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What is Signed Sports Cards all about?
This site is a resource for collectors of athlete's autographs, whether through the mail or otherwise. This site will tell you who signs through the mail and who doesn't. As well as a lot of other interesting information.
How can I contact you? Why are two e-mail addresses featured on the site?
You can contact me by sending an e-mail to signedsportscards@yahoo.com. This is the e-mail account that I check most often. Other e-mail addresses listed on the site are old and the pages which list them simply haven't been updated.
Where do I send an autograph request by mail? During the season you should always send your requests via the players' team address. During the off season you can try to send requests to an athlete's home address. You can also send requests to the home addresses of retired players as well.
Where can I find a player's home address? I'm not usually a fan of big autograph sites, but sportscollectors.net is the best site for home addresses. I would much rather get an address from a smaller site (Mail Autographs, or Autographs Galore), but the site above is the best. I have added the home addresses of players that I myself have had success with to Signed Sports Cards, but for anything more I suggest Sports Collectors.
How do I address my envelope? This is the format I use:
Player's Name
C/O Player's Team
Team Address
Be sure to include your return address on the envelope. That way, if the team address was incorrect, your cards will be returned to you. Also, some athlete's either won't or aren't allowed to open mail without a return address, so be sure to include it. Should I include a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with my request? Yes! A SASE is a must if you want to get a return. It makes it much easier for the player to just sign your card, pop it in the SASE, seal it, and stick it in the mailbox. How many cards should I include to get signed? I usually send one or two. Never more than three. I also offer the player one of the cards to keep themself. Most times though, the player will sign both cards and send them back. It's very rare to have a player keep one of my cards.
Should I send my cards in a top loader? I don't. I understand the concern of people who do not want their cards bent, but the USPS is usually pretty careful. At least with my mail. One thing you have to worry about, however if you send a card in a top loader is the fact that the player may sign the top loader instead of the card! Use top loaders at you own risk. Can I include more than one request per envelope, if the players are on the same team? I've never done it, and never will. It's probably not a good idea. What is the best time to write to a player? I send out requests during both the regular season and during training camp and I tend to have more success during the regular season. Others however seem to have more success during training camp. It all depends. Off course, if you're writing to a player care of their home address during the off season then who knows what kind of luck you will have.
Can I write to a player care of their team during the off season?
You could, but chances are that the player will not receive your request until they come back to play again. Unless the team is able to forward it to the players' home address. It all depends on the team and the player, however I would recommend writing to their home address if you can find it.
When I write to a player, am I guaranteed a genuine signiture? Nope. Unfortunately, some player send pre-printed autographs or use an auto-pen. The best way to tell if a player used an auto-pen is to check to see if the signitures look exactly the same, if you received more than one. Or, look to see if the autograph looks a little too neat. What is an auto-pen?
An auto-pen is a machine that can copy someone's signiture onto almost anything. Some player's use these machines to respond to autograph requests instead of actually signing anything personally.
How long does it take for a player to return my request? It depends. Some players take a week, others a month or two, and some may take even a year or more! Usually, if I receive my requests back within a month. After two months I usually give up on them.
Some of the autographs that I obtain come back smeared. Is there a way to prevent this?
Some cards get smeared because of the high amount of gloss that's put on the cards and the players stick the cards back in the envelope before it has time to completely dry. The best way to prevent this is to "rub down" any glossy cards that you send out using baby powder. This allows the ink to dry quicker on the card and it also prevents bubbling (notorious with most recent Bowman cards).
Are you willing to sell or trade any of your autographs? I am willing to trade almost all of my autographed cards, for the right one in return, of course! I am more willing to trade cards I have more than one of, so if you're interested, drop me an e-mail at signedsportscards@yahoo.com with your offer. Be sure to read, and agree to my trading statement, found below, before you e-mail me with an offer. Sorry, but I do not trade or sell any of my autographed 8x10 photos or baseballs.
What are the rules to your trading statement? I am always interested in trading with fellow collectors and as long as you read and understand the following guidelines, trading should be a breeze!
- When a fellow collector contacts me about a trade, that collector is expected to send his/her items first. I will then send my items upon receipt of his/hers.
- If I contact a collector about a trade, I will then send my items out first. I will expect my items from the collector upon receipt of mine.
- By agreeing to a trade, the collector recognizes my right to return items that do not meet my satisfaction. The collector, of course, is granted this same right. |
