Baseball’s Most Collectible Players

             A few years ago I had a radio caller on an open-line show who wanted to talk about baseball collectibles. But not just any baseball collectibles. He wanted to talk about Detroit Tigers memorabilia. There were a couple of minutes left before a commercial break, so I let him mention Norm Cash, Denny McLain, Jim Northup, Mickey Lolich, and even the Yankee killer, Frank Lary. He knew for sure that his 1960s team signed Tigers baseball, as well as a helmet signed by Cash, were worth a fortune. I told him he was wrong, much to his surprise and dismay. I asked him if he had any Ty Cobb items, because those would be valuable. He said that Cobb was before his time.

            And that is the problem with the most valuable collectible baseball players. With a few exceptions, they played before the baby boomer period. Granted, there are some exceptions, such as Mantle, Gibson, Koufax, and Derek Jeter to name a few. However, for the most part, the most collectible baseball players of all-time have taken their place in Cooperstown, or will be there shortly.

            My list of all-time collectible baseball players is inclusive for all their items, not for a select one or two. Sure, if I had the ball that Bobby Thomson hit to win the 1952 National League pennant for the Giants against the Dodgers, that is a treasure that will only continue to significantly appreciate in value. Presumably, that ball has not been positively identified, despite a compelling argument that a nun retrieved the ball and it was placed in a shoebox and dumped in a landfill.

However, here is my list of the dozen most collectible baseball players. These are not in any specific order, although the first two lead the way: Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Honus Wagner, and Derek Jeter.

            Sure, I left out Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and even Cal Ripken, Jr. Well, I consider them just a noche below.

            Again, let me emphasize that I am only referring to the memorabilia of baseball players over a period of time that have appreciated in value. In no way am I discouraging anyone from collecting memorabilia of boyhood heroes such as Ed Kranepool, Vida Blue, or even Craig Lefferts (I had to throw in my long-time neighbor).

            I am simply including players from a purely dollars and cents point of view. In other words, an investment fantasy team of players.

            Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle would be the MVPs of my team. A few examples of each of these players will illustrate my point.

           

First, Babe Ruth. The player, credited with saving baseball in the 1920s, can also be credited with stuffing the pockets of some lucky people who are fortunate enough to own some Ruth items by being at the right place at the right time by design or by luck, or both. Of course, most sports collectors are aware that it was Ruth’s Yankees jersey of circa 1920 that fetched a cool $4.415 million in an SCP auction, making it to date the most valuable sports item in history, slightly above the $4.3 million that was gotten for James Naismiths’ 13 Original Rules of Basketball.

            Actually, one Ruth item that has never been found is the ball that he hit in the 1932 World Series off of Cubs pitcher Charlie Root. That was the “called home run” when Ruth pointed to the outfield area where he would hit the next pitch, and he did just that.

            But for the Ruth items that have been found and sold, here are some examples as to why Ruth is a good business investment.

First, keep in mind that Ruth was a prolific signer, and lets assume that the items are genuine. Also, remember that auction results, and even private sales for that matter, are not scientific. Too many factors can, and do, play a part in determining the final price, including the number of bidders who choose to engage in an auction house’s best friend – a bidding war.

However, putting all that aside, merely a signed Ruth bat, not one that he used, has doubled in value in a few years. Likewise, with official America League baseballs that he signed. I have seen signed baseballs fetch nearly a hundred thousand dollars. Actually, baseballs signed by the 1927 Yankees, considered by many baseball experts to be the greatest team ever assembled, have appreciated tremendously in value over the past ten years as well. That 1927 team included the likes of Ruth, Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earle Combs, Waite Hoyt, Miller Huggins, and others. In fact, just recently the 1927 signed team ball that was owned by Combs himself went for slightly over $149,000.

            It is true that most Ruth items will probably be out of the financial reach of most collectors. Besides his circa 1920 jersey that went for $4.415 million, his first Yankee contract sold for $1.2 million, his commemorative 1923 Yankees World Championship pocket watch sold for $717,000, and the uniform that he wore in the first All-Star game in 1933 went for $657,200 in 2006. It would be worth well over a million dollars now. What can a Ruth collector realistically get besides a baseball card? Even a card in good shape will cost a few hundred dollars. One that’s in near Mint condition will set you back thousands. An original Hartland Ruth statue from the set issued from 1959-1963 will only run you about two hundred dollars, if you are not asking for the box and tag.

            Babe Ruth’s fellow Yankee alum, Mickey Mantle, is a hot collectible commodity as well. His 1956 All-Star game used, and signed, home run bat went for $430,200 in a 2014 auction. His 1949 signing bonus check sold for $286,800, and his 1952 Topps rookie card has gone for as much as a quarter million dollars. A few years ago a radio guest of mine, Clay Lucharsi of Topps, told the story of some of the higher end numbers of the 1952 Topps card, including Mantle’s number 311, being dumped into the Atlantic Ocean because of a lack of sales earlier in the summer.

However, Mantle’s Hartland statue from the original set is far more valuable than Ruth’s. Hartland also made a Mantle lamp that is popular among collectors.

            Mantle’s popularity can be attributed to a couple of reasons. First, he was an extremely talented and charismatic athlete. He actually succeeded against all odds, having followed the likes of the legendary Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio. In addition, he played his entire career in New York, a lion’s den for players who are always under the microscope. For those very reasons Mantle’s popularity soared. If you could make it in New York as a Yankee the media adored you. Baby boomers grew up with three star centerfielders in New York, namely Mantle, the Giants’ Willie Mays, and the Dodgers’ Duke Snider. Depending on which borough you lived, Mantle was usually regarded as the best of the trio. So it was easy to become a devout Mantle follower for life. As baby boomers aged they had disposable income to spend, and Mantle memorabilia was front and center.

            Buying and selling collectibles is a business for many. However, it’s the top items that appreciate the most. With baseball players, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle lead the way. Others, including, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Honus Wagner, and Derek Jeter follow their footsteps.