BY JOHN JEANSONNE
Newsday.com
April 24, 2008

“For $157,000, a complete set of 1915 Cracker Jack baseball cards went to the man in the navy blue T-shirt and baseball cap near the back of the room.

…The card set was one of 203 lots of sports memorabilia put up for bid Thursday by Sotheby’s, partnering with the sports memorabilia firm SCP Auctions, in a demonstration that “we love sports,” said auctioneer Leila Dunbar. The three-hour session brought in $2,518,130.

…Of all the business Sotheby’s does, sports has “the greatest number of collectors and the steadiest appreciation.”"

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Some of the other prices mentioned:
- Shoeless Joe Jackson’s “Black Betsy” bat, circa 1920: $301,000
- Darryl Strawberry’s 1998 Yankee World Series ring: $55,000
- Mel Ott 30th home baseball: $53,000
- Joe Frazier’s robe from the weigh-in of “The Fight of the Century,” Frazier vs. Ali, March 8, 1971: $20,000

Orlando Sentinel
Chris Olds
Posted on Apr 19, 2008

“Here’s the worst-kept secret in the golf memorabilia world — Tiger Woods’ autographed cards are on fire.

Here’s the best-kept secret in the golf memorabilia world — Lorena Ochoa’s autographed cards are on fire.”

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The story mentions some of the prices for Tiger’s cards:
2001 SP Authentic (900 copies signed): $4,500.
The gold version (100 copies): $6,000.
2004 SP Signature set: $600.

Chris Olds then goes on to mention some of the prices that Lorena Ochoa’s cards are fetching on eBay, such as Her 2003 SP Authentic autograph (1,999 copies) which have sold somewhere between $50 and $80 (and up to $103.50) in the last 30 days.

KVAL CBS 13
Jan 9, 2008
By Meghan Kalkstein

“Eugene – A Junction City man is $10,000 richer tonight thanks to a rare find at a Eugene store.

Hoping to collect Brady and crew, Chris Worley bought the 2007 Donruss NFL playoffs football set.

Collector Harold Thompson says the double rainbow on this one sets it above the rest.

“This is the best set that they put out. It’s numbered one of one, it’s a NFL platinum, holfoil on a double rainbow film board,” says Thompson.”

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The Official KFVS12 and Heartland News Web Site
Jan 7, 2008
By: Holly Brantley

“CARTERVILLE, Ill. – One 1987 Topps Card is the only thing we could find with Roger Clemens name on it at the Baseball Card and Sports Memorabilia Show at John A. Logan College.

Part of that has to do with the fact that we’re in Cardinal and Cubs country here in the Heartland. The other has to do with the recent Mitchell Report, suggesting Clemens and others may have used performance enhancing drugs.

…Overall, cards of players who have been implicated are down 30 to 50 percent, dealers estimate. But, Fox says it’s hard to tell how long that will last.”

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“While this auction is packed with far too many spectacular pieces to list, there are three in particular that should draw the attention of the entire baseball collecting world,” explained Chris Ivy, Director of Heritage Auction Galleries’ Sports Collectibles division (HSC). “A road grey New York Yankees jersey worn in the early 1930′s by Lou Gehrig is one of the few known to exist today, and game used bats from Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb are considered by top experts to be among the very finest in existence.”

“Hall of Fame jerseys and equipment have flooded our offices for this auction,” Ivy noted. “We have baseball jerseys from Hank Aaron and Bob Gibson, basketball jerseys from Pete Maravich and Nate Archibald, football jerseys from Roger Staubach and Gale Sayers and hockey jerseys from Ray Bourque and Wayne Gretzky. Even golf fans are recognized with the bag that carried Tiger Woods’ clubs during his historic 1997 Masters win. This barely scratches the surface.”

“Autograph collectors should find plenty to love as well,” said Ivy. “An oversized photo signed for the Yankees bat boy in 1927 by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig is just extraordinary. And a 1941 Puerto Rican League baseball contract provides one of the few authentic Josh Gibson autographs known to the hobby. Other exceedingly scarce signatures provided within this auction include Amos Rusie and Howie Morenz.”

This prize-winning auction wouldn’t be complete without some prizes of its own, and some of the most notable awards in the hobby are slated for the auction block. “We’re fortunate to have two Rookie of the Year awards,” said Ivy, pointing to gleaming treasures presented to Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown and baseball’s Hit King Pete Rose. “We also have the plaque awarded to Wilt Chamberlain in recognition of being named the 1965-66 NBA Player of the Year.”

“There are so many incredible card lots within this auction that it’s tough to know where to start,” explained Ivy. “One obvious theme is high-grade complete sets, with fantastic examples of 1933 Goudey, 1952 Small Bowman Football, 1957 Topps Baseball and 1959 Fleer Ted Williams.

“Singles collectors will have no shortage of options either,” stated Ivy. “The offerings run from the spectacularly rare to the finest known. There’s tobacco, candy, gum, and everything in between.”

“Two sheets should really stun the collecting world too,” Ivy noted. “A compilation of ten strips form an incredible 1953 Topps Baseball sheet, and a 1968 Topps 3-D Baseball example includes cards that never made it into packs.”

“Sports fans around the world are going to want to participate in this auction,” Ivy said, “and I’d encourage everyone to visit our homepage at www.HA.com, where they’ll see enlargeable, full-color images of each and every lot, complete with our thorough and informative catalog descriptions. They’ll even have an opportunity to place bids online.”
Some of the items include:

Circa 1933 Lou Gehrig Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $300,000 & up

1921-22 Babe Ruth Side Written Game Used Bat, Universally Graded 10/10:
ESTIMATE: $150,000 & up

1923-24 Ty Cobb Side Written Game Used Bat:
ESTIMATE: $80,000 & up

1965 Hank Aaron Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $50,000 & up

1967 Bob Gibson Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $50,000 & up

Late 1970′s Pete Maravich Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $20,000

Early 1970′s Nate Archibald Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $4,000 – $6,000

Early 1970′s Roger Staubach Game Worn Uniform:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $12,000

Mid to Late 1960′s Gale Sayers Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $20,000
1997-98 Ray Bourque Game Worn Jersey Signed by Boston Bruins Team:
ESTIMATE: $6,000 – $8,000

1994-95 Wayne Gretzky Game Worn Jersey:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $20,000

1997 Tiger Woods Masters Tournament Used Golf Bag:
ESTIMATE: $50,000 & up

The Finest Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig Signed Photograph on Earth:
ESTIMATE: $30,000 – $50,000

1941 Josh Gibson Signed Puerto Rican League Contract:
ESTIMATE: $50,000 & up

Circa 1922 Autograph Book Signed by Rusie, Youngs, Ruth:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $20,000

1929 Howie Morenz Signed NHL Document:
ESTIMATE: $1,000 – $2,000

1957 Jim Brown Rookie of the Year Trophy:
ESTIMATE: $20,000 – $40,000

1963 Pete Rose National League Rookie of the Year Trophy:
ESTIMATE: $8,000 – $12,000

1965-66 Wilt Chamberlain NBA Player of the Year Award:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 – $20,000

1933 Goudey Baseball PSA-Graded Complete Set (239):
ESTIMATE: $40,000 & up

1952 Bowman Small Football High Grade Complete Set (144):
ESTIMATE: $3,000 & up

1957 Topps Baseball PSA-Graded NM-MT 8 Complete Set (411):
ESTIMATE: $15,000 & up

1959 Fleer Ted Williams High Grade Complete Set (80):
ESTIMATE: $600 & up

1910 E93 Standard Caramel Co. Ty Cobb SGC 80 EX/NM 6.:
ESTIMATE: $7,000 & up

1933 Goudey Napoleon Lajoie #106 PSA NM 7:
ESTIMATE: $15,000 & up

1933 Delong Gum Co. Lou Gehrig #7 SGC 86 NM+ 7.5:
ESTIMATE: $5,000 – $25,000

1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #37 SGC 88 NM/MT 8:
ESTIMATE: $5,000 – $12,500

1921 American Caramel Co. Babe Ruth E121 SGC 84 NM 7:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 & up

1950-51 Toleteros Joshua Gibson SGC 80 EX/NM 6:
ESTIMATE: $7,000 – $20,000

1953 Topps Baseball Strips Forming a Complete Sheet (10 Strips of 10):
ESTIMATE: $40,000 – $75,000

1968 Topps 3-D Baseball Uncut Sheet of 9:
ESTIMATE: $50,000 & up

HSC specializes in rare and collectible sports cards, as well as uniforms, equipment, and related vintage sports memorabilia.

For more information about Heritage’s auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Gretzky’s T206 Wagner baseball card sold again

BY MICHAEL O’KEEFFE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Friday, September 7th 2007

“As reported in “The Card,” a book by two Daily News reporters released earlier this year, the Gretzky T206 Wagner has been dogged by persistent rumors that it was cut from a sheet long after it left the factory – a major taboo in the world of vintage cards – and later trimmed to enhance its value.

In June, the Daily News published photographs that experts say prove the card was trimmed to improve its condition. And in a 2005 interview, Bill Hughes, a member of the grading service team that issued the card’s high grade – Professional Sports Authenticator gave it a PSA 8 on a scale of 1-10 – admitted he knew the card had been cut from a sheet when he graded it.”

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MLB – Yahoo! Sports
September 6, 2007
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP)

“The legendary T206 Honus Wagner baseball trading card is displayed June 6, 2000 in New York. This finest known example of the famed T206 Honus Wagner baseball card has been sold, a little more than six months after selling for a then-record price of $2.35 million to a California private collector. The auction company, California-based SCP Auctions Inc., has brokered the latest sale to a private collector for a record price of $2.8 million, according to a report, Thursday Sept. 6, 2007.”

“Referred to as the “Mona Lisa” of baseball cards, the almost mint-condition collectible — released in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company — was sold by Brian Seigel of Las Vegas to an unidentified Southern California collector in February. SCP Auctions was a minority owner, but David Kohler, the company’s president and CEO, said that’s no longer the case.

…The T206 baseball card features a youthful Wagner in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform.”

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Financial News – Yahoo! Finance
Tuesday August 21, 2007

“NEW YORK (AP) — The Upper Deck Co. on Tuesday withdrew its offer to buy rival baseball card maker The Topps Co., clearing one obstacle in the way of a proposed private equity takeover of the iconic sports memorabilia company.

Topps, maker of baseball cards and Bazooka bubble gum, has recommended shareholders approve a deal with investors including former Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner. Shareholders are scheduled to complete a vote on that deal next week.”

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Financial News – Yahoo! Finance
Wednesday August 15, 2007

The Company Signs Exclusive Autograph and Memorabilia Deal with Daisuke

“CARLSBAD, Calif., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ — Daisuke Matsuzaka has made quite an impression on big league batters, most not wanting to stand in the box and face his full array of pitches, much like the competition in the collectibles category where Upper Deck reigns supreme. That is why the pairing of Daisuke and Upper Deck was fitting. The front runner for American League Rookie of the Year has agreed to an exclusive autograph and memorabilia deal with the market leader in sports cards and memorabilia, Upper Deck.”

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What If Upper Deck Buys Topps?

Sports Collectors Digest – News
By T.J. Schwartz

“As of this writing, The Upper Deck Co. is involved in a hostile takeover attempt of the Topps Co. It’s a complicated story that has generated a fair amount of coverage in the national media, particularly in the business pages. From a dollars-and-cents standpoint, Topps is a public company and must answer to the wishes of its stockholders. But I’d like to look at this story from a collector and dealer perspective.”

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