1975 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #600 Rod Carew (Twins)

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Team signed baseballs were the thing well before single-signed balls exploded on the market.
What is a "Team Signed Baseball" ???
Simple answer: A ball with XXX signatures of a certain team for a certain year. What is difficult is the XXX. Baseball tons of roster moves make it nearly impossible to "Get Them All".

Generally, team signed baseballs from early 1900's had 10 to 15 signatures, the 1940's that jumped to 18 to 25. Joyce Sports Research Collection (Notre Dame) says "signatures must include only members of a specific team from a specific year, and there must be some approximation of completeness."

Not concrete but to me a "team ball" MUST have ALL the team's STARS (unless a rookie or in season trade) and in today's market at least 20, preferably more, and the manager.

Determining Age of Team Signed Balls
"Official" league balls have stamped signatures of current league presidents on the "sweet spot". Starting 1934/1935 balls were produced by Spalding (NL) and Reach (AL). Rawlings took over in 1977/78. Have a possible team roster at hand, ESPN & baseball-reference.com have great sites), decipher a few signatures then solve the puzzle.

Team Signed Baseballs Values
Pricing team signed baseballs is difficult due to subjectivity and factors involved suce as: Signatures placement, quality, strength, number of autographs, stars, age, team significance, and eye appeal considering fading, whiteness, scuffs, shellacking, staining, overall wear...

Team autographed baseballs on official league balls get higher values. They are "official", made better, preserve better and even help in dating especially with balls signed at "Reunion" baseball card shows which brought together great teams of the past.

Facsimile Autographed Balls
1960's/1970's machine-printed "autographed" team baseballs were sold at stadium gift shops for around $1.95. Easy to identify as all signatures were uniform in ink, color, size and look. "Facsimile" signatures are also often found on baseball cards.

Topps has tried many crazy products, called "test issues". Mostly distributed in limited areas, test issues were scarce. "Candy Lids" were little tubs of candy with player's photos on bottom of a 1-7/8" lid. 10 cents/tub, 24 tubs/box.

Topps first Candy Lids in 1970 and they are very, very hard to find. They had small photos of Tom Seaver, Carl Yastrzemski & Frank Howard.

1970 Topps Candy Lids Front 1970 Topps Candy Lids Back 1970 Topps Candy Lids were called "Baseball Stars Bubble Gum", had 24 players, the 1973 Topps Candy Lids had 55.

Topps planned 1972 Candy Lids but never released it, a few proofs do exist.

Topps 1973 Pinups & Comics share many of the same photos.

Hartland produced it's first baseball statue back in the early 60's. SCD calls the 1960's Mickey Mantle Hartland Statue the single most popular plastic sports statue ever produced ! In 1988 Hartland released 25th Anniversary Editions, nearly identical to the original.

Hartland later joined with Krause Publications, to create the SCD Authentic series - the original 18 in different poses. Hartland Figurines are amazingly beautiful and exquisitely detailed with painted pinstripes and wood grained bats.

Baseball card collecting terms (part A)

Airbrushing is the art of touching up a photo prior to the card being printed. It was generally done to remove imperfections or update or hide a players jersey/cap logo. Because of advancements in print technology and computers this is no longer needed.

All-Star card (AS) usually a subset card picturing a player who participated in the previous season�s all-star game. Topps created these in their 1958 High Number issue and has continued the practice fairly regularly to date. Such cards are usually designated in price guides with the abbreviation of AS.

Assorted A general mix of cards often containing many duplicates.

Auction items are sold to the highest bidder. Auctions used to be live or thru the mail/phone but today most auctions are online.

Auction Catalog lists the rules and descriptions and often images of the items in an auction.

Authentication verification that an item (card, autograph) is genuine. Most "game-used" material inserts have a written declaration of authenticity on the reverse. Authorized Issue card or memorabilia item that has been properly licensed. If the item is of a player, his written permission must be given in order for it to be considered authorized.

1975 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #600 Rod Carew (Twins)

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids
Checklist & Values

Hartland Baseball Statues & Figurines

1975 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #600 Rod Carew (Twins)

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids Checklist & Values

Hartland Baseball Statues & Figurines

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids
Checklist & Values