Vintage Sports Cards – Baseball – Basketball – Football – Hockey
John How many of you used a tool like ‘The Judge’ in the early 90s as a Mintfinder?
The cutout pictured above is from the following larger ad that was placed in Allan Kaye’s Sports Cards News & Price Guides December 1991 – January 1992 release. You’ve gotta appreciate the directions at the bottom, “Here’s How The Judge Works:”
Just $4.95 plus $1.50 for postage and handling.
Here’s a neat piece of hobby history: Reggie Jackson’s signed Topps Baseball Card Contract from August 1971.
The piece was available in Ron Oser Enterprises’ December 2000 catalog and was described as follows: “Very desirable contract for his appearance on bubble gum cards signed in blue ink ‘Reggie Jackson.’ Also signed by Sy Berger, the famous President of Topps Chewing Gum. This August 14, 1971 contract extends for two years the existing contract that Topps had with Reggie. He raked in a whole $75 for this transaction. Signed baseball card contracts are quite sought after, as the signatures are unequivocally genuine. LOA from Mike Gutierrez/MastroNet.”
The contract itself is an “Agreement between: Reginald M. Jackson player, and TOPPS CHEWING GUM, INC.”
It reads, “We, the undersigned, hereby agree to extend the term of our present contract, plus extensions, if any, for an additional period of two years or two full Baseball Seasons, as the case may be, on the same terms and conditions contained in said contract. This extension agreement shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York. A bonus payment of $75.00 will be due the player the first time after signing this extension that he is or becomes an active member of a Major Leagae Baseball Team between May 15 and August 15.”
I found another contract on Cooperstown Expert. They wrote, “Shown here is Jackson’s contract with Topps Chewing Gum to appear on baseball cards for 1974, ’75, and ’76. Signed by Jackson at the bottom, this deal calls for the slugger to receive a $75 bonus payment.”
And REA included the following signed contract extension between Jackson and Topps, along with a few signed checks in the fall of 2019.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if a single collector ever managed to snag a complete run of Reggie Jackson Topps contracts?
Terry Melia’s Editor’s Game Plan intro to Trading Cards Magazine’s June 1992 issue reminded me how elite Darryl Strawberry was and how much hype Dodgers’ “Outfield of Dreams” had at the time.
Since Melia wrote that Strawberry’s card was fetching $100 in the summer of 92 (I presume mint copies), I was curious how the market is pricing them today. From a graded perspective, only the 10s are >$100 cards. PSA 10s with 10s autos are pushing $500, PSA 10s go for between $350 and $415, 9s are $60-70ish, and 8s sell for between $30 and $40.
Sotheby’s offered an incredible series of 7 1952 Topps Progressive Proof Uncut Sheets in their 1992 Important Baseball Cards and Sports Memorabilia Auction…But I have a bad feeling the buyer trimmed this one.
First, here’s the lot’s description from the ’92 catalog. They mentioned the series of sheet colors and conditions and that it was the only known series of progressive sheets of this series.
Things get interesting in 2006 when REA auctioned off a lot, which sold for $16,240, of “1952 Topps Series 1A Uncut Color Process Proof Sheets (7), The First 1952 Topps Ever Printed!” They included photos of each sheet; here are a few of them:
But do you notice anything about the full-color one? The more extensive borders from the one pictured in the Sotheby’s auction are missing!
REA re-sold the final color process sheet in May 2009 for $18,800, however they noted that, “The final sheet was originally accompanied by six color process proof sheets, which have since been perfectly cut and organized by player, and are represented by the twenty lots that follow this one.”
In both auctions, REA wrote, “The offered sheets are the only 1952 Topps color process sheets known to exist.”
I reached out to The Topps Archives (my favorite hobby blog) since he wrote a great piece inspired by the second REA auction, sharing my concerns. He wrote that the line between Pesky and Groth is on all the examples, so they could be the same. He also hoped there was no cut-down but acknowledged it seemed like there was.
Considering that it was unlikely Topps would need multiple printings of these proofs, the visual similarities, and auction descriptions, it seems likely someone trimmed (and cut up individual cards from) a true hobby one-of-one.
Please let me know if you have any more intel on this one.
Check out The Uncut Sheet Archive for more!
When Mastro Auctions sold the following Lou Gehrig new-service photograph in May 2008, they described it as being from the 1930s.
They described it as a 6-1/2″ x 9-1/8″ photo of the Yankee great in pinstripes with a look of “fierce determination” and described the card as the model for cards #’s 92 and 160 in the vaunted 1933 Goudey set; here are a pair of examples from Robert Edward Auctions.
Mastro Auctions wrote that the image was in EX condition with good image clarity and contrast. They mentioned, but didn’t show, that the reverse had handwritten editorial notations accompanying a copyright stamp for the esteemed Underwood & Underwood photography studio.
I found some more information from Heritage Auctions’ sale of the following Gehrig Original Photo.
They titled the lot a “1927 Lou Gehrig Original Photograph by Charles Conlon” and wrote that it’s a “Splendid and important image from Gehrig’s 1927 MVP and championship season was used for the Iron Horse’s 1933 Goudey cards #92 and #160. Taken by legendary baseball photographer Charles Conlon for Underwood & Underwood. Measures 7×9.” It sold for $60k in May 2017.
The image dating to 1927 doesn’t mean the Mastro copy isn’t from the 1930s; I believe Underwood & Underwood operated through the 1940s and likely reproduced many of their images. But please let me know if this is an incorrect assumption.
During the auction, Heritage provided this update: “Please note that this is a photo that came directly from the Underwood & Underwood archives and therefore has the original embossed “Do Not Remove, File Copy” raised blindstamp, which can be seen on the front of the photo in two locations.”
This has to be the most incredible grouping of 1966 O-Pee-Chee Batman card collectibles the hobby has ever seen. Two display boxes, 58 packs, 10 sets, 218 singles, and 11 uncut sheets.
Mastro offered the lot in their April 2004 Americana Premier Catalog Auction.
Check out The Uncut Sheet Archive for more!
The early ’90s Sotheby’s Important Baseball Cards and Sports Memorabilia auctions were packed with incredible material; one example is this run of 93 World Series Series Programs dating from 1936-1992 (including, of course, my favorite, The Out Of This World Series).
This particular Sotheby’s auction was held in March 1993, and the lot had an expected closing price of $12k—$15k. Here’s the full description:
Run of World Series Programs: 1936-1992, ninety three programs, complete run from 1936 through 1992 inclusive, a very significant group which includes the Miracle Mets, every Yankee Championship from 1936 with Gehrig and DiMaggio through 1962 and the Mantle/Maris years, the great New York battles of the late 40’s and into the mid 50’s between the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees, every great star is featured, including Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Tom Seaver, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Al Kaline, Reggie Jackson, Pete Rose and up through to today’s modern day superstars, World Series programs are very substantial, loaded with pictures and records, and historically significant, exceptional condition with no program less than excellent but overall most programs are near mint or better condition.