That TTM Guy

Autographs From a Galaxy Far Far Away

2012-06-21T16:35:00.001-07:00

In addition to sports, I am also a HUGE Star Wars fan, and collect autographs from people associated with it. I started with cards, than created a custom photo signature card when I started sending to people who just didn't appear on a card. My custom card is designed to look like the packaging of the original Kenner Star Wars action figures.

(Photo courtesy of VintageActionFigures.com)

Topps has produced a series of cards called Star Wars Galaxy. The last set, which came out earlier this year, is the 7th set in the series. Each set has about 110-120 cards, and features the works of many different artists. I like to use these both for the characters pictures on the cards, but also the artists themselves.

(Card signed by James Earl Jones -
voice of Darth Vader)

(Card signed by Tsuneo Sanda - artist)

For live action shots Topps has issued a number of sets, including their Widevision sets. Cards in these sets are longer, 4 3/4" compared to the standard 3 1/2", and the photos are positioned horizontally. These are perfect for showing the dramatic wide angle shots in the Star Wars movies.

(Card signed by Richard LeParmentier (Admiral Motti))

Just in the last few days, Topps has announced a new set. This set will be for Star Wars 35th anniversary, and will cover all 6 episodes and will feature the movies characters, creatures, and vehicles. This will be a large 350 card set, the largest Star Wars set to date. It is currently scheduled for a September release.

(Photos courtesy of Beckett.com)

You can read more about this set at Beckett.com.

Once again, may your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

Mailbox for 5/29/2012 (With Video)

2012-05-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

I decided to do a little video of what was in my mailbox today.

Hope you enjoy.

Click on picture for video

May your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

Around the World in 80 Stamps

2012-05-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

You can get U.S. stamps everywhere, but what happens when you want to send a request to someone that is out of the United States? What do you put on the SASE? The answer used to be something called IRC, or International Reply Coupon. These are little certificates that you could purchase at the post office and include in your SASE that could be used by the person outside the United States to redeem postage at their post office. The problem with IRC's is that nobody uses them anymore, and even some post offices either don't have them or even know what they are.

This is the current version of the IRC, called the Nairobi model, and is valid until December 31, 2013. It costs $2.10 in the United States.

Photo courtesy of dailydx.com

Learn more about International Reply Coupon's here.

There are now two different ways to solve this problem... either get a hold of stamps for the country that you are sending to, or include money for the person to purchase the proper postage. There are forums on TTM sites that are set up to exchange stamps from various countries, but this can be time consuming. Personally, I just include money with my request, and apologize for the inconvenience. It is United States money that I send, but I have never had a problem with that. When sending to Canada I include $1, $2 to England, and $3 anywhere else. A few times, some very nice people have even returned the money with my signed items (but don't count on it). Of course being so close to Detroit and the Canadian border, I could just go over and buy some Canadian stamps, but that is a job for another day. lol

May your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

Some Unwritten Rules of TTM

2012-05-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

There are some unwritten rules in any hobby, and TTM is no different. I am going to talk about a few of these rules today. Like most unwritten rules they are really just common sense, but there are always some people who don't think and it hurts everyone in the hobby.

1. ALWAYS SEND A SASE

SASE stands for 'self addressed stamped envelope.' Include one with every request. Never make the person you are requesting a signature from pay, and take the extra time to send your item back to you. First of all, you will probably never get anything back, and it's just plain rude. Remember you are asking this person a favor, don't inconvenience them.

2. DON'T BE GREEDY

Limit how many items you send to someone. Personally, I never send more then 3. I feel any more then like 4 is asking too much. But I have seen people that have sent 10 or more, and they complain because the person only signed 7 of them! Also, don't send multiple copies of the same item. I do send 2 copies of the customs I send just so I have a second one in case one gets damaged or the signature isn't very good, but don't send like 5 copies of the same photo or card. This makes the person you are sending to think you are just going to turn around and sell them on Ebay. This is really for free requests. If you are paying a fee for the signature, send as many as you want to pay for.

Image courtesy of Ebay seller sellurstuf2010

3. DON'T MAKE TO MAKE REQUESTS

This is along the same line as being greedy. When making your request, don't ask for too many specific things. By that, I mean don't ask the person to sign it in a blue fine point marker (unless you send the marker with your request), in a specific spot, with multiple inscriptions (inscriptions are things like 'Hall of Fame', or 'Rookie of the year'), and a personalization to your son... etc. Make it simple and quick for the person, chances are they have a stack of other requests to get to besides just yours, and again, it's just rude.

4. SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU

Yes, this seems to go without saying, but you would be surprised. Always remember that you are asking this person for a favor. Do what your parents always told you, be polite, and say please and thank them for their time.

Image courtesy of pbskids.org

Like I said at the start, they are really all just common sense. Just think about what you are doing before you mail it and you will be fine.

That is all for now boys and girls.

As always, may your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

Customs: One of a Kind Collectables

2012-04-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

In addition to cards, photos, and index cards, some collectors also create custom items for autographs. I am no graphic artist, but have created some custom items that have come out pretty good. I have even had several requests for extra copies of my customs from the people that I have sent them to. Customs can take time to design and create, but if done well, they can be a one of a kind collectable.

Here are some of the customs that I have created...

My "Wrestling Legends" Series (28 created /20 signed so far):

(This are meant to look like old west wanted posters)

My Star Wars Series (137 created / 88 signed so far):

(These cards were inspired by the original Kenner action figure packaging)

My Detroit Tigers Series (90 created / 88 signed so far):

(I made these so I could get the signatures of Tiger players who just never appeared on an trading card)

My R2-Detroit (Star Wars FanForce southeast Michigan chapter) Series (6 created / 3 signed so far):

(These were inspired by the Topps Allen & Ginter series of baseball cards. Very simple and clean, with a vintage look. I give the signed cards to members of R2-Detroit at our monthly meetings)

To make custom cards, you do need some special software. Personally, I use Adobe Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Word. There are some pretty good photo editors out there for free, like PhotoScape, and GIMP. You can find a list of good editors with links to download them here. I am no Photoshop expert, but I know enough to figure out how to do what I want to do (and if I can't figure it out I just look on the web). I learned by just playing with it and trial and error.

How you print your customs is also very important. Some people use online printing services like Shutterfly, Snapfish, or even Walmart. I just print mine out at home using a middle of the range HP inkjet printer (set to the highest quality settings), using the best quality photo paper.

If you are thinking about trying to make your own customs, my advice is to keep trying new techniques until you find something that you really like, and HAVE FUN WITH IT!

Once again, may your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

An Ounce of Prevention

2012-04-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

When dealing with cards, there is something you have to look at before sending them out to be signed... you have to look at the surface of the card. Modern cards tend to have a high gloss on them, and that looks wonderful, but it is horrible for autographs. The ink from pens like Sharpies will not adhere to a glossy surface, and will just bead up and rub off. Prior to about 1995, collectors didn't need to worry about this. Glossy surfaces were not widely used and ink would adhere just fine. But all is not lost. You can still use glossy cards for autographs, it just takes some preparation.

Image courtesy of martcollectables123 on Ebay

There are two methods of 'preping' cards. One is by using an eraser, the gum or rubber type, and gently rub the eraser across the surface of the card. I have tested this method on a few cards and had mixed results. This method can also leaves a milky film on the card.

The other method, the one I use, is with baby powder. Simply put a small amount of the powder onto the card and rub the surface with it. The tack in the baby powder will allow the surface to take the ink. Just make sure to rub down the entire surface, you never know where the person will sign the card. Than just wipe off the remaining powder and it is ready for the mailbox.

Here is a link to a wonderful video by 'theautographnetwork' on YouTube showing both methods. Check it out.

May your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

Autograph Detective: Real or Fake?

2012-04-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

The negative aspect of getting autographs through the mail is that we can not absolutely, 100% guarantee that that specific individual signed that item because we did not personally witness them signing it. The best we can do is go by that persons reputation and compare the signature we get in the mail to that of a known authentic signature of that individual.

Fake signatures are an unfortunate aspect of TTM. There are a few types of fake signatures...

Ghost Signers/Secretary

Image from manila.centura.k12.ne.us

These are signatures written by a person, but not by the person it is supposed to be. These are usually done by family members, secretaries or other hired assistants. Hockey player Mike Modano has been rumored for years to have his mail requests signed by his mother.

These can be difficult to detect since they are real signatures. Comparing to authenticated signatures of the real person can be one way of determining if what you got back is real.

Stamps

Image from stamp-connection.com

Stamps are easier to recognize. A real signature will have specific aspects to look for. Real signatures will have areas of lighter and harder pen pressure. The end of a real signature will not just end suddenly, it will either end fading off, or with a harder pressure point. Stamps will show consistent pressure from start to finish. Also, real signatures are rarely exactly the same every single time. If you compare the signatures that others have received, and they are EXACTLY the same... it is more than likely a stamp, or are next category.

Autopen

Image from theblaze.com

Autopens are actual machines that reproduce a signature over and over again. It is an exact reproduction of the persons actual signature, but are not considered to be authentic signatures. Autopens are very difficult to determine just from the signature. Like stamps, the signatures from autpens are exactly the same every time, so comparing what others have received can show if it is indeed an autopen.

Ok, TM is not perfect. And nothing can insure that you will never get one of these fake signatures, but by doing your research about who you are wanting to send to and keeping up on the news in the TTM community, you can guard against it and enjoy the hobby.

Here is an article from Autograph Magazine that goes into more detail.

May your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!

TTM 101

2012-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start things off with a general basic overview of TTM.

TTM stands for through the mail autograph collecting. I sent a few requests to baseball players when I was a kid. From time to time, Beckett Baseball Card Monthly magazine would list a few players who were known to sign through the mail. Fast forward about 30 years, and I saw an article online about TTM and having just recently been told I need not continue coming to work... I decided to try it again. I looked around the internet for some good sources of addresses and sent out my first requests in January of 2009. I started mainly with past Detroit Tiger players, then quickly expanded to other baseball, hockey and football players. I went nuts, sending out 1,075 requests in 2009. As of this date, I have gotten back 871 of those requests back successfully, and 204 either returned unsuccessfully or never gotten back at all. Overall I have sent 1,850 requests and have had 1,425 returned successfully, and have gotten 2,958 individual items signed. I now collect baseball (main focus on Tigers), hockey, wrestling, Star Wars, and some football and a few basketball. If I see an address for someone else that catches me eye I like Dave Letterman, Bill Cosby, and Tony Bennett, I will send them a request too.

Now... how to send a TTM request.

First you need to know who you want to send to and where to send the request. There are several web site dedicated to TTM. Some focus on specific categories, like sports, or actors. The two biggest sites for all categories are Fanmail.biz, and Startiger.com. Fanmail.biz is free but requires you to register, while Startiger.com is $5 per month. Both have large databases of address with information like results from others trying the addresses, what they sent, what they received back and when they received it. Both also have large forums where you can get help and information. For sports figures, I use Sportscollectors.net. This site is $25 for a year subscription. They have the most user friendly layout in my opinion. For my Star Wars collection, I go to Wattographs.com. This is dedicated to individuals involved with Star Wars. This site is free, but is currently being rebuilt and their database is offline right now. These sites will also list which individual charge for autographs through the mail. Not everyone who is willing to sign is also willing to do so for free. Some charge a small amount for a charity. What you are willing to spend for a specific persons autograph is up to you. Personally, since I am unemployed, I will only send to those who will sign for free. There are a number of people who I really want to get, but charge a fee, so will have to wait until I have a job.

Now you have someone you would like to send to, and a reliable address that others have tried and been successful with previously. The next question is what to send? There is a wide variety of items that people will send. Trading cards, photos, index cards, magazines, baseballs... just never send anything that would wouldn't mind never getting back. If you send something, even to a great signer with 100% success in the past, if you send something valuable or something the means a lot to you, that will be the one thing the post office looses. So just don't send anything you would really miss. I started with, and still mainly send, trading cards. For me, they are perfect... small, cheap, has the persons picture and information, and are easy to store.

OK, first few steps done. You have the person, where to send it, and what you want to send. Now you have to look at how to send it. There are some basics that you need to follow, but some of it is also determined by what you are sending. Here are the basics... letter of request, the item(s) you are asking to be signed, a self-address and stamped envelope (SASE), and an envelope to hold all of it. Since I send trading cards, I use a standard #9 size envelope to hold it all, and #6 3/4 for the SASE (perfect size to fit inside the #9 and to hold the cards for the return trip).

The letter: The letter shouldn't be too long, less than a full page. Be very polite, saying please and thank you. Start by introducing yourself as a fan, than something specific that they have done that you really like. Ask them if they could please sign your item(s), and thank them for their time. Letters can be typed or handwritten. I handwrote my first few hundred request letters, than right before my hand fell off I switched to typing them.

The envelopes: Write clearly. You don't want to never get you items back just because the post office couldn't read the address on your SASE. To make sure my address is clear, I spent a few bucks and bought a address stamp. The best few dollars I have ever spent! I also bought a "DO NOT BEND" stamp, and stamp it on the front and back of both envelopes. Finally, make sure you have enough postage on both envelopes. Go to the post office and have them weigh it the first couple times. If you send the same type of items (cards, photos...) you will learn how much postage you will need after the first few.

Now pack everything up in the #9 envelope, pop it in the mail, and wait. You may get an idea of how long it may be from others you have seen when getting the address, but things happen and it may be faster or longer. And it may not come back at all. There are a lot of things that could happen getting there or coming back to you. I keep a spreadsheet of my requests, keeping track of who, where, what, and when. I mark a request a failure after 1 year of not getting it back, but I have still gotten many back after one year. My longest return is 1,006 days from an actor who was in one of the Star Wars movies.

That is pretty much it for a general overview. I will get into more detail in later posts.

Until then may your mailbox be filled with autographs and not bills!