Does a card have to be signed to be valuable?

Answer 1

No. Collectible items could add value to the price of a signature such as the cover of a magazine or Baseball card but not always. As in the case of a baseball card, generally collectors of baseball cards would rather have a baseball card without the signature, and a collector of signatures will not always pay extra for the "collectible" baseball card. This is why it is not a good idea to have an expensive baseball card signed. You could devalue the price of the card, and get less for it.

A cheap inexpensive baseball card that is worth .50 cent for example will be worth more with a noted players signature on it. The collectible baseball card now becomes an item to display the signature, and the bulk of the value will now rely on the value of the signature.

An expensive baseball card valued at $200. for example will have the opposite effect, in that the collectible baseball card becomes an item to display the signature. The signature now becomes the collectible item. if the signature is only worth $40. it would bring the price down. It would be considered to a baseball card collector to be defaced and not be valued as a the collectible card in "mint condition." The value now relies on value of the signature and how well the card displays the it.

In the example of the $200. baseball card and the $40. signature the baseball card will bring more value to the signature but less than the value of the card un signed.

Basically a collectible baseball Card, and an Autograph are two different items. Once the Card is signed it is not a collectible baseball card it is a signed Item. For more information on signed Items and value read my newsletter "How Much Is My Autographed Baseball?" (Link below)