Those prices are about what you would see here, but Russ is pricey good lord. These days most of the stuff the shops have in stock are also either on their website or on Ebay.
From the ages of 8-17 I spent the majority of my summer days, and fall/winter weekends down at the stadiums/hotels/facilities getting autographs from not only local guys but from visiting teams as well. Over the years I amassed numerous boxes of cards, helmets, balls, and other memorabilia. The sad thing is there are so many fakes these days there is no resale value in much of it due to all the fakes out there now. Since I was doing this for a hobby and not a source of income I never bothered to get photo proof of a player actually signing my item(s).
My two experiences that stick out are these:
My buddy used to draw portraits and did one of Iverson doing a crossover in a Sixers uniform, right before their first visit to Seattle his rookie year. Before I took them, he told me that if for some reason he wants one, to give him the original. I had the 11"x14" with me along with 25 prints. As he got off the bus at the 4 Seasons, I walked up to him with it in my hands and in a loud voice asked me "where the F***K I got that". I stuttered and before I could answer he said "that's DOPE", then asked where I got it. I explained that my buddy drew it, and that if he liked it he could have it. He then told security that I was coming inside with him.
We sat and talked for about 10 minutes, and he told me to meet him in the lobby later that day at 4pm, and whatever I bring in he would sign. So I went and spent several hundreds on jerseys, rookie cards, posters, balls, etc and got it all signed along with the 25 prints. For several years after that I would go down to the hotel and he got to know me by name, and gave me courtside seats to each of the games. A cool follow up was one of the last times I went down there he asked me to bring my buddy, and he commissioned him for a family type portrait.
Second is I was outside the Crown Plaza the season after Omar Vizquel went to the Indians and somehow ended up giving him a ride home all the way up to Issaquah in my cousins '93 Toyota Paseo. Apparently he was too cheap to get a cab, and had enough trust in two kids to drive him home. I got three team balls signed, and had box seats behind the Indians dugout that entire series.
After I got married in '05, most of my stuff has been taken off the walls and now resides either on the walls of my garage, work office, or is sitting in my loft in numerous boxes. I might go and dig out a few items and post pics later tonight.
