Determining Value of Card Numbered to 25 or Less
by Bill Wagner, "Babe Waxpak"
August 17, 2005
Discuss this article:
Dear Babe: I have a friend who is unable to find a value for a Derek Jeter 2003 Fleer Authenix
Standing Room Only (No. 1) card numbered 17 of 25. The card has been graded as 8NM/MT by SCD.
Eric Petersen, Mount Shasta, Calif.
There just aren't enough of these or enough action in the secondary marketplace to establish values.
However, Beckett does have a price guide by player that tries to deal with all the numbered inserts
out there. The guide focuses on the rarity of the cards rather than condition, so it's safe to use
the numbers for this Jeter card. The bottom line is the guide lists Jeter cards serial numbered
between 20 and 35 at $12-$40.
Dear Babe: A friend gave me some old football tickets. I have tickets from the 1927 and 1928 Penn
State-University of Pennsylvania games and a ticket from the 1932 Army-Navy game.
Michael Bobick, Lansford, Pa.
There's always interest in Army-Navy games. That ticket might be worth as much as $75, said Mike
Heffner, president of Lelands.com auction house in New York. The other two could be worth $50,
Heffner said. However, I noticed on the photocopy you sent that the two Pennsylvania tickets have
names written on them. That will hurt the value.
Dear Babe: In 1985, the Atlanta Hawks, in an effort to expand their fan base, played 10 games at
the Waterfront Arena in New Orleans. In a game in March against the Boston Celtics, Larry Bird set
a Celtics single-game scoring record with 60 points. I had the stub signed and have it framed with
a Times-Picayune box score for the game and a photo of the Celtics starting five from that night.
Paul Metivier, Wildomar, Calif.
If the Hawks want to expand their fan base, they might try putting together a decent team. That aside,
the stub from the March 12, 1985, game is worth $100 by itself and $200 when signed by Bird, said
Phil Castinetti owner of Sportsworld-usa.com in Everett, Mass., a suburb of Boston.
Dear Babe: I have some baseball cards from the 1991 Homers Classic Collection. I believe they came in
boxes of cookies. They have a light tan background with blank and white photos. I have nine cards
including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente.
Shirley Gotto, Salem, N.H.
You are right on the money. Based on the names you supplied, you have a complete nine-card set of
Homers Cookies cards. The others in the set include Ty Cobb, Lefty Gomez, Bob Feller, Dizzy Dean,
Satchel Paige and Cy Young. Beckett's Almanac of Baseball Cards and The Standard Catalog of Baseball
Cards from the editors of Sports Collectors Digest list the set at $6-$9 with Ruth the most valuable
at $3.
Dear Babe: I have a white 1996 Chicago Bulls NBA champions T-shirt. It is in great condition. It has
four rings - 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1996 - along with pictures of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, Dennis
Rodman and Phil Jackson.
Shaunte Hudson, Lithonia, Ga.
There isn't much of market for these T-shirts once the thrill of victory wears off. I don't think it
has much value even if it's still new. If it's been worn, it's definitely worth more to you as a memento
than a collectible.
Dear Babe: I have a baseball signed by Rick Miller, Fred Lynn, John Pesky, Don Zimmer, Bill Lee, Rico
Petrocelli, Carlton Fisk and a couple of other players. The names are faded, but you can make them out.
Merton Peters Sr., Bradford, Mass.
The first time around, Zimmer was a Red Sox coach from 1974 through 1976. The ball might be worth $200,
said Phil Castinetti, owner of Sportsworld-usa.com in Everett, Mass., a suburb of Boston. Keep in mind that
you don't have enough signatures for it to qualify as team-signed ball. However, with those faded signatures,
I suspect it will top out at less than that.
About the author
Bill Wagner is a veteran journalist with 37 years in the newspaper business as well as being
a former Army combat correspondent in Vietnam. He developed the Babe Waxpak sports card column
in the 1980s and took over authorship in 1993, expanding into sports memorabilia and autographs
as well as answering questions on cards.
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