He's arguably one of the best to ever play third base in the majors, dazzling fans with his great glove work but also providing historically significant run production at the plate. Mike Schmidt also has another distinction: the last of the important vintage high number rookie cards. Schmidt's 1973 Topps rookie card (#615) is one he humbly shares with … [Read more...]
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1979 Burger King Sets Featured Champion Yanks, Updated Rose
Over a four-year span more than 35 years ago, one of Burger King's summertime promotions involved baseball cards. Distributed only in certain areas and produced by the Topps Company, they were similar to same year's major Topps card sets but these were either focused on specific teams (1977-1979) or one large All-Star type set that served as sort of a farewell. So far, we've … [Read more...]
Remembering Schmidt’s Titanic Single In 1974
It might have been the highest — and certainly the hardest — hit single in major-league history. In the first inning of a June 10, 1974, game at the Houston Astrodome, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt stepped into a Claude Osteen fastball and sent it rocketing toward the center field seats. To the 9,487 fans in attendance, the Houston broadcasting team and … [Read more...]
Notes: Sports Legends Museum Closing, Doyle at $220K
The Sports Legends Museum in Baltimore closed its doors Monday after the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation declined to renew its lease with the Maryland Stadium Authority. Located next to the Ruth Birthplace and Museum, Sports Legends has been a primary tenant in Camden Station since 2005, when the State of Maryland, the Ruth Birthplace Foundation, and private contributors … [Read more...]
1952 Topps Mantle Hits $400,000 in Goldin Auctions Sale
A well-centered 1952 Topps PSA 8 Mickey Mantle card sold for $400,950 Friday night at Goldin Auctions’ Summer Live Premium Auction, setting yet another new record for the card and grade. The price of the card bested the $382,400 attained by Heritage Auctions for another PSA 8 rated Mantle card at an auction held the night before. Prices do include buyer’s premiums tacked … [Read more...]
Mike Schmidt Collection, Part 2, Set for Auction
More items from the personal collection of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, including his 1979 N.L. Gold Glove Award, 1974 Sultan of Swat Crown, several milestone home run baseballs and bats, and even his Little League Baseball cap will be part of the 2015 Goldin Auctions Summer Auction. Three of the marquee items will be sold at the Premium Live Auction on July 31, during the … [Read more...]
1973 Topps Baseball Set Bid Farewell to Clemente, Hello to Schmidt
In the waning hours of 1972, a cargo plane bound for Nicaragua crashed into the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico, taking with it a true baseball hero and casting a dark pall over the 1973 season before the New Year could even introduce itself to the world. Roberto Clemente had collected his 3000th hit just months before, on the last day of the regular season, and appeared to … [Read more...]
Vintage Set of the Week: 1980 Topps Set Marked End of an Era
Who knew, back when a few photos of baseball stars were placed onto cardboard, that the baseball card phenomenon would become an enormously competitive, large industry, one that sparked a series of legal challenges that changed the collecting landscape forever? Topps baseball cards were virtually the only game in town from 1956 through 1980. Although other companies tried … [Read more...]
Ruth Contract, Mike Schmidt Collection Paces Auction
Babe Ruth memorabilia led the way in Goldin Auctions’ October Legends event, which closed early Saturday morning with nearly $3 million in sales from almost 11,000 bids. Ruth’s last contract with the New York Yankees, signed in 1934, sold for $278,300 while a 1929-30 game-used pro model bat graded PSA/DNA GU-10 brought $181,050. Items consigned by Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt … [Read more...]
Post-War Rookie Card Investments On a Budget
There's little proof but plenty of circumstantial evidence and a lot of skepticism. Performance enhancing drugs have tentacles that reach back to the rookie card market of the 1980's, destroying values of power hitting record holders and at least one strikeout king. Even with the quantity of cards produced, the game's records are typically popular enough to fuel some … [Read more...]
