Gary Carter Auto Thoughts?

[UnVme7]

I'm almost 100% sure this is fine, but wanted to make sure to see if anyone else any other thoughts.

[dgo71]

Yes, that is legit.

[UnVme7]

Great thanks. I've never seen one of these letters before so wasn't sure. Now I can get it framed.

[dgo71]

Were you asking about the card or the letter? I was speaking to the card. The letter looks like it may be a pre-print. Hard to tell from the picture....

[UnVme7]

No the card. It was all one piece and wanted to make sure the auto was accurate before I framed everything.

[Deertick]

Absolutely good. What is interesting is he would readily sign anything for anyone, pregame, after game, any time. EXCEPT for his 1984 Topps. That is where he started requiring a donation to the Leukemia Society. This letter is the first I've seen including a different card. Maybe he included other cards later? I always thought it was only the 84T. Pretty cool!

[margoaepi]

That is a really cool item!

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Deertick

Absolutely good. What is interesting is he would readily sign anything for anyone, pregame, after game, any time. EXCEPT for his 1984 Topps. That is where he started requiring a donation to the Leukemia Society. This letter is the first I've seen including a different card. Maybe he included other cards later? I always thought it was only the 84T. Pretty cool!

It was any card issued after 1983. Not sure why that was the year he chose, I always thought that was when his mother passed away but according to the letter that was in 1966. '84 might be when he founded his charity? Anyway, Carter's policy changed a lot over the years:

1) He would ask for a $25 donation for cards 1984 and newer, but would sign anything 1983 and earlier for free, and would also sign baseballs, photos, bats, you name it, for free.

2) Around the time he became a coach in the Mets minor league system, he changed his policy. Any card, regardless of year issued, was a $25 donation. He still signed all other items for free.

3) And I might have this out of order, but when he got into the HOF, it was still all cards for $25, but HOF plaque postcards were $50, and everything else was free.

4) When he was named manager of Long Island in the Atlantic League, he began charging the $25 donation for any MLB-related item. He'd sign Atlantic League stuff (programs, balls, etc.) for free, but anything from his MLB days needed a donation.

One thing that remained constant throughout all these policy changes...The Kid was a class act. He was a genuinely kind person who enjoyed his fans and talking baseball. I will never forget when he came through town as a rover for the Mets (I live near Norfolk where their AAA team played for years) and after signing for everyone there, Carter stuck around for at least a half an hour talking baseball with us. This was at almost midnight, and he was as cordial as could be. Great memory of a super player and even better person. RIP Kid.

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by dgo71

It was any card issued after 1983. Not sure why that was the year he chose, I always thought that was when his mother passed away but according to the letter that was in 1966. '84 might be when he founded his charity? Anyway, Carter's policy changed a lot over the years:

1) He would ask for a $25 donation for cards 1984 and newer, but would sign anything 1983 and earlier for free, and would also sign baseballs, photos, bats, you name it, for free.

2) Around the time he became a coach in the Mets minor league system, he changed his policy. Any card, regardless of year issued, was a $25 donation. He still signed all other items for free.

3) And I might have this out of order, but when he got into the HOF, it was still all cards for $25, but HOF plaque postcards were $50, and everything else was free.

4) When he was named manager of Long Island in the Atlantic League, he began charging the $25 donation for any MLB-related item. He'd sign Atlantic League stuff (programs, balls, etc.) for free, but anything from his MLB days needed a donation.

One thing that remained constant throughout all these policy changes...The Kid was a class act. He was a genuinely kind person who enjoyed his fans and talking baseball. I will never forget when he came through town as a rover for the Mets (I live near Norfolk where their AAA team played for years) and after signing for everyone there, Carter stuck around for at least a half an hour talking baseball with us. This was at almost midnight, and he was as cordial as could be. Great memory of a super player and even better person. RIP Kid.

Good info, Derek. I remember that he was giving out business cards to anyone who presented the 1984 T that had the charity info. But this was in 1984, so.... I wish I had kept that card! Anyone have one to post?

[UnVme7]

Thanks for everyone's input.

[npa589]

I actually knew Gary, as I played baseball and went to school with his son. I can't reiterate enough how great a man Gary was. He was exemplary as a player, as a Hall of Fame catcher, as a father, and as a man.

He was always seeking to encourage anyone he could no matter what the encouragement centered around.

As far as I'm concerned, his signature is worth as much as anyone else's...

[UnVme7]

I also bought this program last month that he signed. Signature looks good on this as well.