Mystery of a Cut Signature Solved.

2007 Leaf Limited Cuts Signatures LC-12 #d 40/50

 Well. When I first got this card from a group box break I didn't think to hard about where the signature had come from. It looked like it was from an autograph book, or a post card of some kind. I was glad it was NOT "from an older card". I really hate when they cut up some of those Hall Of Fame cards, even if they are only worth about .50¢ It is the thought that they cut up a perfectly good piece of memorabilia like they do with the jerseys and the pants etc to get the Game Used cards.

Well it did come from a Post Card. Like I said I never really thought too hard about the origins of the signature on this card, but the sad thing about it is now I know it came from a post card so it is sort of coming from an older card.

Back to solving the "Mystery of the Cut Signature Origin". I was searching around Ebay when I found a copy of this old post card of LA Rams HOFer Tom Fears.

Tom Fears Autographed Post Card
Date Unknown (circa 1960s?)

I noticed that the Tom Fears post card was a pen and ink lined drawing image. It got me to thinking. Even though I didn't think too much about the Elroy Hirsch cut signature card much, that lone line to the left of his signature I was curious about and the other little lines I couldn't quite tell what they were yet, but I had some suspicions about them. I eventually found a website  that had the Tom Fears post card and I did a search for a version with Mr. Hirsch, actually I think I did a Google search. I found a similar looking post card for Elroy Hirsch. I eventually found a website or the remains of a website  that sold both post cards for way way too much money. (www.footballcollectible.com I can't seem to get to that site just cached google searches from from it something about the animation timing) Something like $80 or $90. Too rich for me, but I would eventually like to have those post cards, even just unsigned ones.

Notice the defensive man on the right. Check out his left hand and left leg/knee. Notice the angle in relation to the ground line. Now rotate slightly and...

Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch Autographed Post Card - Sample 1

...you will notice that it matches with my cut signature. On this next sample the autograph is in about the same place where the autograph from the cut signature would  be from the post card that was sacrificed for just the autograph.

Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch Autographed Post Card - Sample 2

When I made this discovery I was thrilled and a little disappointed. I was thrilled that I had discovered where the signature had come from since it was obviously not from a check and wasn't from a more obvious overproduced no-value Hall of Fame series card. I was disappointed and a little annoyed that it came from a rare post card probably from the 1960s or '70's or earlier.

Well Now the Mystery is SOLVED! Sort of I just would like to know the actual age of the post cards and what series they are from. Probably from some set of post cards that was available for sale at the gift shop at The Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio.