What is a David Justice autographed Rookie of the Year baseball worth?

Answer 1

There are a number of factors which could determine the value of this item, such as condition and clarity of the signature, condition of the Baseball, etc. It is not unusual to see Autographs like these on unofficial baseballs, which typically are worth 50% of the exact same autograph on an offical MLB baseball. For the sake of brevity, I will assume this is on an offical MLB baseball. Some ROY baseballs are serial numbered out of 1990 - the year he won the award for the National League's top rookie. (So, if your autograph was #335 it would be #335/1990.) Serial numbered autographs tend to be worth more because they establish some sense of rarity, sequencing and availability. Also, serial numbers with some meaning to Justice's career, such as #1, #23 (his number during Atlanta, Cleveland and Oakland years), #305 (career HR total), and #1990 could command a premium of up to 50%. There is a peculiar anomaly associated with David Justice signatures during this era, in that his autograph of 1990 is significantly different (cleaner, more cursive) than his autograph near the end of his career in 2002. It is easy to see the difference when signatures from both era's are comapred side by side, and Paul Schreiber's collection found at www.freewebs.com/duckydps depicts this well. The only reason this is good to know is that a Rookie of the Year baseball signed by David Justice in 1990 has more value than one signed later in his career. It was not particularly uncommon for Justice to personalize his signatures by adding his uniform number (23, 33, or 28), his World Series championship years (1995 and 2000), his 2000 ALCS MVP, or, in this case, his 1990 National League Rookie of the Year award (usually abbreviated to 1990 NL ROY). A serial numbered baseball signed by David Justice around the time of the 1990 season and denoted as 1990 NL ROY typically will sell for $25-$50. A similar item without a serial number and signed later in his career will sell for $15-$35 on average, though I have purchased authentic, David Justice signed baseballs for as little as $12 in the recent past. That being said, any sports collectible is only worth the most someone would pay for it. While I myself am one of few remaining serious David Justice collectors and seek his items regularly, he is no longer a top hobby draw and hasn't been for some time. The problem is, with most players one can expect values to rise over time, but with Justice continuing to sign merchandise and a declining fan base, it will be a long time before his merchandise is considered a hot commodity again, if ever. If you are buying this item, I wouldn't spend more than $25. There are enough of them out there that you can find a bargain fairly easily. If you are selling, you may be able to get up to $35-$40, especially if the baseball is serial numbered, personalized, or otherwise unique or rare. However, be prepared to hold onto it for a while as it will not be a quick sell by any means.