There are many factors that contribute to the value of a baseball card, with one of them being its scarcity. The reason being is that the harder it is to find a card, or if it has something special that makes it different from the rest, then collectors are more drawn to it. There are many ways that a card can be different, such as an autograph from the player. Just because a card is autographed doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s valuable. To determine its value, ask yourself the following questions.
Who signed it?
This is a huge factor, as some players are more popular than others. For instance, if you have a rare rookie card of a successful and popular player, and it also has an autograph, there’s a good chance that it will be valuable. On the other hand, if you have an autographed rookie card from a player that no one has heard of, the autograph won’t make the card any more valuable.
What was it signed with?
This is also important, because if the ink smears or can erase, then it will be worth less. That’s why Vis and Sharpie markers are ideal; pencils are not.
What is the condition of the signature and card?
We do our best to warn collectors how important it is to keep their cards in great condition, and this also applies to signed cards. Cards or signatures that are in bad condition will have a lower value than those that are in mint condition.
Are there a lot of fakes in the market?
If there are a lot of forgeries in the market, then the value and demand will probably be reduced. To show that it’s authentic, you can always get the card graded so that collectors will trust the card (and the seller) more. Cards pulled from reputable products will show authentication from the company on the back of the card.
Are there a lot of cards in the market?
As we said, a card becomes more valuable if the card is rare. If the player regularly attends autograph shows, then that means that there will be many copies in the market, meaning it loses its high demand.
If you’re selling baseball cards with autographs, then ask yourself these questions in order to better understand their value. When you’re ready to sell your cards, give us a call at American Legends.
