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T206CollectorMy collection of signed pre-war cards is sort of a fusion of memorabilia and cards. But while I enjoy pre-war cards "sans siggy", I couldn't really care less about autographs floating around on index cards, photographs, etc. For me, there is just something about card collecting that only escalates when the card I own has been marked by the player featured on the card. Thus, I consider myself a card collector first and an autograph collector second.
As others have suggested, perhaps I collect cards because they are a defined set -- and it is an obsessive compulsive fancy that is only narrowed by searching for signed examples. At the same time, I'm less concerned about getting closer to the player by way of a game used item or article, as opposed to his signature on his card.
I think I like the definitions and structure of card collecting -- sets, grades, comparative values, fluditity of transactions. Heck, I could even limit myself to just unsigned T206 cards. But I've never been drawn to a jersey, or a bat, or a base worn by a specific player any more than I could think that any pre-war baseball artifacts -- be it score card or a watch fob -- can be quite interesting.
Frankly, I wouldn't even know what to do with Becker's jersey other than sell it. I would get virtually no charge out of owning it and would think it a strange display item in my home. But I'd pay $1,000 or more for a T206 card signed by him.
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