger autographs as possible, dating forward from 1950. Even as a huge Dodger fan and collector, I had not heard of guys like Sergio Robles, Dick Scott and Noe Munoz. Now I'd recognize just about any Dodger on a list.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/munozno01.shtml

A business that brings these players to light could make some good money, but I think a huge factor could be the price point, although I am not sure. As you note, Sax certified autos can go for a few bucks, but there are still people forking out $10-20 at times too I am sure. Perhaps they are unaware of the market, perhaps they need a specific item signed...who nows. I'd just like to see true commons who didn't necessarily avoid signing and were willing to so be under $10, $5 if at all possible. Just my opinion. That is a fair fee for a few second worth of work!

I had never heard of most of the people he was doing signings with Jan 6th.

 

[metrotheme]

Here is a case in point. You have a multi-signed item you want done, photo, book, ball, etc. that already has many signatures that you spent time running around acquiring. You see that he or ANY promoter does a signing with someone that no longer makes public appearances. You want to add that person to your item ... what do you do?

Many people pay for this service. Promoters do it all the time via mail order for guys that appear at shows for fees that sign free TTM.

How is he any different than a promoter that brings in a guy to sign for money at a show?

 

[MrMet86]

Here is a case in point. You have a multi-signed item you want done, photo, book, ball, etc. that already has many signatures that you spent time running around acquiring. You see that he or ANY promoter does a signing with someone that no longer makes public appearances. You want to add that person to your item ... what do you do?

Many people pay for this service. Promoters do it all the time via mail order for guys that appear at shows for fees that sign free TTM.

How is he any different than a promoter that brings in a guy to sign for money at a show?

Could not have said it better myself

 

[BoomerSooner]

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to want to punch myself in the face for paying $185 for Marshall signatures but frankly to get some projects completed after many years, I'm going to have to do it.
I don't want to start a big fight, but reading some of these posts, it seems that some "guesses" and "assumptions" have been made about what Chris is doing, without firsthand knowledge to prove it. I hope you all realize that what you post today on the internet, real or not, becomes reality tomorrow, when someone else reposts it as fact, and so on...please be careful of what you accuse anyone of doing, no one likes having their character assasinated without merit.

 

[mrmopar]

I try to remain as neutral as I can, but certainly speculating is OK if it is stated as such. I'm fairly sure I have not speculated anything, although others may have thus far, but if I did it was not intentional. I appreciate a service like Potter's, but my only complaint is that I think the prices are too high for nearly all of the participants. Perhaps that is more a factor of the players requirements/demands or maybe it is what is needed to reach the promoters desired profit margin. Either way, I don't see myself using his service at the prices I have seen on any recent signings.

I was most tempted with Bobby Darwin, but I think he wanted $20 and I just felt that was still too much. Even if he is a tougher signature to find. I might see myself breaking down and splurging on Marshall if the sig ever dropped below the $100 point, but since I "need" several different cards to complete my projects (at a minimum the "must haves" would be 74Tr, 75, 75 & 77 Topps...would love 68 & 69 Topps and 82 Fleer too), I doubt that would even happen. Heck, that is only $1295!!

In the end, money talks and if he is having success at his prices, he'll continue to do it and people will continue to buy. What I think is irrelevant in that regard. I'm guessing he'll do well with Marshall if he gets the word out well enough. People seem to have money to burn and $185 is cheaper than most of the ebay offerings that have popped up in the last couple of years.

it seems that some "guesses" and "assumptions" have been made about what Chris is doing, without firsthand knowledge to prove it.