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19CARDBOARD CLASSICS COLLECTING SPORTS CARDS

Much of that reasoning lies in the simple fact that, in comparison to vintage

material, modern cards can be found in abundance most of the time. This is due,

in part, to the volume of cards produced each year. More importantly, it is a result

of collectors taking the time to preserve their cards as a result of the evolution

of the hobby. During the 1980s, what was once a very miniscule hobby became

a phenomenon throughout America. Along with the boom in the industry came

awareness about how to better protect trading cards. Things like binders, protectivesleeves, nine-count sheets, Lucite holders and specially designed storage boxes

were all used to protect the cards that were once handled with great frequency just

a decade earlier.

That being said, there is no question that I tried to provide some diversity within

the Top 250 as well. In other words, it would be very easy to fill any top card list

with every Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Ted Williams card ever

manufactured. While there are many cards on this list that feature great players like

these legends, I did make a concerted effort to include some examples of cards that

originate from fascinating sets. Some of these are mainstream productions while

others are regional or test issues. When it made sense to do so, I also incorporatedimportant modern-era cards that capture some of the most significant athletes in

sports history.

Finally, please keep in mind that there are so many wonderful cards to collect in

this great hobby of ours. This list is a mere sampling of the great cards available to

the collector. The hardest part about constructing this section was to limit it to only

250 total cards. I am sure some readers will question why a particular card may or

may not have made this exclusive list, but that is part of what makes our hobby fun.

So, let the debates begin! Furthermore and most importantly, I hope this section can

help bring back memories of opening packs with your friends, watching the games

with your dad or rooting for your favorite sports heroes.

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21THE TOP 250 SPORTSCARDS IN THE HOBBY COLLECTING SPORTS CARDS

in the HobbyRanking the 20 Most Important Cards

1909-11 T206 White Border Honus WagnerThis is the Holy Grail of all trading cards. This card, which resides in

one of the most popular sets of all time, features one of baseballs great-

est players and it remains the symbol of trading card collecting. This cardis also one of the great rarities, though it is not the scarcest in the hobby.

That said, this card has taken on a life of its own and no card has ever sold for anywhereclose to the sale of the finest example known, the famous PSA NM-MT 8. Once ownedby hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, that copy sold for an astonishing$2,800,000 in 2007, the only seven-figure price ever paid for a trading card as of thiswriting. Even low-grade copies have sold for well over $100,000.

The reason behind the rarity has been debated for years. Was it a mere contractdispute? Was it a result of a stand taken by Wagner, not wanting to promote tobaccouse to children since the cards were packed with cigarettes? No one knows for sure, butdocumentation from the era has surfaced supporting the theory that Wagner may havehad his younger fans in mind. It is ironic since Wagner was an avid user of tobacco. Heis actually pictured on a 1948 Leaf card holding an enormous wad of chew. No matterwhat theory you believe, the card was pulled from production early, leaving approximately50 or so known copies in thehobby today. Keep in mindthat most of the survivingWagners have Sweet Capo-ral backs. Only a few exhibitPiedmont backs, which in-cludes the finest example ofthem all.

1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle

This is, perhaps, the most recognizable sportscard in the entire hobby and the an-chor of the most important post-war set in existence. Strangely enough, it is not MickeyMantles official rookie card, but there is no question that it is the sluggers most importantcard. Despite a couple of major finds of 1952 Topps cards during the last 25 years, thiscard has remained difficult to obtain in NM-MT or better condition as many of those findexamples exhibit poor centering. There are actually two different versions of this double-printed card. The line surrounding the Yankee logo is a solid black on one version, whilethe other version has a line that is only partially filled. There is also a slight variance incolor and focus between the two. Despite the minor difference in appearance, there is nodifference in market value. Most of the high-grade examples found today were a productof either the large 1952 Topps find from the New England area during the 1980s or a fewsmaller finds from Canada over the last two decades. After slugging .530 in 1952, Mantlewas well on his way to stardom. This would be the first of 16 All-Star selections for theYankee Slugger, a man who made the #7 famous.

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Top250Sportscards

By Joe Orlando

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22COLLECTING SPORTS CARDS THE TOP 250 SPORTSCARDS IN THE HOBBY

1915/1916 (M101-5) Sporting News #151Babe Ruth

This is the rookie card of the greatest player who ever lived. It is one of his

most difficult cards overall, making it one of the most important cards on this

list. It pictures a young Ruth, firing the ball as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. Ruth was an outstanding

pitcher. He compiled a 94-46 record (.671 winning percentage) with 107 complete

games, 17 shutouts and a career ERA of 2.28. In the World Series, he was evenmore impressive. Ruth went 3-0 with an ERA under 1.00! After three full seasons

on the mound, the Red Sox began to use Ruth as a part-time outfielder in 1918.

The rest is history. After they sent Ruth to New York in 1920, little did they know

that it would result in a World Series drought that lasted until 2004. This card, the

key to the 200-card M101-5 set, is often found off-center and features a variety of

advertising backs, although most existing copies exhibit blank backs.

1909-11 T206 White Border Eddie PlankThis is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only

pose of the HOF pitcher. To this day, there is no clear explanation for the rarity

of this card, a card that is nearly as tough as the Honus Wagner from the same

set. The most prevalent theory is that the card suffered from a poor printing plate,

resulting in many of the cards being destroyed since they could not pass quality

control. In addition, many of the known examples are found with poor centering

from top to bottom. The centering can be so severe that it will cut into the text

along the bottom. Eddie Plank, a master of off-speed pitches, was one of the

greatest left-handed pitchers in the game. Plank amassed 327 career wins and he

remained the all-time leader in wins for a left-hander until Warren Spahn eclipsed

the mark about 50 years later in the early 1960s. Plank won 20 or more games on

eight separate occasions and he still owns the all-time record for most shutouts

by a lefty with 69. What may be most impressive is the fact that Plank entered the

league at the age of 26, a late start for someone with such great overall numbers.

Plank was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.

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12COLLECTING SPORTS LEGENDS TEN TIPS FOR BUILDING A COLLECTION

If you are thinking about assembling a collection, big or small, it is always best to lay out a plan of action before you start spending your hard-

earned money. While this may appear to be common sense to most readers, you would not believe how many people fail to act accordingly. Planning

ahead will help whether you collect autographs or trading cards, game-used bats or tickets, or a combination of many different types of collectibles.

If you stick to a plan, it will ultimately result in a more enjoyable collecting experience.

Listed below are 10 suggestions that will help a collector accomplish this goal.

1. Select a Collecting Theme and Stick to itThe first thing a collector should do is select a collecting theme. This takes precedence over everything else on this list. Not only will it help you

stay focused on your collecting goals, it also will help you maintain your sanity! I have been guilty of not following this suggestion in past years but,

when I decided to stop the insanity and stay focused, it enhanced my experience tremendously.

Remember, even if you have virtually endless financial resources at your disposal, you cant own everything. It is always better to start with

reasonable collecting goals and then branch out from there. If you want to build a collection around members of The 500 Home Run Club, you might

start with single-signed baseballs, game-used bats, rookie cards or tickets. However, I do not suggest trying to collect all four at once. Even i f you

do, at least a theme was chosen, which many hobbyists fail to do. The key is sticking to the theme.

Collectors are tempted, time and time again, to buy things that simply do not fit into the theme of their existing collection. When you appreciate

great items, its hard to resist the opportunity to buy something when the opportunity presents itself. If you collect autographs of Hall of Fame

pitchers, it just doesnt make sense to buy a Magic Johnson rookie card and a Wayne Gretzky-signed puck. If you fall victim to your own impulses,

you end up with a collection that has no rhyme or reason to it.

A lack of focus will lead to serious frustration.

2. Buy Authenticated/Graded CollectiblesThe hobby has changed tremendously in the last 15-20 years and part of the evolution has been the advent of third-party authentication

and grading. This has brought peace of mind to collectors across the hobby and provided a more liquid product to dealers who sell collectibles.

Of all the benefits this service provides, perhaps none is greater than the simple fact that it helps remove the potential conflict of interest from

a transaction.

Prior to the advent of third-party services, the conflict was unavoidable. The typical scenario looked something like this:

A collector approaches a dealer and asks about a Mickey Mantle baseball card on display. The dealer tells the collector how much it costs,

which is expected, but the dealer also tells the potential

buyer that the card is authentic and in Mint condition.

This is where the problem lies. The same person who

benefits directly from the sale of the item is the same

person who is telling the collector whether or not

its authentic. The seller is also rendering an opinion

about the quality of the item. This is a direct conflict

of interest no matter how you look at it.

This was simply how a transaction worked before

third-party services emerged. This doesnt mean the

dealer was trying to defraud the buyer in any way.

It took time but hobbyists started to realize, both

collectors and dealers alike, that the system didnt

make sense. Then along came third-party services.

Buying collectibles that have been authenticated

and/or graded by a credible third-party will help

protect you now and in the future. Even if you

witnessed an item being signed yourself, if you

decide to sell the autograph or hand the collectible

down to a family member at some point, third-party

Ten Tips for Building

a CollectionBy Joe Orlando

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certification will help you achieve the highest possible price for your item or

protect the people you give it to.

While the authentication of a collectible is of primary importance, the

grading of collectibles is quickly becoming equally as important. After a

hobbyist feels comfortable with the authenticity of an item, it is important

that they understand the quality, how this item grades against like items inthe marketplace. This way, the buyer knows exactly what they are getting

at the point of sale. While third-party

services do not offer grading for every

kind of collectible, I would suggest

using the service for collectibles that

can currently be graded. Grading is

not limited to trading cards anymore.

The grading of autographs, game-

used bats, packs and tickets are

just some of the newer services that

have emerged in recent years. These

services can help both the buyer and

the seller.

Finally, it is crucial that you learn

how to distinguish between third-party

services. Anyone can generate a letter

of authenticity for an autograph or

merely place a trading card in a plastic

holder. The key is the name behind

the opinion. This is what ultimately

carries weight in the industry and

protects you, the consumer. Asking

the right questions is a good place

to start. How long has the company

been in business? How many items

have they certified? What is their

reputation? What is their market

share? How strong is their following?

These are just examples, but do as

much research as you can.

Certified collectibles can reduce your anxiety as a buyerand increase your opportunities as a seller.

3. Ask Questions and Educate Yourself

This picks up where we left things at #2. You can never ask enough questions in this business, whether its about a third-party

service, a dealer, an auction house or a collectible. There is more information available to the collector today, primarily due to the

Internet, than ever before. There are websites with ample information about collectibles, their history, their scarcity and their popularity.

Take advantage of them!

It surprises me that so many collectors start buying items, sometimes very expensive ones, without learning about them beforehand.

If you were buying a car or a watch or a piece of property, you would want to know as much as you can about each item before you buyit. It should be no different here. Talking to experienced collectors and dealers can assist in the process, in addition to reading articles

and guides about the hobby. Third-party services can help you remove doubt about the authenticity or grade of an item, which is great,

but its up to you to learn about the historical aspects of the piece.

One purpose of this book is to educate people about the various collectibles covered wi thin, but you can never know enough in this

hobby. Even the experts will tell you that they learn more and more each year as new information arises. Theres no question that certain

collectibles require more extensive research than others. For example, it may take longer to understand what makes a piece of game-

used equipment exceptional compared to what makes a baseball card exceptional, but you will be glad you took the time to increase

your knowledge no matter where your interests lie.

An informed collector is a happy collector.

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