Here's a couple of articles from PSA that will help get you started on when the cards were produced. Be warned though, just because someone was alive during a particular time does not mean they weren't too sick to sign. Case in point, most Red Faber signed Gold HOF Plaques are signed by his wife.
http://www.psacard.com/articles/arti...tml?artid=2410
http://www.psacard.com/articles/arti...tml?artid=2439