[frankhardy]

I know this thread is over a year old, but I thought I would add my 2 cents. I have been researching this topic recently due to my Topps Cardinals autograph collection. I am about 95% complete from 1952 - 2019 with most of the 95% that is missing is from 2003 and up. I have recently resorted to cut signatures glued to the card for the absolute toughest ones. Then if and when one comes available I would replace with an "on card" signature. I have done this on 15 cards (with another in the works), including 3 of the 4 1952 Topps high numbers (Les Fusselman d. 1970; Eddie Yuhas d. 1986; Hal Rice d. 1997). I already had a 1952 Wilmer Mizell on card.

Others that I have used cut signatures on are -

1953 Topps Eddie Yuhas d. 1986
1953 Topps Hal Rice d. 1997
1953 Topps Les Fusselman d. 1970
1957 Topps Sam Jones d. 1971
1958 Topps Herm Wehmeier d. 1973
1958 Topps Sam Jones d. 1971
1959 Topps Sam Jones d. 1971 (in the works)
1960 Topps Coaches Harry Walker d. 1999 (other three are on card on 2 different cards)
1964 Topps Johnny Keane d. 1967
2000 Topps Traded Darryl Kile d. 2002
2001 Topps Darryl Kile d. 2002
2002 Topps Darryl Kile d. 2002

After researching this for a few weeks, this is what I have come up with.

Both Sam Jones' were nicknamed "Sad" Sam. If you look on the back of the latter's 1957 Topps card, it calls him "Sad" Sam. The latter is also known as "Toothpick" Sam per the back of his 1958 Topps card because he always had a toothpick in his mouth.

This is also confirmed by a SABR article (The Society of American Baseball Research).

Even though both signatures are slanted, there is a distinct difference between the first, older Sam Jones (Samuel Pond Jones) and the second, younger Sam Jones. The very first index card is definitely NOT the first, earlier "Sad" Sam Jones. It is attributed to Toothpick Jones, who sometimes signed his name "Sad" Sam to pay homage to the earlier "Sad" Sam.

The only question is why did the latter Sam Jones (my concern because he played for the Cardinals) have 2 different signatures and changed back and forth?

There is evidence that he changed back and forth. If you look at his facsimile signatures on the front of his 1952 Topps and the back of his 1953 Topps are the slanted and fluid signatures while the facsimile signatures on his 1956 Topps and 1959 Topps have the "funky" J style.