One of my favorite things about sending out TTM requests is selecting which cards that I would like to try and get signed. Typically I don’t collect any unsigned cards so before sending out requests, I purchase cards from COMC. The website is very user-friendly and I like that you can search by player and then easily filter by card manufacturer. I am not a set collector so my card selections are based on visual appeal. Autographed base cards are the most common in the hobby so selecting the right cards is criticual for maximizing their future resale value.
The main appeal for sending base cards TTM is their general availability and affordability. The general rule of thumb with sending out TTM requests is that you should never send anything out that you can’t afford to lose. If a player has a high success rate or requires a donation/fee, I tend to send higher end cards such as the Bob Cousy 1957 Topps rookie card. With a few exceptions, there are no guarantees in this hobby so sending lower cost cards allows collectors to grow a large collection of autographed base cards. Because these cards are common, in order to maximize their future resale value, I use the following criteria:
Visual appeal – I like clean/simple designs that have action photos. Tip: avoid cards with dark images/backgrounds. Cards with lots of “white space” will allow the autograph to be signed nice and bold.
Hobby popularity – every year, there are certain hobby boxes/packs that card collectors enjoy to rip open looking for the “hits”. The base cards from these sets, tend to be great candidates to send TTM.
Autographed Base Card Resale Comparison
To help illustrate the importance of a selecting the right card, below is an example using sales data from my recent eBay auctions. Over the past couple of months, I have sold several autographed base cards of Calvin Johnson Jr. which were slabbed by PSA. These cards all cost about $0.50 each unsigned on COMC. The final sales price ranged from $45 – $75 per card. Out of the cards sold, three of them were Topps Valor and the rest were random base cards from different card manufacturers. Below is a look at the sample data:
Topps Valor (Average Final Sale Price): $65
Other Base Cards (Average Final Sale Price:) $50
Final Sale Price Variance: 30%
Due to their popularity autographed Topps Valor base cards have consistently sold for more than other football base cards. If you are looking for more ideas, below is a look at some other sets across the four major sports that have both visual appeal and are popular among collectors.
Popular Card Designs To Send TTM
Topps Allen & Ginter – year after year, this set doesn’t disappoint, with its clean design and light background, these cards look amazing signed in blue sharpie.
Topps Gypsy Queen – this set typically offers great action photos and like Topps Allen & Ginter, they look great signed in blue sharpie.
Panini Classics – with Topps no longer holding a license to produce football cards, these are the closest thing to the clean design of Topps Allen & Ginter. Panini only made these cards for three years; 2016 is my favorite design (as seen below).
Topps Valor – Topps produced these in 2012 and 2014 – 2015, the two most popular versions are 2014 and 2015. My personal favorite is 2014 which features the team logo in the background (as seen below).
Upper Deck SP Authentic – while the design changes slightly every year, two things are always consistent, the set features great images and the background has lots of white space.
Panini Prizm – every year, basketball collectors chase the hottest rookie cards which makes these base cards popular to send TTM. Tip: because of the glossy card surface, you need to prep the cards before sending them so that the sharpie sticks to the card without bubbling or streaking. My preference is to rub the surface with a white eraser and then wipe it clean.
These are just some examples and I would love to hear what base cards you like getting autographed for your collection.