He was let go from his job as an accountant and became the hobby’s first full-time dealer in May of 1963, selling baseball cards mostly to kids. Bruce Yeko’s ads resulted in a lot of orders with nickels, dimes and quarters taped on sheets of paper as the youngsters tried to fill out sets or buy a favorite player’s card they couldn’t seem to pull from packs.
In New York, Yeko connected with about other adults who got together to buy collections and maybe sell a few things. Yeko continued to sell full time for about the next 25 years, filling a home, two other buildings, a two-story barn and cottage with cards…20 million at one point, he says.
He chatted about his life as a dealer with Brian Cataquet on KMET radio. You can read another interview here.
His other passion? Broadway musicals.
About two years ago, a 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig (#37) sold at auction for $33,000. One has surfaced on eBay with a current high bid of over $28,000 heading into the final day of bidding.
A 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie (PSA 4.5) is up for grabs, too, with bidding at over $34,000.
Julia Ruth Stevens, the last surviving daughter of Babe Ruth, died Saturday. She was 102 years old.
Several years ago, she co-authored a book about her dad, one that included reproductions of memorabilia and newspaper stories from The Babe’s life you could pull out and look at.
It hasn’t worked that well in Los Angeles but LeBron James’ game-worn jerseys are still big sellers. A “Statement Edition” jersey worn earlier this year has sold through NBA Auctions for $47,100.
James wore the jersey during the Lakers’ 117-85 loss to the Denver Nuggets on November 27.
Dale Murphy signed autographs at the recent Philly Show. He also took time to open some 1977 Topps packs with Vintage Breaks and was his usual awesome self.
The new manager of the Twins, Rocco Baldelli, was once a young collector back home in Rhode Island. He talked about collecting as a kid –and about some of the players on the cards that popped out of his back during the always-entertaining “Old Baseball Cards” segment with Mike Oz of Yahoo Sports:
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