BY MARK A. LARSON
In an era when some three-year-old baseball cards already are priced at $75 each, it’s nice to know cards of superstars and Hall-of-Famers from the 1950s and 1960s still can be found for $5 or less.
Prices for recent cards of such stars as Don Mattingly and Dwight Gooden have shot up tremendously in the past two years. Not only rookie cards, but second- and third-year cards too. Yet the best long-term enjoyment for your collecting dollar could in the older star cards.
The key word is “enjoyment.” While older cards might not appreciate in value at a fast pace, they are great bargains for those who want a piece of baseball history on cards that are at least 20 years old. After all, it isn’t just the collecting that’s fun, it’s also learning (or remembering) about a time when baseball – and life – was much simpler.
For instance, 1950s-era regular-issue Topps cards of Don Drysdale, Enos “Country” Slaughter, George Kell, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, Robin Roberts, Walt Alston, and Monte Irvin all can be found in excellent condition for $5 or less.
Today’s younger collectors may not be familiar with these men, but each is a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame. Heck, $5 is less than what second-year cards of some players cost.
In addition, stars such as Richie Ashburn, Billy Martin, Nellie Fox, and Jim Bunning can be found on pre-1960 cards for under $3 each. All four are likely to enter the Hall of Fame someday.
Ashburn and Fox each had more than 2,500 hits. Ashburn, an outfielder with the Phillies, had a .308 lifetime average, while Fox hit .288 as a White Sox second baseman. Bunning won more than 200 games with the Tigers and Phillies, and Martin is well-known for his controversial reigns as a manager.
In the 1960-67 period, these Hall of Famers have at least one card that is available for $5 or less: Ernie Banks, Harmon Killebrew, Al Lopez, Casey Stengel, Brooks Robinson, Warren Spahn, Whitey Ford, Juan Marichal, Al Kaline, Luis Aparicio, Duke Snider, Frank Robinson, Hoyt Wilhelm, Willie McCovey, Eddie Mathews, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Billy Williams and Jim “Catfish” Hunter.
If that’s not enough to boggle your mind, these potential Hall-of-Famers also are available for just a few dollars: Jim Kaat, Tommy John, Vada Pinson, Phil Niekro, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Ferguson Jenkins and Don Sutton. Even Willie Stargell, the leading candidate for 1988 enshrinement is in this category.
Stargell, Niekro, Perez, and Sutton are shoo-ins for Cooperstown, so now is the time to purchase a few of their early cards before prices go up.
Stargell smashed 475 career home runs, drove in 1,540 runs and hit a respectable .282. Perez, who spent the bulk of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, had 379 homers, 2,732 hits and 1,652 runs batted in, including 12 seasons of 90-plus.
Of course, Niekro and Sutton are both 300-game winners.
Although the value of the 1950s and 1960s star cards mentioned here is likely to remain steady, the serious student of baseball would want at least one of each player in his collection. And it’s just plain fun to have a few of the older star cards to gaze at.
If you shop around, the total cost for cards in excellent condition of the 40 players listed in this article should be less than $200 … or about the same as three 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly cards.
For pure pleasure, I’d rather have the 40 cards. How about you?
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• Originally Published in Jan. 1988 “Baseball Hobby News” •
THIS ARTICLE FROM “BASEBALL HOBBY NEWS” MAGAZINE IS REPRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF BOTH THE EDITOR/PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR. IT HAS BEEN RETYPED, BUT NO CONTENT HAS BEEN CHANGED (EXCEPT FOR VERY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS, CORRECTIONS TO TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND CHANGES TO GRAPHICS). COMMENTS OR INFORMATION IN THE ARTICLE MAY BE OUT-OF-DATE.
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