WhereTheyAint.com

GREAT 1909 T206 TY COBB BAT ON SHOULDER PSA 6 FOR SALE!!

2011-05-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

T206 Ty Cobb Bat on Shoulder PSA 6

FOR SALE!!!

Currently for sale is a beautiful t206 Ty Cobb PSA 6!!! This card is beautiful!!!

To purchase this card, feel free to see our website at WhereTheyAint.com

SUPERB 1953 BOWMAN COLOR #59 MICKEY MANTLE PSA 8!

2011-05-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

1953 BOWMAN COLOR #59 MICKEY MANTLE PSA 8

FOR SALE!!!

Currently for sale is a beautiful 1953 Bowman Color #59 PSA 8!!! This card is beautiful!!!

To purchase this card, feel free to see our website at WhereTheyAint.com

1949 BOWMAN STAN MUSIAL PSA 8 CARDINALS FOR SALE!!!

2011-03-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Currently for sale is a beautiful 1949 Bowman Stan Musial PSA 8!!! This card is beautiful!!!

To purchase this card, feel free to see our website at WhereTheyAint.com

1954 BOWMAN #66 TED WILLIAMS PSA 8 FOR SALE!!

2011-03-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Now available for sale is a terrific 1954 Bowman Ted Williams PSA 8!! This card has fantastic corners, color, and surface!!

One of the most famous cards you will ever see!!

To purchase this card or see some other great cards in our inventory, please contact us at Sales@WhereTheyAint.com

1940 Play Ball #1 Joe DiMaggio PSA 8 NM-MT!!!

2011-01-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

Currently for sale is a beautiful 1940 Play Ball #1 Joe DiMaggio PSA 8!!! This card is beautiful!!!

Joe DiMaggio is one of the greatest all-time Yankees!! His 56 game hit streak and grace exemplify a truly great ballplayer.

To purchase this card, feel free to see our website at WhereTheyAint.com

1933 Goudey #92 Lou Gehrig PSA 8!!

2010-10-12T12:33:00.001-07:00

WhereTheyAint.com just sold a 1933 Goudey #92 Lou Gehrig PSA 8 card in a private sale for $12,750!!

That is 112% of the SMR Price!!!

To Consign with us, please contact Sales@WhereTheyAint.com

High Grade PSA Cards at Auction from WhereTheyAint.com

2009-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

WhereTheyAint.com is proud to offer some of the biggest and best sports cards in the hobby! Currently on eBay are the following superb PSA graded baseball cards all starting at an initial bid of $.01:

1.1911 T205 Christy Mathewson PSA 6
2.1911 T205 Eddie Collins PSA 6
3.1912 Hassan Triple Folders Ty Cobb PSA 6
4.1935 Diamond Stars Hank Greenberg PSA 8
5.1935 Goudey Babe Ruth PSA 6
6.1957 Topps Ted Williams PSA 8
7.1957 Topps Yankees Team Card PSA 9
8.1959 Fleer Ted Williams/Babe Ruth/Eddie Collins PSA 9
9.1963 Bazooka Babe Ruth PSA 8
10.1973 Topps Ernie Banks PSA 10

With the largest inventory on the web, we are your first and last resort to find the cards and memorabilia you need!

We Hav'em Where They Aint!

What makes WhereTheyAint.com better than the competition?

GREAT SELECTION: Whether you are a serious, experience collector or a rookie to the hobby, whether you're looking for high-end stars or filling your set, we have what you need.

TOP NOTCH SERVICE: With over 35 years of combined industry experience, we are proud of our reputation. We've never had a complaint: in person, on any number of auction sites, anywhere. We respond promptly to all inquiries. And if we don't happen to have what you need, we'll find it!

ONLY THE BEST AUTHENTICATORS: At WhereTheyAint.com, we only use the very best and most respected authenticators. For cards, we mean PSA, SGC & Beckett grading services. And for your autograph collectors, you will find a nice selection of MLB, Steiner, & PSA/DNA authenticated pieces!

WE'LL GO THE EXTRA MILE: If we don't have what you are looking for, let us know. We'll do our very best to track it down. Our clients mean the world to us. And we will search the world for them!

CONSIGNMENTS: We Regularly Achieve too dollar for our clients. Contact us to help sell your collection!

We look forward to helping you! Please see our website www.wheretheyaint.com or contact us at Sales@WhereTheyAint.com for more information.

VINTAGE BASEBALL CARD INVESTMENT GUIDE!!!

2009-10-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

If only your mother didn't throw out your baseball cards, you would be rich

Well, now you can be!!

With our Baseball Card Investment Guide, you can learn which baseball cards to invest in to achieve the most profit!!!

Investing in today's world is very difficult. All the "Experts" on wall street could not predict the great recession we are in. Americans have lost millions in the stock market just over the past year.

Meanwhile, the market for collectibles, especially baseball cards, has remained steady. Every day, sales for baseball cards are breaking records!! This is your opportunity to learn the secrets to amassing a great fortune investing in baseball cards.

Do you realize that if could have purchased a 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner PSA 8 card in 1985 for $25,000? In September 2007, that card sold for a record $2.8 million!!!

Don't miss out on the next great investment!!

With over 35 years of combined experience, our reputation is well-known throughout the industry. In 2005, after donating a rare item from our personal collection, the National Baseball Hall of Fame honored us as Lifetime Members!

With our Investment guide, you will receive a monthly report and analysis breaking down the top 100 best and worst cards to invest. You will be able to see all the flows of the market place and be able to educate yourself on investing in the baseball card market.

For only $24.95, you have nothing to lose!!

Buy Today by clicking here for the Vintage Baseball Card Investment Guide PSA Mantle Ruth

With the largest inventory on the web, we are your first and last resort to find the cards and memorabilia you need!

We Hav'em Where They Aint!

What makes WhereTheyAint.com better than the competition?

GREAT SELECTION: Whether you are a serious, experience collector or a rookie to the hobby, whether you're looking for high-end stars or filling your set, we have what you need.

TOP NOTCH SERVICE: With over 35 years of combined industry experience, we are proud of our reputation. We've never had a complaint: in person, on any number of auction sites, anywhere. We respond promptly to all inquiries. And if we don't happen to have what you need, we'll find it!

ONLY THE BEST AUTHENTICATORS: At WhereTheyAint.com, we only use the very best and most respected authenticators. For cards, we mean PSA, SGC & Beckett grading services. And for your autograph collectors, you will find a nice selection of MLB, Steiner, & PSA/DNA authenticated pieces!

WE'LL GO THE EXTRA MILE: If we don't have what you are looking for, let us know. We'll do our very best to track it down. Our clients mean the world to us. And we will search the world for them!

CONSIGNMENTS: We Regularly Achieve too dollar for our clients. Contact us to help sell your collection!

We look forward to helping you! Please see our website www.wheretheyaint.com or contact us at Sales@WhereTheyAint.com for more information.

High Grade PSA Cards at Auction from WhereTheyAint.com!!!

2009-09-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

High Grade PSA Cards at Auction from WhereTheyAint.com
Closing Sunday, September 20!

1) 1940 Play Ball “Shoeless” Joe Jackson PSA 7

2) 1915 Cracker Jack John McGraw PSA 8

3) 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9

4) 1949 Bowman Roy Campenella PSA 8 Rookie

5) 1954 Topps Tommy LaSorda PSA 8 Rookie

6) 1950 Bowman Ted Williams PSA 8

7) 1909 T206 Cy Young PSA 6

8) 1961 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA 9

9) 1954 Bowman Don Larsen PSA 8.5 Rookie

10) 1951 Bowman Carl Erskine PSA 8 Rookie

With the largest inventory on the web, we are your first and last resort to find the cards and memorabilia you need!

We Hav'em Where They Aint!

What makes WhereTheyAint.com better than the competition?

GREAT SELECTION: Whether you are a serious, experience collector or a rookie to the hobby, whether you're looking for high-end stars or filling your set, we have what you need.

TOP NOTCH SERVICE: With over 35 years of combined industry experience, we are proud of our reputation. We've never had a complaint: in person, on any number of auction sites, anywhere. We respond promptly to all inquiries. And if we don't happen to have what you need, we'll find it!

ONLY THE BEST AUTHENTICATORS: At WhereTheyAint.com, we only use the very best and most respected authenticators. For cards, we mean PSA, SGC & Beckett grading services. And for your autograph collectors, you will find a nice selection of MLB, Steiner, & PSA/DNA authenticated pieces!

WE'LL GO THE EXTRA MILE: If we don't have what you are looking for, let us know. We'll do our very best to track it down. Our clients mean the world to us. And we will search the world for them!

CONSIGNMENTS: We Regularly Achieve too dollar for our clients.

Contact us to help sell your collection!

We look forward to helping you! Please see our website www.wheretheyaint.com or contact us at Sales@WhereTheyAint.com for more information.

Great Investments in Vintage Baseball Cards

2009-05-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

As originally published at http://www.tcbusinessnews.com

Jeff Mugerian had a decision to make. Should he sink $5,000 into a mutual fund or put his money where his heart is: Baseball cards?

Mugerian, a local Traverse City business owner, took a hard look at the nearly perfect 1934 Goudey baseball card of Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It was graded 8 by a professional grading service on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being gem mint.“I know there aren’t many of these cards in this condition, especially of players like Dizzy Dean,” said Mugerian. “I have bought, sold and traded baseball cards for years, so I know more about these values than I do about mutual funds.”

So Mugerian made the purchase and put the card away as an investment.Good move?Traverse City broker Larry Avery, who works for Edward Jones, thinks so.“Over time, a diversified portfolio will outperform the portfolio overweighed in one area,” he said. “The most successful mutual fund companies have the best global research. In other words, they do their homework on the companies they invest in. Knowing the market for baseball cards or other memorabilia isn’t any different. Whether it is a stock, a bond or a mutual fund, a quality investment is just that.”

The key is doing your homework, just as you would in any other investment, according to a man who makes his living buying and selling sports memorabilia.“I think investing in old sports memorabilia has its place in a portfolio,” said Traverse City’s Chris Porter, who works for Mastro Auctions, Inc. near Chicago. “But it’s not as simple as just putting down your money. You have to invest some energy and time into what you’re doing.”

The 42-year-old Porter got his accounting degree from Michigan State, worked in that business for 10 years, then decided to get out and pursue his hobby as a business. He moved to Traverse City with Superior Sportscards, then worked for Leland’s out of New York and now Mastro’s the last three years, all while remaining in Traverse City with his family.“My job is to acquire cards and memorabilia for our Mastro auctions,” he said. “So I see a lot of great items and big money change hands.“For those people thinking about investing in baseball cards, the one thing I absolutely believe in is the use of grading services,” he said. “Don’t buy an ungraded card for investment purposes. I think a high-grade card, especially of stars from the Depression Era, are a great investment right now. They are underpriced.”

He is referring to cards like Mugerian purchased from the 1930s, a Goudey gum card. During the 1930s and ’40s, other companies like Diamond Star, Play Ball and DeLongs produced cards. Before that, tobacco cards were produced at the turn of the century and into the 1920s. Bowman baseball began producing cards in 1948 and then Topps, which still produces cards today, began production in 1952 and knocked Bowman out of business after 1955.“There are still people alive who collected cards in the 1930s and ’40s,” said Porter.

“To them, the players from that era were tough, good guys – not the spoiled brats they read about today. There are still collections of those cards out there.”Porter’s job is to uncover them and bring them to the open market.“Baseball cards can go through price fluctuations like anything else,” he said. “Some values will hit a plateau, go flat, then spike up again. But star cards that have high professional grades have never had an extended period of loss of value.”Mugerian likes the idea of investing in quality baseball cards and sports memorabilia.“I think investing in anything that is in demand, vintage and in great condition is a wise idea,” he said.

“With the stock market, it’s always possible in this economy that your money will erode or disappear. With sports memorabilia, there are fewer collectors in a bad economy, but the collectors will never simply vanish and you will always still be physically holding your investments in hand.”Mugerian believes his return on investment is well worth the risk.“Not only do I see high-end stuff hold its value, but the rate of return can be astronomical,” he said.

“I remember sitting in a hotel ballroom in New York City during a Leland’s auction. A particular baseball was up for sale and the auction house was estimating a $5,000 to $10,000 price. What Leland’s didn’t know was that two heavy hitters were planning on owning this baseball, including actor Charlie Sheen. After many minutes of spirited bidding, the ball sold for $105,000. With quality vintage items, the sky can be the limit.”But Mugerian, who started collecting cards in 1975, echoes Porter’s assessment that people who do their homework have the best shot at making money with their baseball card investments.

“That’s not to say that someone who doesn’t follow the hobby can’t make a buck,” he said. “But when you are enjoying what you are learning about, I think you are more astute. The key is to educate yourself.”

1939 Play Ball Cards

2009-05-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

As originally published on sportscollectorsdaily.com

They look a little crude today. Black and white photos. Dated fonts on the back and some printing errors. 70 years after they first hit the market, though, the 1939 Play Ball set has stood the test of time.

In fact, the 161-card set was a bit revolutionary. While photos of some earlier issues were often dark, grainy or distorted, the Play Ball cards kids pulled out of gum packs were pretty clear. Advances in photography following the Depression had changed the landscape.

Magazines like LIFE brought world events home through those modern images. Americans, no matter where they lived, were seeing things in a much clearer light. Baseball was celebrating its centennial year in 1939 and Gum, Inc., based in Philadelphia took the bull by the horns to become the only card manufacturer in '39. Goudey Gum had basically disappeared by then, and was four years removed from any large scale offering it had made.

Play Ball cards were also unique in that baseball cards had not only grown up, but grown in size at 2 1/2" x 3 1/8". It allowed for extensive write-ups on the back--even the use of the players' full names. Kids may have learned for the first time that their favorite player was "Joseph Paul DiMaggio Jr." and Ted Williams was "Theodore Samuel Williams". We can only surmise the number of playground bets that were won and lost.

There may have been some confusion, too, for the aggressive youngsters who tried to collect a complete set. At the bottom of each card's back was an advertisement that stated there were 250 cards in the set. By the time Gum Inc. had finished production, there were only 161 subjects. 162 cards had been numbered but #126 was never issued. There were two series issued and the high numbers are decidedly harder to come by. #1-115 are usually $20 and under in mid-to-high grade. Commons from #116-152 are twice that and more.

The key cards in the set include the Williams rookie card (#92), which commonly sells for $2,000 and up in higher grade, and DiMaggio (#26), just coming into his own as a Yankee. Expect to pay $1,000 or more for a high quality DiMaggio, many times that for a graded NM or Mint copy. Both are high on collectors' want lists. There are also a number of Hall of Famers including Leo Durocher, Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez, Charlie Gehringer, Mel Ott, Hank Greenberg and the Waner brothers. Another popular card is the 'rookie' card of catcher Moe Berg. A journeyman player, Berg gained fame for his work as a spy for the United States leading up to World War II. Berg's card can run over $100, despite his profound lack of Hall of Fame credentials as a player.

There are variations throughout the set, including a number of first series cards which have the player's name in all capital letters or upper and lower case, which many consider to be more scarce.

A complete set of 1939 Play Ball cards will cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 in mid to high grade. Completely graded sets will run higher, while lower grade sets can be had for less.Play Ball would last just three years. An extensive set of modern and retired players was issued in 1940, followed by a color set in 1941 that included only 72 cards. War was approaching and paper conservation meant few cards of any kind were produced until the late 1940s.

History Behind the Holy Grail of Baseball Cards

2009-05-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

As previously published on honus-wagner.org

The Honus Wagner T206 is considered by collectors to be the "Holy Grail" or "Mona Lisa" of all baseball cards. There are only 50 to 60 believed to be in existence and the card has broken a number of records including:- First baseball card to be professional graded by the PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator). The card shown on the left is marked #00000001- First baseball card to sell for over $1 million- Highest priced baseball card available, currently valued at $2.8 millionHere is a history as to how the Honus Wagner T206 PSA 8 came to be worth so much money.

T206 Wagner PSA 8 Price History:

1930: $50
1985: $25,000
1987: $110,000
1991: $451,000
1995: $500,000
1996: $641,500
2000: $1,265,000
Feb 2007: $2.35 Mil
Sept 2007: $2.80 Mil

1930s:

In the 1930s, according to baseball card catalogues, the Honus Wagner T206 cards were listed at a value of $50. Other T206 cards were valued at 35 cents making the Wagners a premium. Nobody, however, could have predicted that the card would come to be worth millions over 70 years later.

Alan Ray and Bill Mastro:

The Honus Wagner T206 made its first appearance in the modern world of sports card collecting in 1985 when Alan Ray, a small time card collector, went to see Bob Sevchuk who owned a New York based sports memorabilia store where Ray was a regular customer.Ray was hoping to sell his Honus Wagner T206 for $25,000 to Sevchuk. Bill Mastro, another sports memorabilia store owner and future founder of Mastro Auctions, caught wind of the card's availability and expressed an interest in buying it. He drove to Sevchuk's store and agreed to buy the card from Ray but only if he threw in the other 50 to 75 T206's that Ray had brought along as well. Ray made the deal, later saying "I had a money situation. I had to sell the card"The origins of the card still remain a mystery and have never been disclosed. Ray has only said in 2001 that he received the card from a relative, whose name he did not divulge.

Jim Copeland:

In 1987, Mastro contacted Jim Copeland, a sporting goods chain owner in California, and sold him the card for $110,000, realizing a $85,000 profit in under two years. "I called from the airport in California," Mastro says, "and ordered a Mercedes Benz."The sale sparked a renewed interest in baseball card collecting and created an incentive for people to find and sell their cards from the T206 series.

Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall:

In 1991, Copeland decided that he wanted to sell his collection of 873 pieces in a single sale. He contacted Mastro to help him sell the card. Mastro contacted Sotheby's, one of the most well known auction house in the world, to arrange the sale. Over 800 collectors showed up and the Honus Wagner T206 was expected to go for $114,000 according to pre-auction estimates.Within minutes of opening the card soared past $228,000, double the original pre-auction estimate. There were three bidders for the card: Mike Gidwitz, Mark Friedland, and an unknown phone bidder. Gidwitz dropped out when the price hit $300,000. Friedland pursued and found that with each successive price increase he made, the anonymous phone bidder would further raise $5,000 or $10,000. Friedland finally called it off when the price hit $410,000. Sotheby's took at 10% buyer's premium on the value of the card so the final sales price was $451,000.

It was later discovered that the anonymous phone bidder was none other than NHL hockey great Wayne Gretzky who bid on the card with the financial support of Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall. Mastro continued to work for Sotheby's for the next 5 years to facilitate the sale of expensive sports memorabilia and thereby establishing himself as the expert in the industry.Gretzky, not known at the time for being a card collector, thought it would make a good investment and that "the market would remain strong. Still, my dad told me I was an idiot for paying $450,000 for a baseball card."

According to his co-owner McNall, "If you buy something that is absolutely the best in the world, you'd be okay because there is always another buyer for something at the top end."The record-setting purchase made headlines and the card quickly became known as the "Gretzky T206 Wagner." To validate its authenticity, the Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA) chose the card to be the first that it would grade. The card received a PSA 8 - NM-MT (near mind to mint), the highest grade so far awarded to a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card. PSA President David Hall called it "superb" and a "fantastic card in every way."

Wal-Mart and Patricia Gibbs:

Shortly after the PSA graded the Honus Wagner T206, Bruce McNall became the subject of a federal investigation for fraud. He was later charged in 1994 for defrauding 6 banks of more than $236 million. With his partner off to a start a 70 month prison sentence, Gretzky decided to buy him out for his share and put the card back on the auction block.In 1995, the Honus Wagner T206 was sold to Wal-Mart and Treat Entertainment for $500,000. The companies wanted to use the card as the top prize in a promotional campaign to raise awareness about the baseball card products that Wal-Mart was selling. As part of the contest, the card traveled all across the United States and on February 24th, 1996, the 122nd anniversary of Honus Wagner's birthday, the T206 prize winner was chosen in a random draw made by Brooks Robinson on an episode of CNN's Larry King Weekend. The winner was Patricia Gibbs, a postal worker from Florida.Gibbs could not afford the taxes on the Honus Wagner T206 so she put it up for auction with Christie's, another New York auction house. Wal-Mart benefited heavily from the exposure and sold more than 30 million packs of baseball cards in a matter of months.

Michael Gidwitz:

The Honus Wagner T206 went to auction in 1996 and the top bidder was a familiar name, Michael Gidwitz, one of the men who battled Wayne Gretzky for the card in 1991 and lost. Bill Mastro was also bidding for the card but lost out this time to Gidwitz. According to Mastro, "No one ever wants to separate themselves from the crown jewel of the hobby."Gidwitz, a Chicago based collector, had to pay a significant premium over the $451,000 1991 price tag. He ended up spending $641,500 to acquire the card in 1996.

Brian Seigel, Anonymous, Anonymous:

After owning the Honus Wagner T206 for four years, Gidwitz decided it was time to sell. Instead of approaching a brand name auction house, he used technology to his advantage and made a deal with the largest online auction company in the world: eBay.

Gidwitz partnered with Robert Edwards Auctions, a division of MastroNet, to create a 10 day auction for the card. Prospective bidders had to wire a $100,000 deposit to iEscrow.com to be pre-approved to enter the auction. According to Robert Lifson, director of Robert Edwards Auctions, "I was thinking how could I leverage the publicity value of this card. I thought it would be really something if I approached eBay with this idea."

On July 15th of 2000 the Honus Wagner T206 was sold on eBay to Brian Seigel, a California collector for a record $1,265,000. This was a the first time that a baseball card had sold for more than $1 million. At the time Seigel said "Some day I'll sell it. I guess when I get tired of it. But this was not a business move. I am a collector."

In February 2007, however, Seigel decided that it was indeed time to move on and the card was sold again, this time to an anonymous California buyer via SCP Auctions for $2,350,000. According to SCP President David Kohler, the new owner said "'Let's let the world know and have a news conference, but I don't want my name out there.' We have to respect that."

Finally, on September 6th, 2007 the Honus Wagner T206 it was sold most recently to another anonymous collector for a record $2,800,000. It is rumored that the card will be put on display at a number of upcoming conventions and events.Who the owner is and when the famed card will next go on sale is anyone's guess. Only time will tell how high the price Honus Wagner T206 can go.

October 2008 Update: It was recently revealed that the current owner of the famous Honus Wagner T206 is E.G. "Ken" Kendrick, managing general partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team. Kendrick is a veteran collector and is believed to be creating a sports museum at Chase Field where the card will be put on display.

T206 Wagner Sales Show No Sign of Slowing

2009-05-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

As originally published on sportscollectorsdaily.com

The sale of the PSA 1 Honus Wagner card in Robert Edward Auctions' 2009 spring event established yet another bar for the card that every collector would love to own.

Never mind the fact that there are many other vintage cards that are actually more scarce, the Wagner remains the hobby's holy grail. Most of us will have to be happy with a reprint, but we can appreciate...well...the appreciation in recent years.

The economic slowdown hasn't hurt sales of Wagner cards at all--and there has been more than one available. The lower grade Wagner will surely make John Rogers happy. He's the Arkansas collector who plunked down $1.62 million for a PSA 5 copy last summer. The latest information should elevate the value of all Wagner cards.

The REA auction marked the tenth known sale of a Wagner card in just over four years.

Recent Sales Chronology of T206 Wagner Cards

PSA 1 PR-FR $399,500
Robert Edward Auctions/May 2009

SGC 40 VG $791,000
Weiss Auctions/November 2008

PSA 5 EX $1.62 million
Mastro Auctions/August 2008

BVG 1 PR-FR $317,250
Robert Edward Auctions/ April 2008

SGC 10 PR-FR $227,050
Heritage Auctions/April 2008

PSA 8 NM/M $2.8 million
Private Sale/Sept. 2007

PSA 8 NM/MT $2.35 million
Private Sale/February 2007

GAI 3.5 VG $456,057
Mastro Auctions/December 2005

PSA 2 FR $294,337
Memory Lane/December 2006

PSA 2 FR $236,706
Mastro Auctions/April 2005

Top 10 Investment Vintage Rookie Cards

2009-05-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Rookie cards are the crown jewel of collecting. Naturally, the best rookie cards belong to Hall of Fame players. Here is our list of best investment rookie cards for your money (all under $1000 each).

1) 1948-49 Leaf Jackie Robinson: No one changed the game like Jackie. Both as a presence on and off the field. Buy one of these and you'll feel like you're starting a museum.

2) 1948 Bowman Yogi Berra: His phrases are famous, but his play was even better. A three time MVP and a record 10 World Series Rings. A true baseball icon.

3) 1954 Topps Ernie Banks: Mr. Cub's rookie from this beautiful set. He represents the spirit of the Cubs more than any other player.

4) 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax: A short career, but completely dominant. The "left arm of God," as referred to by those who faced him.

5) 1954 Topps Hank Aaron: The All-Time Home Run King! No steroids. Enough said.

6) 1957 Topps Frank Robinson: The only player to win an MVP in both leagues. Robinson would also become baseball's first African-American Manager.

7) 1958 Topps Roger Maris: Although he's not a Hall of Famer, Maris was pure Yankee class. His 61 homeruns in 1961 continue to have meaning in light of today's steroids scandals.

8) 1963 Topps Pete Rose: Although Rose ruined his reputation after he played, the All-Time Hits Leader's cards continue to maintain a steady value. He will never be forgotten by fans who recall his amazing longevity and love for the game.

9) 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan: Ryan is larger than life. Over 5,700 strikouts and a record 7 No-Hitters! Collecting the Ryan Express' Rookie card is a true investment.

10) 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson: The rookie card of "Mr. October" continues to be a favorite among collectors.

1915 Cracker Jack Baseball Cards

2009-05-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

As originally published on sportscollectorsdaily.com

Cracker Jack and baseball first started going steady over 100 years ago. Collectors have learned that one of the two card sets produced just before World War I is much less taxing to tackle.

They tempt you with history..tantalize you with scarcity and have a 'coolness factor' that's off the charts. The 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack baseball sets are among the most popular of all time. They're also among the most expensive. But if you're going to collect one of the two, the latter version might be the way to go.

The two sets are nearly identical, sharing the same basic style, size (2 1/4" x 3") and many of the same subjects. There are 176 cards in the 1915 set; up from 144 the year before. The 1914 Cracker Jack cards are tougher to locate, especially in high grade. Putting together even half a set can take years unless you're wealthy enough to find a dealer with a huge stock and buy a large lot at once. Because of the scarcity, many collectors prefer the 1915 Cracker Jacks. Known as E145, the 1915 set can be distinguished from the '14 issue by references on the back to the number of cards in the set. Also, the backs of the 1915 issue are printed in the opposite direction of the picture on the front. The card stock on which the cards were printed is heavier in 1915, making the cards less prone to creasing and wear.

There are several variations among the players who appear in both sets. One popular difference are the cards featuring Christy Mathewson. The 1914 version shows him pitching while the 1915 Matty is a portrait shot.Cards from both sets are pricey, but 1915 Cracker Jack common cards can be found in respectable VG condition for well under $100. Some Hall of Famers in the same grade will run $200-300. Among the most expensive are the Joe Jackson, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Ty Cobb which will often cost $2,000-5000 even in lower grade; Grover Cleveland Alexander, which is rarely found for less than $1000, plus the Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie. The last 31 cards in the 1915 set are a little more expensive than the first 144. Clark Griffith and Edd Roush (spelled Rousch in the set) highlight the high number run. The 1915 Cracker Jack cards are more plentiful thanks in large part to a company offer that allowed youngsters to send in for a complete set and collector's album. Such an offer wasn't available in 1914.

There was also a significant find of the '15 cards several years ago, which has also kept supply at strong enough levels to keep prices from skyrocketing.Dripping with Hall of Famers and history, the 1915 Cracker Jack set is a worthwhile investment, even if you can only own a small number of the cards that helped America embrace baseball.

Rare T206 Wagner Sells for $791,000!!!

2009-02-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

As orginially published on sgccard.com:

A rare T206 Honus Wagner baseball card – one of only a handful of known examples released into circulation in the early 1900s by the American Tobacco Company and often called the Holy Grail of sports collectibles – soared to $791,000 at a three-day multi-estate sale held Nov. 21-23 by Philip Weiss Auctions. The card, graded SGC 40 by Sportscard Guaranty, was the top lot in a sale that grossed about $1.8 million. The card now holds the distinction as the highest price realized for an SGC graded card at public auction.

"The pre-sale estimate was $500,000-$800,000, and it ended up selling toward the high end of that range. What added to its allure was the fact that it was fresh to the market, consigned by the original owner's family and never before offered.

The Honus Wagner card was issued as part of the 1909-1911 T206 series. The cards were inserted into packs of cigarettes as a promotional item. Last year, the highest graded example known to the hobby, and once owned by Wayne Gretzky, sold for $2.8 million.

The auction also featured a collection of original-owner T205 and T206 cards from the same era. The star lot was a highly desirable error card of Ray Demmitt from the same T206 set as the Wagner. The Demmitt card, graded an SGC 50, sold for $7,625. Another coveted sports collectible to sell was a Babe Ruth signed baseball, obtained by the chairman of the American Legion league Shibe Park. It brought $67,800.

Over 1,200 lots came up for bid over the course of the three days, in an array of categories, not just sports items. Nearly 300 people attended the Philip Weiss Auctions' facility, located at #1 Neil Court in Oceanside. Online bidding was strong as over 2,000 registered users submitted their bids via the internet. "There were also numerous phone and absentee bids," Mr. Weiss offered. "It was a very active sale."

GAI Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

2009-01-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

As originally posted at http://beta.beckett.com/group/456994/?tab=tabArticles&p=515087#ViewArticle

Global Authentication Holdings, the parent company of Global Authentication Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month in a U.S. Bankruptcy court.

The filing lets the Tustin, Calif.-based card grading and memorabilia authentication company reorganize and also could result in a discharge of debts. The company’s assets are listed between $50,000 and $100,000, while its creditors are owed somewhere between $1 million and $10 million.

Among its top creditors are the Internal Revenue Service, Global employees Steven Rocchi, Mike Baker and Steve Sipe, as well as several memorabilia dealers and other companies. GAI will continue to grade and authenticate memorabilia during the filing, while a meeting of creditors has been scheduled for Jan. 28.

Last May, Ault Glazer & Co. Inc. announced that it had finalized the complete purchase of Global after investing and lending to the company for two years.

Is this Woman's Collection Better Than Yours?!

2009-01-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

As originally published at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_rare_baseball_card

FRESNO, Calif. – Somewhere amid her collection of worn jukeboxes and slot machines, a 72-year-old California woman recently discovered an antique worth saving: a rare baseball card of the first professional team in the United States.

And if it weren't for the keen intervention of a friend, she would have sold the 1869 card of the Cincinnati Red Stockings on eBay for just $10.

"I didn't even know baseball existed that far back," said Bernice Gallego, who owns an antique shop in Fresno, a mid-sized city in the state's farming region. "I don't think that I've ever been to a baseball game."

She put a $10 price tag on it, deciding against $15 because it would have cost her an extra 20 cents. She pulled it from auction after realizing it could be worth much more when someone asked her to end the auction immediately.

The front of the card features a sepia-toned, gelatin-silver photographic print of the entire team. The reverse, a red-and-white advertisement for Peck & Snyder, a New York sports equipment manufacturer.

Experts at the Los Angeles-based PSA, the leading sports card grading and authenticating company, say the card is authentic and the team photo is relatively unscathed.

Sports card collectors prize any card featuring the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who laid the foundation for today's Major League Baseball.

"They were kind of an All-Star team before that concept really existed," said Tim Wiles, who directs research at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. "They went around and challenged all comers. They barnstormed around the country and were undefeated."

Gallego and her husband still can't say for certain how they got the card, but believe it was in the contents of a storage space they bought a few years ago.

"We really don't know where we got it," Gallego said. "It's a little card I found in a bunch of stuff."

Ranking the Top 15 Baseball Card Sets of All-Time

2008-11-20T05:39:00.000-08:00

When ranking the top 15 baseball card sets of all-time, many factors were taken into consideration, such as: set design, rookie cards, number of hall of famers, historical significance, difficulty in completing, difficulty in completing in top condition, and overall value. Feel free to comment with any suggestions or disagreements.

1. 1909-1911 T206 White Border
2. 1952 Topps
3. 1933 Goudey
4. 1914 Cracker Jack
5. 1909-1911 E90-1 American Caramel
6. 1951 Bowman

7. 1941 Play Ball
8. 1948 Leaf
9. 1934-1936 Diamond Stars

10. 1911 T205 Gold Border
11. 1932 US Caramel
12. 1933 Goudey Sport Kings
13. 1954 Wilson Franks
14. 1953 Bowman Color
15. 1971 Topps

The New Hall of Fame Classic

2008-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

As originally published at: http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081117&content_id=10149&vkey=hof_news

With the annual Hall of Fame Game now just a memory, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will inaugurate a new tradition next year: the Hall of Fame Classic Weekend to coincide with Father's Day and the beginning of summer.

The Hall of Fame has teamed up with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association to create the Hall of Fame Classic, which will make its debut the Father's Day weekend of June 20-21 with an assortment of interactive activities at both the Museum and historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y.

The Classic -- to be held Sunday, June 21 -- is an exhibition game featuring four Hall of Famers and more than 20 other retired Major League players. In addition, there will be a hitting contest and autograph sessions throughout the day with no extra cost for Hall of Fame Classic ticket holders.

"We are extremely excited to start a new Cooperstown tradition for multi-generational families everywhere," Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson said. "In tandem with the MLBPAA, we are thrilled to bring a marquee event to Doubleday Field, which promises to be a lot of fun and incredibly interactive. We know how much our visitors appreciate the human connectivity our events encompass."

Doubleday Field, the site of the defunct annual Hall of Fame Game, has been made famous by scores of Major League stars and future Hall of Famers who played exhibition games there, the filming of scenes from A League Of Their Own in 1992 and recently as a concert venue for Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, The Beach Boys and others.

Other events being planned are a game of catch at Doubleday Field for fathers and their children or grandfathers and their grandchildren, as well as a skills clinic for children, featuring former Major League players, and a number of events in the Museum in a salute to fathers. Ticket information and a complete schedule of events are forthcoming.

"We're honored to be a part of this," said Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, who is also the president of the Alumni Association. "There's a lot we can do to promote the game of baseball. This will be a great success and hit here in Cooperstown. It will be a lot of fun, autographs, family entertainment. That's what it's all about."

"I think it's fantastic for the Museum and the Hall of Fame," Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark said. "It's really terrific for the community. This allows us to fill that gap with programming. I'm thrilled."

"We will couple The Classic with a number of other exciting family activities and programs throughout Classic Weekend, assuring that Cooperstown is the definitive Father's Day Weekend destination," Idelson added. "Classic Weekend will be engaging, educational and tremendous fun for community members, as well as baseball-loving families across the country. Given that Cooperstown is steeped in nostalgia, a legends-style baseball game is a natural fit."

The cancellation of the 2008 Hall of Fame Game ended a tradition dating to 1940, when the Chicago Cubs beat the Boston Red Sox, 10-9, despite two home runs by Ted Williams. Scheduling problems in recent years resulted in the end of the series that was an annual pairing of Major League clubs in the traditional birthplace of the sport.

When the Hall of Fame Museum officially opened June 12, 1939 -- an open date on the big league schedule -- an All-Star Game was played featuring two players from each big league club and managed by Hall inductees Honus Wagner and Eddie Collins. There were also exhibition games later that summer between the New York Yankees and the Triple-A Newark Bears, and between the Philadelphia Athletics and the Penn Athletic Club.

At that year's Winter Meetings, the clubs agreed to arrange for teams to participate annually in an exhibition game in Cooperstown, starting in 1940. Through 1978, the game was scheduled the same Sunday as the Induction Ceremony. From 1979 through 2002, games were scheduled the Monday after the induction.

This was the sixth consecutive season that the Hall of Fame Game was to be held on a separate weekend from the induction. What was supposed to be the last Hall of Fame Game in June, between the Cubs and San Diego Padres, was rained out. The last completed game was in 2007, when the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 13-7.

Topps Signs Exclusive Deal with Babe Ruth Estate

2008-11-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

As orginally published at http://beta.beckett.com/group/411920/?tab=tabArticles&p=444818#ViewArticle

Topps and CMG Worldwide (CMG) have reached an agreement that grants Topps the exclusive rights to produce the trading cards of arguably baseball's greatest legend, Babe Ruth. The deal includes exclusivity on trading cards - including game-used memorabilia cards and all other insert cards.

"We are extremely excited to add baseball's greatest legend to the Topps brand," said Warren Friss Topps' GM of Sports & Entertainment. "As the ‘House that Ruth Built' celebrates its final season, we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the legacy of Yankee Stadium than by giving our fans access to the most legendary player in its storied franchise."

The exclusive Babe Ruth cards were unveiled recently with the release of 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter and will be found in the remainder of Topps' 2008 and 2009 baseball products. The products will feature an array of insert cards, autographed cards and game-used memorabilia cards.

In April, Topps announced a deal with CMG that includes exclusivity on trading cards for 16 former baseball legends including Jackie Robinson, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Thurman Munson, Roy Campanella, Rogers Hornsby, Lou Gehrig, Cy Young, Mel Ott, Johnny Mize, Jimmie Foxx, Honus Wagner, Pee Wee Reese, George Sisler and Christy Mathewson.

Topps also holds the exclusive trading card rights to the Mickey Mantle Estate and autographed and game-used memorabilia card rights to young stars such as Ryan Howard and David Wright.

Topps to Issue Barack Obama Trading Card Set

2008-11-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

As orginally published: http://beta.beckett.com/group/186423/?tab=tabArticles&p=486457#ViewArticle

Topps announced Friday morning that it will document President-elect Barack Obama’s historic run for the White House in a 90-card set — the Barack Obama Inaugural Edition — in January.

The set will document Obama’s life and will be available in stores nationwide before Inauguration Day. Each pack will contain six cards and one sticker at a suggested retail price of $1.99 per pack.

“The upcoming release of our tribute to Barack Obama carries on the company’s proud tradition of documenting significant and newsworthy moments in time,” said Topps CEO Scott Silverstein. “These cards will resonate with the millions of Americans whose passionate outpouring of support provided President-elect Obama with one of the most memorable and historic victories ever. This educational, entertaining and emotional collection is destined to become an instant classic.”

Topps has produced many non-sports sets over the years, most notably including releases on President Kennedy and “Man on the Moon” cards in the 1960s, the Beatles in 1964 and Desert Storm sets in the early 1990s.

Each card will tell a different story of Obama’s life through dozens of photos and words, many from his own speeches and writings.

1914 & 1915 Cracker Jack Baseball Cards

2008-10-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

In 1914 the Cracker Jack Company of Brooklyn and Chicago began inserting baseball cards into its boxes of popcorn and peanut candy. This set (and the one that followed, in 1915) have become one of the iconic sets of the pre WW1 era, and one of the most popular baseball card sets of all time.

The 1914 set was issued as baseball was experiencing a semblance of stability, but that would be short lived. President Taft had thrown out the first pitch a few years earlier (in 1910), giving the sport even more recognition as the National Game, and stars such as Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Shoeless Joe Jackson were either in their primes or near to it. Connie Mack’s Athletics and John McGraw’s Giants were the dominating teams of the era, and the dead ball era was in its golden age.

However, in 1914 a new league began raiding players from the established 2 leagues. While the Federal League would only last 2 seasons, those seasons corresponded exactly with Cracker Jacks offerings, and would be the only cards ever issued picturing Federal League players in uniform. In all, 50 Federal League players are pictured.Comparisons between the 2 sets are natural, since in many ways they are exactly the same. Both feature a player image on a red background, with “Cracker Jack Ball Players” across the top (occasionally bleeding over into the white border) and the player’s name and team affiliation at the bottom.

The ’14 set, however, contain 144 subjects, while the ’15 set adds another 32 players for a total of 176.‘14’s are printed on somewhat thinner paper stock, but both sets are on lighter weight paper (rather than cardboard) than most other issues. If you flip the card over the reverse of the ‘14’s are printed right side up, while the ‘15’s are flipped. The reason for this is that an album was offered with the ‘15’s, and the thinking was that if the cards were pasted in the album the backs should be upside down, so that the card need only be lifted up at the bottom to read the bio on the back.

Cracker Jacks have no white ink in the printing process, so that any areas in the image that are white should match the tone of the borders. This is a critical step in identifying forgeries. As there are few, if any, reprints of ‘14’s, the border matching and the upside down backs (reprints are not printed upside down) are the keys to avoid getting a fake.The ’14 set has an ad on the bottom reverse, stating that it is a series of 144 and either 10 million (cards 1-87) or 15 million (88-144) were issued. The ’15 set has an offer whereby a full set can be obtained via mail in for 100 coupons or 1 coupon and 25 cents. This accounts for a great number of pristine ‘15’s, while ‘14’s are often found stained and in much lower condition.

As stated above, the ’15 set took the first 144 cards of the ’14 and added another 32 cards. However, there are a few exceptions to this. Some players were changed, a few poses were altered, and some players changed teams. Taking this into account, a “master” set of all variations would total 199 different cards, not counting the ad on the back.

The key variations:#48 Harry Lord was replaced by Steve O’Neil in ’15#60 Rollie Zeider had 2 cards in ’14, 60 and 116, with different pictures. #60 was replaced with Oscar Dugey in ’15#62 Jay Cashion in ’14, Willie Mitchell in ’15#88 The big one. 2 players remained in both sets, but with pose changes. The most significant is Christy Mathewson. The ’14 is a pitching pose, the ’15 is a portrait. The ’14 is extremely desirable and is quickly becoming one of the most expensive cards of the era.#93 Derrill Pratt. Pose change, once again throwing to portrait.#99 Another highly desirable player change.

In addition, the following players cards reflected different team affiliations in ’15- 6,7,19,29,38,40,43,47,55,66,92,108,118,121,125,134 Lastly, the ‘14 Bresnahan (#17) comes with and without the number printed on the back.Horizontal cards are the same in both sets (with the exception of Matty) and command a premium over the standard vertical cards. They are:38 (Gandil), 40 (Austin), 43 (Marquard), 44 (Tesreau), 91 (Peckinpaugh),92 (Demaree), 95 (Keating), and 96 (Becker).

The album for the ’15 set consists of little more than an embossed tan cover over black pages. As it is not very desirable they don’t go for a premium- about $400. They were originally offered for 50 coupons or 1 coupon and 10 cents.Care must be taken when acquiring Cracker Jacks, as they are easily doctored. As staining is common they are prime candidates for bleaching, and this has often gone undetected by the major grading companies. Trimming is also common in raw cards.

SMR lists #32 in the ’15 set (Three Finger Brown) as being a very difficult card, which has no evidence to back up that claim. If any card can be considered tougher than others it would probably be Alexander. Jack Barry is also very tough to find well centered, and Frank Owen can be tricky as well.

An Interview with Sy Berger, legendary founder of Topps Baseball Cards

2008-10-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

As originally published on http://www.sabr.org/sabr.cfm?a=cms,c,806,34,0

Any way you slice it, Sy Berger is a legend. By most accounts, in 1951 the Bowman Company dominated the baseball card market. But in 1952, Topps took the industry by storm with a redesigned card that would literally change the face of popular culture for decades to come. Berger, with help from Woody Gelman, designed the 1952 Topps series which is considered by experts as the prototype of the modern day baseball card. But that’s only half the story. In order to produce the now classic cards that featured such greats as Mickey Mantle, Topps had to get signed contracts from every player whose card they produced. For decades, the man at Topps responsible for securing those contracts was also Berger. Through the golden age of baseball, he was a fixture in the New York clubhouses racing against the competition for exclusive contracts and making some lasting friendships along the way. At 81, Berger shows no sign of slowing down. Between dividing his time as an advisor to Topps, representing Willie Mays, playing with his grandchildren and an occasional round of golf among many other activities, Berger is as active as any 30 year-old. A member of SABR since 1978, we are delighted to provide a brief glimpse into the unique life of Sy Berger in this edition of the SABR Nine.

1. What do you think made your card design more appealing than Bowman?

Well, if you go back to the Bowman cards of 1948 and they were black and white…they were small...the pictures did not have any names on the front…they weren’t designed.
They did not put in a large card until we started to because they had it [the card market] to themselves, and what the heck, they didn’t have to do anything fancy. We came out in 1952 with a card in color, beautiful color…and a card that was large. Our first cards were 2 5/8 by 3 3/4…much larger [than Bowman’s]…and for the first time we had a team logo. Also, we had the 1951 line statistics and their lifetime statistics. I mean, no one else did it. Ours was the card of the fan…we stormed on them, we knocked them out of the box. And you can even see, if you really look carefully, the considered rookie card of Mickey Mantle is our 1952 card. Bowman had a card of Mantle in 1951. The first Bowman card was card number 253. It’s a valuable card, but you speak to people, "What’s Mantle’s rookie card?" And of course you know the answer. You’ve got to understand, we were neophytes in this, in putting out cards, especially seasonal cards like sports cards. Which I want you to know, I wrote very single one of those 1952 cards. I wrote them and I recalculated the statistics because everything in one book says a guy’s 6 foot 2, in the next book it says he’s 5 foot 11. One says he weighs 300lbs, the other says 200lbs. You know, information wasn’t that ready in those days and I worked and I did everything...the whole series at home. Three hundred and seven cards.

2. Who was the most instrumental player in helping Topps get started in the baseball trading card business?

As far as the players go, I went in to the clubhouses for the very first time in 1951…none of them knew who I was…I was just a young fella and had a good smile and they say it was my charm. Willie Mays, of course had a great impact. I am still his oldest and best friend and I handle most of his business affairs now. Of course, he became a star by ’54 when he came out of the Army and was MVP. And I was always in the clubhouse…this is New York. So, I was known as "Willie’s friend." [They would say] "Well, you know, if it’s good enough for Willie, it’s good enough for me."

Jerry Coleman, who was a player representative for the Yankees, [and I] worked out a contract in which we finally had to bow a little to things. Those concessions we made to him ended up in the contracts other players were signing. So that had an impact. If you look around there’s Ted Kluszewski, he was with Cincinnati. He was my man. And Gil Hodges. And Eddie Yost, who as a player representative, with the Washington Senators [was] also one of the guys I befriended.

3. Was your strategy at first trying to get as many players as you could or to get key players and
hope that others would join in?

My hope in those days was to go into a clubhouse and sign every guy in the clubhouse. I wanted to sign everybody. And, of course, there was opposition. Some guy would say, "Oh, no" because Bowman had gotten their rights. But I started signing players and the other people sort of moved away. Every time a team came to New York or Brooklyn I was there. I brought bubble gum into the clubhouses, and for the first time the guys were chewing bubble gum instead of tobacco. And I brought in picture cards [for the players]. You know Bowman never even gave the guys their picture cards! I brought in packages, a hundred of each guy’s card and gave it to them. Then I brought in the cards and put them around on the chairs and the tables. It was Topps. We had a presence. I was there, and Topps was there, we always brought our product into the clubhouse including Bazooka. And so as a result, I became very friendly with all of the players. I was always around.

4. Who are some of the notable sportswriters that worked with you and Topps over the years to produce and promote baseball cards?

In New York – Dick Young. He never failed to mention in his Friday notes column Topps or Sy Berger. Then Jack Lang. Dick Young was Daily News, Jack Lang was with the Newhouse papers. Norman Miller did the backs of a number of our sports cards after the initial year. And, oh yes, Arthur and Milt Richman. They supported me. I became part of the team. I was not a stranger. And as we go across the country, Jerry Holtzman. Very close. And also radio broadcasters…I knew everybody…fellows like the public relations director at the time for the Cincinnati Reds, Dave Grote who became the PR director of the National League and Warren Giles who became league president. And out on the coast, Mel Durslag, he was in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Harry Jupiter graduated from the same high school in New York as I did. But I found him in San Francisco.

5. What was something about Topps baseball cards or a particular Topps series that very few people would know about?

Everybody wondered how all of a sudden we had gotten Ted Williams in our 1954 series. We were in a legal battle with Bowman back-and-forth, and Bowman thought they had an option to get his picture in 1954. At any rate, Ted Williams was the man. I wanted to get him, to sign him.
Fred Corcoran was Ted Williams’ agent, and I told him I had a program I wanted to talk to him about that included Ted. I spoke to him and told him how I would feature Ted and we would do Williams honor. And he got up and he says, "Kid, I like you. You got Teddy." And we made a five-year deal. It was exclusive…he could only be on Topps picture cards for the next five years….’54 through ’58. And it was only $400 a year. Don’t forget that then we paid for exclusive contracts. Bowman was paying $100, were paying $125 for exclusive, $75 for non-exclusive. And Williams was probably getting $100 from them. This is going back to the old days. Then in ’54 Bowman thought they had an option but they didn’t and they printed his card, but they could not include it. [Once Bowman printed the card], we threatened to sue them because we had a contract. Of course some of them got out, but they had to go and hand pick the cards out. We used Williams through ’58 but gave him up in ’59 because Fleer offered him $5,000 to do a series [of just Williams].

6. Do you think the game is the same as it was in the 1950’s?

I know records are made to be broken, but there are so many different conditions as the years go on. They [records] should be specified by decades. Ten-year, even five-year. The player today is a guy who’s got wealth, particularly the stars. Well , the players in the early days, through the ‘50’s and the ‘60’s and even into the ‘70’s, for crying out loud, they had to go get a job to feed their family during the off-season. And how many Babe Ruths [star players] did you have? The money was tough. And also, today’s player keeps himself in shape. He virtually has to keep himself in shape all year. Then you go look into even the way the mind works. Nobody was walking Babe Ruth with the bases loaded. And nobody was walking Willie Mays with the bases loaded. Barry Bonds is a great hitter, but there’s a Sosa, there’s a Griffey, there’s so many of these guys who can hit. [Today’s players] have better equipment. Everybody’s bat used to be the same…Ash. Now you’ve got harder wood, you’ve got a tighter ball and you’ve got pitchers with more deliveries. How can you compare one to the next?

7. As Willie Mays’ friend, how do you think his accomplishments stand against Barry Bonds?

I have a very good relationship with Barry Bonds. I was dear friends with his father who he loved dearly. And Barry is very close to Willie Mays. Willie Mays is truly his godfather – it’s no game. He thinks a lot about Willie and I’ve heard Willie talk to him, "You shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that." And Willie is for him breaking the record. Willie wishes every time he gets up that Barry hits a home run. My personal feeling is that if Willie hadn’t played in Candlestick Park he would have hit 800 home runs. Willie from ’58 or ’59 on had to swing in that park in the way it was originally built. They tried to fix it up a little, maybe a little. The wind blew in from left field. Just blew in. And I tell you I sat in a box at 3rd base for the whole game and papers were flying into my face. And here Willie is supposed to hit home runs to left field? So he had to learn to hit the ball to center field and right field, which was maybe 30, 40 feet longer. Still had a wind pushing it. My feeling about baseball and what I’ve seen, I have never seen a player as good as Willie Mays.

8. What do you think changed the dynamic of the trading card industry from kid-focused to collector-focused?

Value appreciation. Mama used to give you a nickel and say, "Now don’t buy those stupid baseball cards." And now she’s saying, "And remember, don’t forget to buy the baseball cards so you can go to college!" Value appreciation. Now it’s strictly for collectors. And it’s too bad because our baseball cards, I felt, were an encyclopedia for a kid. With our sports cards, we tried our best and I think we accomplished making them as accurate as humanly possible. Give the kid as much information as possible...In fact, I used to say, "We made baseball cards. Today, we make works of art." What more can we do?

9. So what do you think is the future for baseball cards?

I think everything is cyclical. And the time is going to come when suddenly baseball cards will be the big thing with kids again. Look at how people dress. They change…then suddenly you see, "Hey, we did that ten years ago." When they run out of new ideas, they go back to the old.

1950 Bowman Baseball Cards

2008-10-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

1950 Bowman is an interesting set to collect because this was the only year in which Bowman had a monopoly on the baseball card business. No other national issues were released that year; Leaf ceased production in 1949 and Topps would not issue its first set until 1951. This set contains many great Hall of Fame cards of players like Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn, Bob Feller, Phil Rizzuto, Duke Snider, and Pee Wee Reese.

The 1950 Bowman set contains 252 cards. Cards #1-72 are scarce and are very difficult to find. Like the 1949 Bowman set, the 1950 Bowman cards measured 2 1/16" by 2 1/2", quite a bit smaller than what is now considered the standard size for baseball cards. The photographs on the front of the cards are colorized black and white photographs, with some black outlining.

The 1950 Bowman set marks the first time that Bowman would use this technique. Bowman would continue to feature this card front until color photographs were issued in the 1953 Bowman Color set. Most of the portraits are vertical, but a few of them (notably Snider and Berra) are horizontal.

The 1950 Bowman set also included, for the first-time, cards of non-playing managers like Casey Stengel and Leo Durocher. This trend continues today. This set also included Ted Williams’ first Bowman card. Interestingly, Bowman used the same Williams picture for the 1951 Bowman set as they did for the 1950 Bowman set. The last card in the set is #252 DeMars, which is very difficult to find in great condition.

Purchase 1950 Bowman Cards Here!

WhereTheyAint.com is Selling High Quality Vintage Cards

2008-10-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

WhereTheyAint.com is selling high quality vintage graded baseball cards.

Check out some of our recent sales:

1959 Topps Hank Aaron All-Star PSA 9 - $8950!!!

1969 Topps Reggie Jackson PSA 9 Rookie card - $4995!!!

1935 Goudey Babe Ruth SGC 60 (5) - $1200!!!

1956 Topps Baseball Cards

2008-09-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

The 1956 Topps set is an exciting set to collect. Topps purchased rival Bowman after the 1955 season and brought all the Bowman-contracted players to Topps. Thus, the 1956 Topps set contains 340 cards and an incredible 34 Hall of Fame players! Although Stan Musial’s contract with Rawlings prevented his inclusion, many other notable Hall of Famers are included: Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, Ted Williams, and many more!

The 1956 Topps baseball card set features dual images in a horizontal format. Because Topps possessed only one part-time photographer on its payroll, the company used some of the same player portraits as in the 1955 Topps set. The cards measure 2-5/8” x 3-3/4” and have three-panel cartoons on the back portraying significant moments in the player’s career along with statistics below and biographical information above.

The 1956 Topps Baseball Card Set is the first to include team cards as part of the set and there are two unnumbered checklist cards. Six of the team cards (Cubs, Phillies, Indians, Braves, Reds, and Orioles) were issued with the team names plus dates, or with the team names to the left, with either white or gray backs, or with team names centered with both back colors. Duplicates of team cards were easy to part with via flipping or bike spoke noise enhancers; therefore, given the lesser quantities of each of the varieties, and the fact that the cards were not highly treasured, putting together high grade sets with all the team card variations is a significant challenge.

Both Yankees and Dodgers team cards are also highly valued, selling for several hundred dollars in top grades. A master set contains cards #1-180 either white or gray backed, two unnumbered checklists, 15 additional team varieties (including the white and gray cardboard versions), plus cards #181 to 320. Therefore, there are 537 cards, not counting the print-flawed varieties, that can be collected.

The most popular card in the set is #135 Mickey Mantle. This beautiful version of the Mick represents his Triple Crown MVP season, when he batted .353, slugged 52 homeruns, and drove in 130 RBI. Also, popular from this set are #240 Whitey Ford, the American League E.R.A. leader, #31 Hank Aaron, the National League Batting Champion, #332 Don Larsen, winner of the only Perfect Game in World Series history, and #30 Jackie Robinson, his last card (after the season, Robinson would be traded to the New York Giants. Rather than play for his rival team, Robinson decided to retire).

Other players of note who appeared on the first Topps cards in 1956 were Luis Aparicio, Rookie of the Year, Don Larsen, Don Newcombe, Herb Score, Elston Howard, Lew Burdette, and Frank Torre.

Purchase 1956 Topps Cards Here!

1909-11 T-206 Tobacco White Border Set

2008-09-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

The T206 (T-206) set is one of the most cherished among baseball card collectors. Also known as “The Monster” and the “White Border Set,” the T206 set contains 523 cards and over 30 different variations of card backs. The set also contains the “Holy Grail of Baseball Cards,” the T206 Honus Wagner, which recently sold at an auction for $2.8 million! Also included in this fantastic set are Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Christy Mathewson, Mordechai “Three Finger” Brown, “Wee” Willie Keeler, Napoleon Lajoie, and more!!

Among these cards are 389 Major Leaguers and 134 Minor Leaguers. Taking into account the possibilities of over 520 different player poses on the fronts, and 16 different advertisement backs, there are thousands of permutations of cards to complete a "set". There are also multiple cards for the same player in different poses, different uniforms, or even with different teams after being traded (since the set was issued over a period of several years). The cards measure 1-7/16" x 2-5/8" which is considered by many collectors to be the standard tobacco card size.

The card fronts feature a color lithograph of a player surrounded by a white border. A few cards were printed in a horizontal format, but almost all of the 523 cards in the set were oriented vertically. Card backs do not contain any statistics; instead, an advertisement appears for the cigarette brand the card was packaged with. The cards were printed on sheets by one factory, and each brand was allowed to place its ad on the backs. Some of the card backs include: Piedmont, Tolstoi, Sweet Caporal, Cycle, Drum, Old Mill, Polar Bear, Sovereign, Hindu, Lenox, Uzit, El Principe, and even a Ty Cobb version. Additionally, some blank-backed cards have been found.

The Honus Wagner card is the most rare of all. It is estimated that between 50 and 200 of the Wagner cards were ever distributed to the public, and fewer still have survived to the present day. Several theories exist as to why the card is so scarce. One theory is that the printing plate used to create Wagner's card broke early in the production process. Another theory is that there was a copyright dispute between the American Tobacco Company and the artist who created the Wagner lithograph which resulted in a reduced production.

The most commonly accepted theory is that the card was pulled from production because Wagner himself objected to the production of the card, but his motivation is unclear. Reports at the time indicated that Wagner did not wish to associate himself with cigarettes, possibly because he did not want to encourage children to smoke. However, some collectors and historians have pointed out that Wagner, a user of chewing tobacco, allowed his image to appear on cigar boxes and other tobacco-related products prior to 1909 and objected to the card simply because he wanted more financial compensation for the use of his image.

Purchase 1909-11 T206 Cards Here!

1954 Bowman Baseball Cards

2008-09-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

At only 224 cards, 1954 Bowman is a unique set. Due to Bowman’s fierce competition with Topps, Bowman established exclusive contracts with Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Roy Campanella, Robin Roberts, and Pee Wee Reese. Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Whitey Ford, and Bob Feller are also found in the set, as well as the rookie card of Yankee favorite, Don Larsen.

However, the one that got away was Ted Williams. After returning from the Korean War, Williams signed an exclusive contract with Topps. As a result of this contract, Bowman was forced to pull card #66 of Williams from its set and replace it with a card of Jimmy Piersall (who was also featured on card #210). This short-printing of the Ted Williams card created one of the most sought-after cards of the hobby's modern era.

As with the 1953 set, 1954 Bowman cards measured 2-1/2 by 3-3/4 inches. The card fronts feature a color photo as in the 1953 sets, but they were accompanied by a small color box at the bottom corner which housed a facsimile autograph of the player. The only other element featured on the front of the card was a white border. On the back, Bowman added a trivia question across the bottom of each card, as had been done with the 1953 Topps set. The answer to the question ran just below the player’s statistics.

Interestingly, Bowman numbered all its 1954 cards based on the player’s team. A rotation was used where every sixteenth card in the set featured a player from the same team. For instance, the Yankees had card 1, 17, 33, 49, etc; the Red Sox were on cards 2, 18, 34, 50, etc. Each team set has fourteen cards.

Due to competition with Topps, the 1954 Bowman set was printed so fast that almost 20% of the cards issued had statistical errors. Bowman later corrected these errors. Thus, there are a large number of variations in the set. In addition to the Ted Williams card, there are several other variations worth noting as well:

Cards #33 Vic Raschi and #163 Dave Philley mention that the player was traded, while others do not. To add to the confusion, there is a third Philley card which mentions the trade and also credits him with having played more games the previous year (157 rather than 152).

After the 1953 season, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore, and Bowman's artists had no idea what the Oriole uniforms would look like. So they simply made the uniforms up.

Purchase 1954 Bowman Cards Here!

1952 Topps Eddie Mathews PSA 4!! WOW!!

2008-08-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday, another GREAT deal was completed by WhereTheyAint.com for a beautiful 1952 Topps Mathews PSA 4. The final price was $3995.00!!

That is 33% ABOVE the SMR price!!

Click here to see the eBay auction!

World Record Price Paid for "The Card"

2008-08-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

World Record Price of $2.8 Million Paid For Famed T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card

The most famous and valuable trading card in the world is sold for the second time this year through a private transaction conducted by SCP Auctions

Mission Viejo, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2007) – Another Grand Slam for Honus Wagner. The finest known example of the famed T206 Honus Wagner baseball card has found another new home a little more than six months after selling for a then-record shattering price of $2.35 million in February to a California private collector. Renowned sports card and memorabilia auction company SCP Auctions Inc., the firm that handled that transaction and took a minority ownership position in the card, has brokered the latest sale to an anonymous private collector for a record price of $2.8 million.

The legendary T206 Honus Wagner baseball card, previously owned by Wayne Gretzky, and once the top prize in a national contest conducted by Wal-Mart, has long been recognized as the most famous and valuable baseball card in existence. Dubbed “The Holy Grail” or “Mona Lisa” of baseball cards, it has always been a beacon of the red-hot vintage sports collectibles market.

"The T206 Honus Wagner card is an icon, not only in the field of baseball card collecting, but in the larger field of Americana,” said David Kohler, president and CEO of SCP Auctions. “We are privileged to have been involved in the sale of this card, not once but twice.”

The legacy of the T206 Honus Wagner Card dates back to its creation and initial release by the American Tobacco Company in 1909 as part of a series that included more than 500 different baseball player cards. T206 tobacco cards are among the most widely collected, popular and sought after cards among current collectors. To this day however, it is estimated that less than one hundred examples of the T206 Wagner have surfaced. Numerous myths have been perpetuated and debated over the course of the last century, as to the reason for its scarcity. One of the prevailing theories was that Wagner, one of the premier players in the history of baseball, insisted that he be paid by the tobacco company for the use of his image causing the production of his card to be halted. A more common, and well-documented theory is that Wagner simply did not want children to be influenced into buying tobacco products just to get a “picture” of him, and thus forced the early withdrawal of his image on this principle. The volumes that have been written and countless tales that have been spun have made the T206 Wagner card a part of classic American Folklore.

This example, recently sold by SCP Auctions has been graded NM-MT 8 by Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA), the nations foremost third-party card grading service. PSA has authenticated, graded and encapsulated 28 of the known T206 Wagner cards. Of those, only two have earned grades of 4 (VG-EX) or better, three examples earned 3 (VG) status, with the remainder garnering either a 1 or 2 due to substantial wear or significant physical imperfections.

1954 Topps Hank Aaron RC PSA 8 - Record Price Realized

2008-07-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

We at WhereTheyAint.com have just completed a sale for a beautiful 1954 Topps Aaron RC PSA 8. After all the bids and offers were in, the final price came to $4,950!

That's 130% of SMR!

Check out this scan:

Contact us to consign your collection!

Consignment Opportunities Available!!!

2008-07-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

WhereTheyAint.com is one of the world's best consignment sellers of vintage sports cards and memorabilia.

Our Reputation is well-known throughout the industry for regularly achieving the highest prices for our clientele. We possess PERFECT positive feedback on eBay and have numerous contacts throughout the country. We believe in developing long term relationships where it makes sense for our clients to consign to us on an ongoing basis. We will help you achieve TOP DOLLAR for your collection in an easy, timely fashion.

WhereTheyAint.com’s auctions realize top prices with rock bottom commissions. WhereTheyAint.com has a 100% positive feedback score on eBay (ID: WhereTheyAint-dot-com) and has a fantastic clientele of strong bidders that ensure that you achieve top prices.

Here are some examples of our recent sales:

1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 8 Rookie

Price Realized: $22,750

136% of SMR Price

1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays PSA 8 (OC) Rookie

Price Realized: $2,050

122% of SMR (PSA 6 price)

Given the time spent building and accumulating your collection, serious thought should be given to the best way to sell all or a portion of it. See our website at http://www.wheretheyaint.com or contact us at Sales@WhereTheyAint.com for a free consultation.