Mike Ryan was the bravest of the brave throughout his long career as a fireman rushing in and out of burning buildings in Los Angeles. For the past 35 years, he’s also shown bravery in his approach to baseball card collecting, never backing down from the biggest challenges within the hobby. He acquired 512 of the 524 cards in the T206 set, all in at least very good … [Read more...] about Retired Firefighter Was Undaunted by 1948-49 Leaf Baseball Set Challenges
1949 Leaf
Despite Unmatched Claim to History, Johnny Vander Meer Cards Aren’t Pricey
You won’t find a lot of Johnny Vander Meer rookie cards featured in dealer cases at your next big card show. He’s not a Hall of Famer and his career record, while serviceable, isn’t spectacular. Vander Meer is famous for what he did over the course of a few days 84 years ago. Something no other big league pitcher had done before and something that will almost … [Read more...] about Despite Unmatched Claim to History, Johnny Vander Meer Cards Aren’t Pricey
A Honus for the Rest of Us: A Handful of More Affordable Wagner Cards
You couldn’t blame a novice collector for thinking every Honus Wagner card is out of reach. Anytime one of the few dozen T206s sells at auction, the headlines scream as the price soars deeper into seven figures. Yet one of baseball’s most famous faces has plenty of original cards you can own without seeing a loan officer. No, they're not as inexpensive as they … [Read more...] about A Honus for the Rest of Us: A Handful of More Affordable Wagner Cards
Shop Talk: Vacations, Basketball Busy and Bear Clawed Babe
Spring break arrived here in central PA last week and with the shop's owner on a vacation to the Outer Banks, I was left in charge. I had help from our buddy Zach for a few hours each morning, which definitely made the week more bearable. He assists in shipping the sometimes ungodly amount of orders we have on a daily basis. His help is always much appreciated. Beyond that, I … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Vacations, Basketball Busy and Bear Clawed Babe
Minnesota Priest’s Cards Bring Strong Prices in Charity Auction
Baseball cards can pay for a lot of scholarships. If you’ve got the right ones, anyway. Father John Ubel certainly did. A lifelong collector, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota scooped up rookie cards of Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron about a dozen years ago for several hundred dollars apiece. He was a fan, but hadn’t kept up with the … [Read more...] about Minnesota Priest’s Cards Bring Strong Prices in Charity Auction
Jackie Robinson Rookie Card Headlines Record-Setting Single-Owner Vintage Card Auction
A single owner collection of more than 1100 baseball cards dating from the 1800s to the early 21st century surpassed expectations, selling for more than $4.7 million. More than 1,000 customers lined up for the chance to own a piece of the "Partnerone Collection" with extended bidding on the Heritage Auctions website lasting into the wee hours of Friday morning. When the sun … [Read more...] about Jackie Robinson Rookie Card Headlines Record-Setting Single-Owner Vintage Card Auction
“Partnerone Collection” Brings Hundreds of Iconic Baseball Cards to Market
Some collections span decades. Others measure their scope in centuries. An example of the latter is now on the auction block. Pieced together by a single collector who used a discriminating eye and a love of baseball to tell the story of the game’s best players from the 1880s to the early 2000s, it’s now being liquidated through Heritage Auctions, card by … [Read more...] about “Partnerone Collection” Brings Hundreds of Iconic Baseball Cards to Market
’52 Topps Mantle Wasn’t Only Heavy Hitting Vintage Card in Heritage Sale
The mint 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle generated most of the headlines but there were plenty of other big ticket vintage cards sold in Heritage Auctions’ two-day Spring Trading Card catalog. The two-day auction that kicked off with the much-publicized ‘52 Mantle owned by Evan Mathis reaching $2.88 million wrapped up late Friday night. Two other ’52 Mantle cards also drew a … [Read more...] about ’52 Topps Mantle Wasn’t Only Heavy Hitting Vintage Card in Heritage Sale
The Underappreciated 1949 Leaf Premiums Set
Youngsters who bought Leaf baseball cards nearly 70 years ago had another set to collect, but unless dad was willing to share some knowledge, those “old timers” may not have generated much of a buzz on the playground. Today, the 1949 Leaf Premiums might be among the most underappreciated vintage cards in the hobby. Each box of Leaf bubble gum cards supposedly … [Read more...] about The Underappreciated 1949 Leaf Premiums Set
“The Boy Manager”: 5 Fun Cards Of Lou Boudreau
The Boy Manager would have been 100 on Monday. Lou Boudreau, who managed the Cleveland Indians to their last World Series title in 1948, was born July 17, 1917, in Harvey, Illinois. A Hall of Fame shortstop, he became the youngest manager in baseball history when he was hired for the 1942 season at the age of 24. Critics derided him as the “boy wonder” and the “boy manager,” … [Read more...] about “The Boy Manager”: 5 Fun Cards Of Lou Boudreau