Jackie Robinson baseball cards have always been popular and what few game worn jerseys, bats and other items have survived always sell for significant amounts of money. While no mainstream card company really existed in the aftermath of World War II, there were cards issued of him in 1947 and by '48, bubble gum and cards were back together again and Robinson helped usher … [Read more...]
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Baseball Card or Mug Shot? 1952 Topps Hank Thompson
Hank Thompson was one of the first players signed to a Topps contract but battles with crime and alcohol plagued an otherwise charmed life. In the 1952 Topps set, names like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Eddie Mathews may stand out for their value but collectors who love cards that tell stories--good and bad--can't ignore Thompson. He has quite a history, even though his … [Read more...]
1952 Topps Eddie Mathews is One of Era’s Most Desirable
Eddie Mathews may bring up the rear in the 1952 Topps set but it's got a lofty place in Topps' debut series for several reasons. First, card #407 represents Mathews’ rookie card. Second, it’s in the ultra-tough last series. Third, as the last card in the set, it was often at the bottom of the pile. Many kids kept these cards in rubber bands which took its toll. High grade … [Read more...]
Mile High to Offer NM/MT Early Mantle Cards
A quartet of world-class cards goes on the auction block beginning Monday as Mile High Card Company opens its Fall Auction. Among the big money gems up for grabs is a PSA 8 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle, a 1951 Bowman #253 Mantle rookie card also graded PSA 8, a 1953-Stahl-Meyer Mantle PSA 7 (part of the #1 PSA Set Registry ranked 1953 Stahl-Meyer collection) and a 1953 … [Read more...]
High-Grade Vintage Set Breaks in Memory Lane Auction
Vintage card collectors looking to upgrade their sets will have a chance to do that—and then some-- when Memory Lane kicks off its Summer Break Auction beginning July 25. Several high-grade complete and near complete sets will be broken up and sold card by card including: 1952 Topps. The set includes PSA 7 (near mint) examples of the coveted Mickey Mantle and Eddie Mathews … [Read more...]
Topps’ Scout Hunted Players’ Signatures in 1952
When Topps challenged Bowman for the pennies and nickels of baseball loving 1950s youngsters, it wasn't quite as simple as taking some photos, creating the front and back design and turning on a printing press. The card companies, even then, needed players to agree to be included. An article in the August 7, 1952 edition of the Berkshire Eagle offers some insight into the … [Read more...]
Sy Berger Elected to Shrine of the Eternals
The late Sy Berger, who reinvented the baseball card for the baby boom generation and transformed it into a staple of baby boom culture, has been elected to the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals. The Reliquary, a Southern California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball … [Read more...]
Ramblings: Collecting Can Be an Important Outlet
On New Year's Eve in Dallas, the Contact Line closed down. The Contact Line was a place for people to call in for counseling, advice and in many cases suicide prevention. While I never did volunteer there, I have done several hundred hours as a telephone volunteer at the Suicide and Crisis Center in Dallas. In many ways, those are the most important 500 or so hours I have ever … [Read more...]
Billy Martin Cards Chronicle Fast, Furious Life
On Christmas Night 1989, a Yankee legend was killed in a car crash. Billy Martin died on December 25, 1989 when the pickup truck he was in crashed on an icy road in upstate New York. He was 61 years old. It was a sudden ending for a man full of life and controversy, whose baseball career had begun 40 years earlier. From fresh-faced rookie to embattled manager, Billy … [Read more...]
Sy Berger, Long Time Topps’ Executive Dies at 91
Former Topps Company executive Sy Berger, regarded as the "father of the modern baseball card" died early Sunday at his home in Rockville Center, NY, according to friend and former Topps employee Marty Appel. He was 91. A Bucknell graduate, Berger went to work for Topps before it produced baseball cards. He served in World War II, then became part of a small team that took … [Read more...]
