It might be time for collectors to dust off their 1990 Topps sets. Mark Dupray was at home on July 12, organizing his sports card collection during the coronavirus pandemic. Dupray, 46, was trying to make room for some new cards since he was edging back into the hobby after a dozen years. He was sifting through a shoebox of baseball cards stashed in a closet when he made an … [Read more...]
Popular Michael Jordan Baseball Cards Remain Mostly Cheap
Michael Jordan basketball cards are among the hottest collectibles in the market right now. But Jordan also has several baseball cards thanks mostly to a brief professional stint in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox. Jordan played in 127 games for the 1994 Birmingham Barons, stealing 30 bases in 48 attempts and driving in 51 runs but with slugging and on-base … [Read more...]
1993 Flair Set Introduced Another Premium Brand to a Crowded Market
In 1991, Fleer had already jumped into the premium market of baseball cards with their first set of Fleer Ultra. But two years later, the company went even further in efforts to keep up with more expensive brands, such as Topps Finest and SP, with its inaugural 1993 Flair set. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the set and I thought it fitting to take a look back. 1993 … [Read more...]
Cards Not Worth Much? 10 Things You Can Do With Them
For many kids who grew up in the late 1980s or early 90s, it came as a shock. Those baseball and football cards they faithfully accumulated like a fine stock portfolio were supposed to rise in value as the players’ careers ascended. By the time you were in your 30s, you should have enough to pay your first house, right? Actually…no. As most collectors who kept … [Read more...]
Bagwell Rookie Cards Among the Most Affordable Hall of Famers
They called Charlie Gehringer The Mechanical Man. “You wind him up in the spring, turn him loose, he hits .330 or .340, and you shut him off at the end of the season,” Lefty Gomez famously said of the Hall of Fame hitter. Jeff Bagwell was cut from the same productive cloth. Over the course of 15 big league seasons, Bagwell was the model of … [Read more...]
Hall Calls 3: The Market for Raines, Bagwell, Rodriguez
If you collect Hall of Fame rookie cards, adding the members of the 2017 class isn’t going to break the bank. If you collect autographed baseballs, the price for Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez is about to go up. Such is life for collectors in the wake of Wednesday’s news that the 2017 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will feature three players—and just … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: Love for the Oddball Sets
It’s always nice when a story in our archives is discovered by someone who appreciates the subject matter. It’s even more fun when a little tidbit is brought back to the surface because of their discovery. In the latest post on the SABR baseball card blog, long-time baseball writer Rob Neyer wrote about the long-forgotten 1985 Circle K All-Time Home Run Kings … [Read more...]
25th Anniversary of Some Great 1991 Rarities
Most collectors these days know of the junk wax era. Despite their age, these late 1980s/early 1990s cards generally hold little value. That doesn't mean you should abandon them entirely, however. 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of 1991 sports card releases and there are some quality finds that have stood the test of time. Here are five worthwhiile rarities from that year in … [Read more...]
Still Buyers for A-Rod Cards and Most Are Cheap
He has more than likely played his last big league game. The last Alex Rodriguez baseball cards from his playing career will carry a 2016 date. Age catches up to all athletes, and at 41, the man who was once the brightest star in the big leagues is no exception. “No athlete ever ends his career or her career the way you want to,” Rodriguez said during a news conference last … [Read more...]
Offbeat Poses Set These Baseball Cards Apart
Poses for baseball cards have been relatively tame through the years. In the 1950s and ’60s, stilted shots of players swinging a bat, or throwing or catching a ball, were commonplace. Mug shots of players were a dime a dozen. Those gave way to action shots by the 1970s. But there have been those baseball cards that have caused collectors to pause and say, “What?” Strange poses … [Read more...]