Ideas on value of a rare unique Koufax Piece?

[Giancarlo27]

So my girlfriend's dad is friends with a guy who was high school teammates with Sandy Koufax and he wants to know what the value of this is. Ive never seen anything like that and its honestly pretty incredible and i doubt anything like it exists. Its a black and white photo and Koufax is third from left in the back row.





Thanks guys!

[camden_yardage]

You will get a better idea if you put it on net54.

[justrun7]

I don't know if you will be able to find a true value without it being auctioned. One of a kind items can be hard to price.

[devo]

Originally Posted by camden_yardage

You will get a better idea if you put it on net54.

This. The guys there know their vintage baseball stuff.

[Giancarlo27]

Thanks guys. Just made an account over there and will wait for it to clear. Any opinions are welcome!

[huskerman47]

No idea on value, but that's an awesome piece!

[sbfinley]

If it's an original print, I'd guess $1k to $3k in a major auction like Heritage or REA.

[Tom Oates]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

If it's an original print, I'd guess $1k to $3k in a major auction like Heritage or REA.

I think you are real close. I'm thinking $3k to $5k. The thing that keeps creeping up in my mind is the Roy Campanella pre accident versus post accident autographs. This early example of a Koufax auto may command a premium. Not making any comparison on the accident in general but trying to make an acknowledgment on the variation of the auto in general. This version definitely is visually different than his 1998+ autographs.

[ucLAkers]

Im thinking more in the 6k area. The Dodgers bring heavy on a piece like that. Might even end up in the offices. This photo puts Koufax (17) pre Brooklyn Dodgers but still in Brooklyn. This needs authentication though before anything.

[Giancarlo27]

Wow. I knew it would be worth more than the average Koufax auto but 6K is pretty crazy. He's not sure if he wants to sell it but I'm definitely going to recommend he gets it authenticated before anything

[Giancarlo27]

Originally Posted by Tom Oates

I think you are real close. I'm thinking $3k to $5k. The thing that keeps creeping up in my mind is the Roy Campanella pre accident versus post accident autographs. This early example of a Koufax auto may command a premium. Not making any comparison on the accident in general but trying to make an acknowledgment on the variation of the auto in general. This version definitely is visually different than his 1998+ autographs.

That's where I figured the value would come from. I can't imagine many Koufax signatures from his high school days exist.

[Giancarlo27]

Random update to this old thread, my GF's uncle decided to send it in to PSA to get it authenticated, and they returned it with a voucher for a refund, and a letter saying they were unable to authenticate it. I assume this was because they had no existing examplars from when Koufax was 16 in order to authenticate? Or does that mean something else?

[mcgoo2]

Originally Posted by Giancarlo27

Random update to this old thread, my GF's uncle decided to send it in to PSA to get it authenticated, and they returned it with a voucher for a refund, and a letter saying they were unable to authenticate it. I assume this was because they had no existing examplars from when Koufax was 16 in order to authenticate? Or does that mean something else?

That's my assumption. Not enough examples to authenticate, they wouldn't have refunded the money if they thought it was a fake.

I'm suprised they weren't willing to authenticate given that they somehow authenticated this: https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...mbnail-071515#. Maybe try JSA?

[mjohnatgt]

Call them and ask. My bet is they don't have examples of the other guys who signed it. They can't just authenticate the Koufax if they are going to put their name on it.

[Giancarlo27]

Originally Posted by mcgoo2

That's my assumption. Not enough examples to authenticate, they wouldn't have refunded the money if they thought it was a fake.

I'm suprised they weren't willing to authenticate given that they somehow authenticated this: https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1...mbnail-071515#. Maybe try JSA?

Interesting, you can barely even see the auto on that yearbook so it's hard to tell if they even look similar. I am also wondering how they authenticated that

And that was my next suggestion for him was to try JSA, are they any more likely to be able to authenticate it though?

[Giancarlo27]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

Call them and ask. My bet is they don't have examples of the other guys who signed it. They can't just authenticate the Koufax if they are going to put their name on it.

That's an interesting point. But I feel like it's similar to the yearbook example posts above where they solely authenticated the Koufax signature and not the other random people.

[charnick]

i would think trying to contact him directly, maybe through the Dodgers FO is the way go. I can't imagine any TPA authenticating this with so few teenage exemplars from Sandy, plus all the signatures from the other guys who didn't become the best left handed pitcher maybe ever! The only one who could really give it a thumbs up might be Sandy himself. Amazing picture!