1980 Braves - Team Signed/AUTOGRAPHED baseball [#ed34] w/43 Signatures

1934,1935,1936 Diamond Matchbooks

Please consider the following info as approximate.
1934's first baseball release featured 200 players, in 4 different background colors (red,blue,green and orange) for a total of 800 different covers. The set features plenty of Hall-of-Fame greats like Dizzy Dean and Mel Ott.

1935's issue was tiny with only 24 total covers (8 red,8 blue,8 green).

A third series was later released with 200 or more different covers (players/colors).

1930's matchbook covers appear to be huge bargains for collectors as their current values are fractions of the value of Goudey and other baseball cards from the same era.

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

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.

Autographed/Signed Team Baseball inventory

Vintage Baseball Card Auction terminology

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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.