In a similar vein, when I started my signed 1953 Topps project, there were still about 40 players living who responded to my autograph requests. A lot of the signatures I obtained then were either in sharpie or had something else that detracted from their appearance. Since then, I've picked up, or had the chance to pick up, much nicer looking examples, including some vintage signatures, but I just haven't been able to upgrade from the original ones. The ones I picked up TTM have stayed in the set, while the purchased ones have gone into my duplicate pile. I think part of it is the direct connection to the players (most of who are now deceased), and that if I do get rid of the first ones, there won't be a way to get them back. So for now, I'm holding on to them, and if I get tired of lugging them around at some point, then I'll reassess.
__________________
Signed 1953 Topps set: 264/274 (96.35 %)
|