We've written about that incredible childhood collection that included five 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards and other high-grade beauties from the early 1950s. Consigned to Heritage Auctions, many of them have already sold and a PSA 8.5 Mantle--one of the hobby's best-- is among those currently on the block where it's expected to surpass $1 million. It … [Read more...]
Top Banner 486X60
Step-by-Step Guide for Investing in Vintage Baseball Cards
Yeah, we know. Buy stocks and mutual funds. Don’t invest in baseball cards. Believe me, our retirement savings are not locked up in cardboard and we're not suggesting yours should be either. But… there’s no denying that high quality vintage cards have been very solid performers over time. If only we’d bought a few ’52 Mantles when nice ones could be had for under … [Read more...]
One of Hobby’s Best 1952 Topps Sets Headlines Memory Lane Auction
The tenth-rated complete set of 1952 Topps baseball, with all but four of the 407 cards graded PSA 7 or better will be broken up and sold in Memory Lane Inc.’s Spring catalog auction, set to open April 26. Pieced together by a meticulous collector over a period of years with a focus on overall eye appeal, the set includes 140 cards rated 8 or better. The iconic 1952 … [Read more...]
Photo of the Day: Willie Mays Image from 1952 Topps Card at Auction
It doesn’t get the attention—or the price—of Mickey Mantle’s iconic card from the same set but who wouldn’t want to own the first Topps card of Willie Mays? Like Mantle, Mays was at the dawn of a Hall of Fame career and his appearance in the most popular of all post-War sets is just another element to its stature. Now, RMY Auctions is giving collectors something … [Read more...]
5 Great Cards of Baseball Pioneer Larry Doby
He was the first player to go directly from the Negro Leagues to Major League Baseball. His struggles as the first black player in the American League are sometimes overlooked by the focus on Jackie Robinson but they were every bit as real. The vast majority of his Cleveland teammates were chilly at best in those early days. On the field, he struggled too, in the … [Read more...]
Big Time Collection Added to All-Star FanFest Auction
A Midwestern collector has turned his impressive holdings over to Hunt Auctions for the 13th annual MLB All-Star FanFest Auction, July 10 and 11 in Miami. It will share billing with items from the career of Roberto Clemente at the live auction, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The collection was assembled over a number of years and will include numerous … [Read more...]
Kid’s 1985 Confirmation Gift: Minty 1952 Mantle
Even in 1985, it was considered the hobby’s greatest post-War trading card. Owning a nice copy was something the average collector contemplated but often couldn’t afford. One lucky kid’s father recognized the iconic stature of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, though, and bought one for him as a confirmation gift. The $2,000 cost (about $4,300 in today’s … [Read more...]
REA Auction Off to Record-Shattering Start
Like clockwork, the baseball season has begun with Robert Edward Auctions’ annual massive spring catalog auction not far behind. Bidding opened Tuesday evening for the 2,649 lots offered by REA, and if the first 24 hours are any indication, collectors have spoken loud and clear about strength of the sports card and memorabilia market—and the auction’s potential to bring in some … [Read more...]
3 1952 Topps Sets Being Broken, Sold as Part of Large Auction
Three complete sets of 1952 Topps baseball cards are being broken up and sold as part of a 4,000-lot auction currently underway on eBay. The sets being broken include a mix of graded and ungraded cards. The three Mickey Mickey Mantle cards are all authenticated and include an SGC 30, BVG 2.5 and PSA 1. The listings include an SGC 70 Jackie Robinson, PSA 4 … [Read more...]
Stories in Rosen’s ‘True Mint’ an Invaluable Part of Hobby History
When we shared the news of Alan Rosen’s death late last month, I realized I had never read the second of his two books, called “True Mint”, published in 1994 and written with the help of T.S. O’Connell. I ordered a copy, knowing I’d probably heard some of the stories before but still feeling a little nostalgic for what was a truly remarkable era. About two-thirds … [Read more...]
