Collecting signed government postcards (GPCs) - Questions for collectors

[americana_collector]

Hello

I’m new to the forum, but not new to collecting. I have diverse interests across several fields, but I’ve always had an interest in vintage baseball cards and baseball autographs. This year I’ve focused very heavily on signed government postcards (GPCs) and they have become my favorite medium of autograph collecting. I think it’s the simplicity and uniformity of the medium that appeals to me. I also like that they are postmarked/dated. For some reason I never focused on them until this year. Anyway, I assume I’m not alone in this interest and I joined the forum to ask a few questions of fellow collectors. Thank you for the time to read and respond.

1. Are there collectors who focus exclusively, or primarily, on GPCs?
2. What are some of your favorite collecting themes (i.e. HOFers, deadball
era players, etc.)?
3. What are the demographics of the average collector? (Full disclosure,
I’m late 30s).
4. Do you think there are still a number of original owner collections out
there? I’m thinking of individuals who were born in the 1930s or 1940s
and sought autographs TTM in the 1940s and 1950s? I know Leland’s
auctioned a large collection from R. Sklar in 2023.
5. When did the GPC form of collecting die out? I have had a very hard
time of finding players who came up in the late 1950s/early 1960s on
GPCs from that period.

[gonefishin]

Welcome! A very interesting item to collect. I collect a lot of autographs, but haven't specialized in a particular area of autograph collecting. On occasion I run across groupings of autographs that contain autographed GPCs, most are dated, and some are not with only the postage visible. I have between 50-100 or so autographed GPCs with cancellation dates. I always find those the most interesting because I can date the autograph to a period in time.

Good luck with the chase!

[T206Collector]

I collect autographs only of the 391 subjects that are featured on T206 cigarette cards. I love finding them on GPCs, including from the Robert Sklar collection that you mentioned (he had at least 20). In most cases, I keep them intact, but I will admit to cutting them occasionally, particularly when I can frame the signature with the postmark in one of my "Signature Collection" customs. Here are a couple of examples (the Oldring comes from the Sklar collection):







Below is a fair representation of my "uncut" GPCs signed by T206 subjects, including a Rucker and Snodgrass from the Sklar collection. And Mordecai Brown and James Scott from the Walter/Peggy Danahy collection, which is also a prolific collection in the world of GPCs signed by T206 players.





I'm always on the look out for T206 player autographs on GPCs or otherwise!

[Kco]

Originally Posted by americana_collector

Hello

I’m new to the forum, but not new to collecting. I have diverse interests across several fields, but I’ve always had an interest in vintage baseball cards and baseball autographs. This year I’ve focused very heavily on signed government postcards (GPCs) and they have become my favorite medium of autograph collecting. I think it’s the simplicity and uniformity of the medium that appeals to me. I also like that they are postmarked/dated. For some reason I never focused on them until this year. Anyway, I assume I’m not alone in this interest and I joined the forum to ask a few questions of fellow collectors. Thank you for the time to read and respond.

1. Are there collectors who focus exclusively, or primarily, on GPCs?
2. What are some of your favorite collecting themes (i.e. HOFers, deadball
era players, etc.)?
3. What are the demographics of the average collector? (Full disclosure,
I’m late 30s).
4. Do you think there are still a number of original owner collections out
there? I’m thinking of individuals who were born in the 1930s or 1940s
and sought autographs TTM in the 1940s and 1950s? I know Leland’s
auctioned a large collection from R. Sklar in 2023.
5. When did the GPC form of collecting die out? I have had a very hard
time of finding players who came up in the late 1950s/early 1960s on
GPCs from that period.

Welcome to the GPC collecting club, it's quite a fun one and I enjoy collecting them myself. The postmarks, and uniformity are part of the draw, and the reality that a lot of them tend to be playing days autographs.

I have about 30, but I am less a completist and more of an elite/best players collector in this medium. I chase the toughest names, and at some point will likely try to complete the lower echelon of players.

I happened to purchase a few of the Sklar "Long Beach" GPCs last year, and have found and picked off a few super tough names over the last few years.

I think my favorites are My Clemente (Incredibly tough), Grover C Alexander & Cy Young from the Long Beach collection, my Walter Johnson (Incredibly tough) , My Gehrig, Jackie, Ruth, '51 Mantle, '61 Mays and so forth.

There are a few big name HOFers that are available in droves on everything, but very difficult on GPCs. Ted Williams is a great example, as is Hank Aaron.

[americana_collector]

I've seen your collection on Instagram. Very impressive and I really respect how you arrived at your focus!

Originally Posted by T206Collector

I collect autographs only of the 391 subjects that are featured on T206 cigarette cards. I love finding them on GPCs, including from the Robert Sklar collection that you mentioned (he had at least 20). In most cases, I keep them intact, but I will admit to cutting them occasionally, particularly when I can frame the signature with the postmark in one of my "Signature Collection" customs. Here are a couple of examples (the Oldring comes from the Sklar collection):







Below is a fair representation of my "uncut" GPCs signed by T206 subjects, including a Rucker and Snodgrass from the Sklar collection. And Mordecai Brown and James Scott from the Walter/Peggy Danahy collection, which is also a prolific collection in the world of GPCs signed by T206 players.





I'm always on the look out for T206 player autographs on GPCs or otherwise!

[americana_collector]

Thank you for sharing the highlights of your collection! This is also very helpful information. I've searched auction records to get a sense of which HOF players signatures are the most difficult to find in GPC form.

I'm also working on a project where I'm trying to obtain a GPC, or vintage dated item, from each of the first African American players to integrate MLB teams. The project starts with Jackie Robinson and ends with Pumpsie Green. Still have a long way to go because I only have Larry Doby, Sam Jethroe, Nino Escalera, Elston Howard, and Tom Alston. I feel like Curt Roberts and John Kennedy may be close to impossible on a GPC.

Originally Posted by Kco

Welcome to the GPC collecting club, it's quite a fun one and I enjoy collecting them myself. The postmarks, and uniformity are part of the draw, and the reality that a lot of them tend to be playing days autographs.

I have about 30, but I am less a completist and more of an elite/best players collector in this medium. I chase the toughest names, and at some point will likely try to complete the lower echelon of players.

I happened to purchase a few of the Sklar "Long Beach" GPCs last year, and have found and picked off a few super tough names over the last few years.

I think my favorites are My Clemente (Incredibly tough), Grover C Alexander & Cy Young from the Long Beach collection, my Walter Johnson (Incredibly tough) , My Gehrig, Jackie, Ruth, '51 Mantle, '61 Mays and so forth.

There are a few big name HOFers that are available in droves on everything, but very difficult on GPCs. Ted Williams is a great example, as is Hank Aaron.

[Kco]

Originally Posted by americana_collector

Thank you for sharing the highlights of your collection! This is also very helpful information. I've searched auction records to get a sense of which HOF players signatures are the most difficult to find in GPC form.

I'm also working on a project where I'm trying to obtain a GPC, or vintage dated item, from each of the first African American players to integrate MLB teams. The project starts with Jackie Robinson and ends with Pumpsie Green. Still have a long way to go because I only have Larry Doby, Sam Jethroe, Nino Escalera, Elston Howard, and Tom Alston. I feel like Curt Roberts and John Kennedy may be close to impossible on a GPC.

The Mantle/Williams/Mays/Aaron/Koufax Era is the last era that GPCs we truly prominent for most guys. Jackie signed a lot of them in the 50s, so while expensive he's at least common.

Once you got into the 1960s they became increasingly uncommon and rare for guys to sign. I don't think I've ever seen a GPC from guys like Mathewson.

[rlevy]

While my main collecting interest isn't autographs, I do collect Dodger player GPC's from the Jackie Robinson/Sandy Koufax era's (1947-1966) I picked up about 10 in one auction that were received by a Ronald Seidlel, and I occasionally pick up one on eBay (sometimes even ones addressed to Seidel). I have all the HOFer's from those years except Don Sutton. I have 4 Koufax (including one from his second day in the majors (4/14/55). The dating factor is great, many of mine come from the player's rookie year. I think I have about 20 in total. Very difficult to find them from the 60's however. I think once the Dodgers moved to LA the fans had a lot less access to the players.

I just think they are really cool because a) fans would often hand these self-addressed postcards to players as they left the stadium or were seen in their neighborhood, and b) they would travel through the mail as-is, with the player's signature exposed to all.

Rick

together reduced.jpg

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

The closest I had to. GPC for 1957 John Kennedy was a small cut. The original kid who obtained his GPCs from the players with this particular collection would trim them all down to sliver cuts and tape them in an album. At least he didn't tape over the signatures, but it would have been nice to have the intact GPC for a guy like Kennedy.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by rlevy

While my main collecting interest isn't autographs, I do collect Dodger player GPC's from the Jackie Robinson/Sandy Koufax era's (1947-1966) I picked up about 10 in one auction that were received by a Ronald Seidlel, and I occasionally pick up one on eBay (sometimes even ones addressed to Seidel). I have all the HOFer's from those years except Don Sutton. I have 4 Koufax (including one from his second day in the majors (4/14/55). The dating factor is great, many of mine come from the player's rookie year. I think I have about 20 in total. Very difficult to find them from the 60's however. I think once the Dodgers moved to LA the fans had a lot less access to the players.

I just think they are really cool because a) fans would often hand these self-addressed postcards to players as they left the stadium or were seen in their neighborhood, and b) they would travel through the mail as-is, with the player's signature exposed to all.

Rick

Attachment 635140

Never thought about the fact they would be mailed with the signature showing, though of course they were, given that they were a postcard

Super cool!