Beckett Announces Charter Class of First-Ever Baseball Card Hall of Fame
Total Value of the 10 Cards Inducted Exceeds $560,000
What are the greatest baseball cards of all-time? Beckett Baseball answers that question in its September
2005 issue by announcing the inaugural class of its newly established Beckett Baseball Card Hall of Fame.
The 10 cards chosen by Beckett Media staffers were selected based on scarcity and value, enduring popularity
among collectors and by the pivotal role they played in helping baseball cards achieve the cultural icon status
they enjoy today. They include (Near mint values in parentheses):
- 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner ($500,000)
- 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson ($8,000)
- 1916 Sporting News M101-4 Babe Ruth ($6,000)
- 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 ($3,000)
- 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie ($25,000)
- 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle ($20,000)
- 1954 Bowman Ted Williams ($3,000)
- 1963 Topps Pete Rose ($1,000)
- 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan ($500)
- 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey, Jr. ($50)
"Baseball cards have been around almost as long as the sport itself," says Beckett Baseball editor
Mike Payne. "While cards are really designed to pay tribute to the player depicted on them, in some rare
instances, the cards actually take on a life of their own. Their fame and the value collectors place on them
elevate them to rare pieces of art. Each of the cards on this list has met that standard. It's only fitting
that those cards be recognized for the very special place they achieved in popular culture."
While there are no current plans for a brick-and-mortar museum to house the cards inducted by Beckett, associate
publisher Tracy Hackler says the creation of such a building has long been a dream of collectors.
"For many years, people around the sports card industry have talked about one day opening a museum to show
off the best of the best," says Hackler. "While there are no plans on Beckett's part to greenlight such
a project any time in the foreseeable future, it is something we've kicked around and would love to see come to
fruition. For now, though, the Hall will live in the pages of our magazine and on our website, Beckett.com."
ABOUT BECKETT MEDIA
Based in Dallas, Beckett Media LP, an Apprise Media company, is the leading publisher of sports and specialty market
collectible products in the U.S. Beckett operates Beckett.com (http://www.beckett.com) and is the premier publisher
of monthly sports collectibles magazines. Beckett, considered the world's most trusted source in collecting, currently
publishes 14 magazines.
Source: Beckett Media LP
Date: August 9, 2005
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