How much would you pay?

[JimH5]

The bar has been raised. . .

 

Mike Piazza and Randy Johnson are among the signing guests at the December MAB Celebrity show in New Jersey. Prices for either guy start at $199 for balls or flats. Piazza's fee for a bat is an unbelievable $600. These are the highest prices I've ever seen for guys in their 30s or 40s. Willie Mays had been scheduled for their show last weekend starting at $225, but he cancelled for unknown reasons.

 

So my question is, what is the highest price you'd be willing to pay for a face-to-face autograph session? I'm not talking about a golf outing, where the guy joins your foursome for a hole, or a dinner, where he's seated at your table for an hour or so--but a regular autograph signing, where you stand in line with your item, get to the table, hand him your one piece and get it back signed in the pen type of your choice after 30 seconds or so.

 

And who is the guy who you'd spend the most on?

 

For me, I guess it would have to be Sandy Koufax. . .and I might go to $125 for him--but even then, I'd have to do some serious headscratching.

 

 

Edited to include the link to the MAB website. . .

 

http://www.mabcelebrity.com/shows/current/monikers/main01.htm

[jason21nl]

I will never pay over $100 for an autograph. I have wanted to buy a Favre auto for a long time now, I just won't pay the prices for it. Those prices are outrageous for those two players.

[gypcasino]

Wow, that's crazy. What sort of COA do you get at an event like that? Do they do the hologram thing?

The only people I can think of right now that I'd pay money for their autograph are Eldrick & MJ. Maybe Favre.

[billyhallfan]

jason21nl, i bout a favre 8x10 from waukesha sportscards with the bf hologram and coa for $95, and that was last year after the season when I thought he was going to retire. I would never pay that much though. Their stuff isn't even worth that much.

[JimH5]

I've been to this show a few times, and I don't think they give you any COA. If my memory serves, you can buy a "signed in the presence of" COA from Global Authentication for around $10 per item at the event. The guys at the Global table are usually hawking out "$10 to certify now, or $20 later".

 

Edited to note that the MAB website makes mention of their own COA program. . .though I've been to that show a number of times, and haven't ever seen anyone walking around with one. But I haven't been looking for one either.

[gypcasino]

jason21nl, i bout a favre 8x10 from waukesha sportscards with the bf hologram and coa for $95, and that was last year after the season when I thought he was going to retire.

Do you know if they still have them at that price? I'd actually pay that.

[billyhallfan]

i have no idea, you could always call though, Greg is really nice. I just wanted to get one before he retired, and then before he goes into the hall.

 

you probably know this, but make sure you buy one with a bf hologram and matching coa, if you don't have those, don't spend a cent on it, because you don't know what you are getting. If you have to pay more for one with the holo and coa, that is because it is the real deal.

[Kurt]

$600? I would think that $60 would be about right to sign a bat.