Newbie questions

[csotus]

Greetings all. I am just starting out and learning all I can on my own. I did have a few simple questions hopefully you can answer.

1. I am currently leaning toward collecting 3x5 index cards or possibly matting a full size picture over a card similar to the ebay auction below.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191814360002...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

My question for this is, does the 3x5 autograph have significantly less value than a signed 8x10? I don't plan to flip any autos I purchase but I do want to be able to take pride in my collection.

2. When displaying autographs, is direct sunlight the only enemy that causes fading? What about low temperature or high humidity? I collect coins also so I am aware of the dangers of humidity; didn't know if that transferred to this hobby as well.

3. How do most people store/display their collection? I assume all highly valuable autos are in safes, I would love to get a wall but 8x10s take a lot of space once you get a decent number.

Thank you for any insight you might be able to give me.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by csotus

Greetings all. I am just starting out and learning all I can on my own. I did have a few simple questions hopefully you can answer.

1. I am currently leaning toward collecting 3x5 index cards or possibly matting a full size picture over a card similar to the ebay auction below.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191814360002...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

My question for this is, does the 3x5 autograph have significantly less value than a signed 8x10? I don't plan to flip any autos I purchase but I do want to be able to take pride in my collection.

2. When displaying autographs, is direct sunlight the only enemy that causes fading? What about low temperature or high humidity? I collect coins also so I am aware of the dangers of humidity; didn't know if that transferred to this hobby as well.

3. How do most people store/display their collection? I assume all highly valuable autos are in safes, I would love to get a wall but 8x10s take a lot of space once you get a decent number.

Thank you for any insight you might be able to give me.

Yes, 8x10 carry a larger premium than 3x5. As for display ideas, I strongly suggest searching for the "Memorabilia Rooms" thread. It's huge, and has some extremely cool ideas.

[csotus]

thanks for the suggestion on memorabilia rooms. I looked thru all 50 pages, those are some nice setups. I am starting to get a plan on what I want but as with everything in life, I'm sure it will change.

[Lordstan]

Chris,
Welcome to the board.

My best advice is to collect what makes you happy. It doesn't matter if 8x10s cost more or less than 3x5s. You should have pride in your collection if it's stuff you love. Who cares what it's worth. Buy what you love and enjoy it.

If you like the look of 3x5s with an 8x10, then go for it. Many like 3x5s and cuts more than photos as you get to choose the photo you pair with it. Compared to a 3x5 with photo, a photo of a dead HOFer will cost more and may not present nearly as nicely.

A few of my items, both cuts and photos, are in this thread. Others posted a few great examples of what can be done with some creative matting. Hope it gives you some ideas.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=168495

[csotus]

Thank you Mark for the reply. I can't wait to get started. I don't have a whole lot of money to go out and buy the best stuff but slowly over the next few years I hope to be able to accumulate a number of nice pieces. So far everyone seems very nice and welcoming.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by csotus

Thank you Mark for the reply. I can't wait to get started. I don't have a whole lot of money to go out and buy the best stuff but slowly over the next few years I hope to be able to accumulate a number of nice pieces. So far everyone seems very nice and welcoming.

It's a friendly place till you get on their wrong side . You might go to your control panel (USER CP) on the left side of the screen. There you can set the number of posts per page, in each thread, to 80. Then you won't have to scroll through near as many pages. And welcome aboard too!!

[csotus]

I have a question about the buy/sell/trade section; is it still an area that I should be wary of if they don't have a COA or is everyone here pretty legit?

[tazdmb]

IMHO, I think everything is pretty legit and if something doesn't look good, the item is called out pretty quickly.