The World's Largest Baseball Collection

Here's a neat story I came across the other day. Dennis Schrader of St. Petersburg, Florida currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of autographed baseballs in the world! His collection is in currently in the process of becoming a new exhibit at the St. Petersburg Museum of History! Looks like Spring Training baseball fans will soon have a new stop on their Florida vacations!

You can Check out Dennis Schrader's website at http://www.littlecooperstown.com/

A Triple Crown Winner in 2012?

As history has shown us, one of the most difficult achievements in baseball is winning the Triple Crown. Since 1878 only 15 batters have won it, with the most recent winner being Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Could 2012 be the year another hitter FINALLY takes the Triple Crown title? Well one month into the season, two of the game’s best hitters are off to great starts!

Ironclad Authentics Matt Kemp
Autographed 16x20 Photo

Coming into today Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers leads the American League in Homeruns, RBIs, and Batting AVG. Hamilton is also coming off a recent 4 HR game performance, in which he is only the 16^th player ever to do so in Major League history.

Matt Kemp of the Dodgers also has a great shot as he comes into today leading the NL in Homeruns and Batting Average. He only trials his teammate Andre Eithier by a few. The fact that Kemp has such a high on base percentage and that Eithier hits behind him, Kemp could be working against himself for the Triple Crown!

It’s only May and I know it may seem a bit premature to think that a Triple Crown could actually happen (I think back to the Votto/Pujols race from 2010 on this one), but its fun to think about. One thing’s for sure, these two players are putting on a showing that they are both legitimate MVP candidates. If one does come away with the Triple Crown, the question is what else could this lead to in their careers? Of the 15 Triple Crown winners, 13 are in the baseball Hall of Fame. If Cooperstown is the case for Hamilton and Kemp, memorabilia collectors who grab their items now will be happy they did!

Sports Propaganda Artwork Mixes Old Time Feel with Today’s Stars

One really unique item that’s new to Ironclad is this Joe Mauer Sports Propaganda print that’s been signed by Joe Mauer. 

The print, which is limited edition of 200, is 17x21 and features Joe Mauer in his catching gear with the slogan “Always Ready”.  The artist of the piece, Chris Speakman, hand makes each of the screen prints making them extremely rare. The idea for the “Propaganda” style of artwork comes from inspiration of various war-like rivalries around sports as well as propaganda art from the 1940's. Chris also made some limited edition Cal Ripken Jr. pieces for us that are still available through our website, ironcladauthentics.com.

To check out more of Chris’s artwork, visit his website at www.sportspropaganda.com.

Joe Mauer – Ready for a Healthy Year of Baseball

Last week, Myself and the rest of the Ironclad staff had the opportunity to do a private signing with Twins catcher Joe Mauer. Joe was excited to sign for us as well as the several items that were sent in by his loyal fans. The items that were mailed in included baseballs, personal photos, bats, and jerseys. Joe was even able to sign and inscribe a pair of his game-used cleats for us that he wore during the 2007 season!

One thing that stands out from the signing was Joe’s overall excitement for the 2012 baseball season. Having already played in a few spring training games, he has yet to experience any set-backs health-wise and should be ready to go when opening day arrives! I expect a big year for Joe and hopefully that will result in a winning season in Minnesota!

Next up: A signing with the Ironman Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother and former double play partner, Bill Ripken

Team-Signed Memorabilia

When it comes to collecting autographed football memorabilia, kickers are typically not high on the priority list. Although the kicker may have made a pro-bowl or had the highest field goal percentage in the league, they typically aren’t coveted as much as a quarterback or wide receiver. The reason for this is easy; kickers aren’t popular. Same goes for a middle reliever in baseball. Although these players are important role players and essential to a team’s success, they are never going to be as popular as the quarterback or starting pitcher. However, this all changes once a team wins a championship. This is because of the popularity in team-signed sports memorabilia. Whenever a team wins a Super Bowl or Championship of some sort, memorabilia from that team often becomes extremely popular and valuable.

Acquiring all of the autographs for a team-signed item is often challenging for the collector. Today’s sports world is filled with free agency and trades, which have players switching teams constantly. After the Cardinals victory over the Rangers in the World Series, several key players, such as Albert Pujols and Edwin Jackson, have joined other teams. This makes it extremely difficult for collectors to find and collect all of the signatures needed to complete a World Series piece. This becomes even harder when players begin to retire and are out of baseball.

Occasionally, a collector’s show will have a reunion type show where they will bring in several members of a championship team. A good place to find these shows is www.mab-celebrity.com. The simplest way to acquire a team signed collectible is to buy one from a reputable memorabilia dealer. Although they are in most cases expensive, it guarantees you a piece of memorabilia that will only increase in value over time. Check out some of our team signed memorabilia at www.ironcladauthentics.com.

Holding a Piece of History

A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to get in some game-used bats from Cal Ripken Jr.’s personal collection. This was the first time in a long time that Ironclad had gotten the opportunity to offer these bats to our customers. The age of each bat varied as they ranged from Cal’s entire career; from the early 80’s to the early 00’s.

Cal Ripken Jr. Game Used Bat

One of the most interesting things about these game used bats were the differences with each bat. While each bat had cracks, checking and ball imprints, no two bats were the same. This made each bat making each bat a truly “one of a kind” collectable. For example, with Cal’s batting practice bats, Cal would tape the barrel in order to prevent checking and so that he could get more use out of each bat.  Another bat we received was a bat that Cal had used during the 2000-2001 seasons. The bat had a large crack going all the way through the handle, making it safe to assume Cal was jammed on an inside pitch at some point during these seasons.

It’s the specific use with each bat that makes them so special. After having the opportunity to see bats like these really makes you think about the best part about collecting memorabilia; the opportunity to own a piece of history.

A few Ripken game model bats still remain for purchase. Each bat comes with a COA from Ironclad Authentics that is signed by Cal himself. Check out www.ironcladauthentics.com or click the link below to view the entire collection.

http://www.ironcladauthentics.com/Game-Used-Product-Type-Baseball/b/3613835011

Getting it Signed - Public Signing

After covering private signings last week, I thought that it might be a good idea to go over public signings this week. Public signings are often done at trade shows, memorabilia stores, or conventions. These signings are often very popular because it gives collectors the rare opportunity to get an autograph from their favorite athlete in person. Many times the athlete is willing to take a picture with the collector as well, although this depends on the athlete and promoter.

One drawback to attending a public signing is the long lines you may have to wait in. If you want to get your item authenticated at the show, it often costs an additional fee and requires you to stand in another line. When getting the autograph for someone as a gift, it's often easier (and many times cheaper!) to checkout some authentic pre-signed autographs from a reputable dealer such as www.ironcladauthentics.com.

To find out about public signings happening in the future, a good web site to checkout is www.mab-celebrity.com. If you’re not in the area of any of these signings, mail-order is typically an option for most public signings.