Dear Babe: I found five 33-RPM baseball records. They include Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, "Fred Lynn Has Incredible Day at Detroit,'' "Johnny Bench Beats Pirates in '72 Playoffs,'' and one with Jerry Koosman and Donn Clendenon on the front entitled, "1969 Miracle Mets.'' -- Jane Liljedahl, Redding, Calif.
You have Sports Challenge Records from 1977. The records have taped highlights and an interview with the player. There are 12 records in the set. The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards from the editors of Sports Collectors Digest lists a set of the 33-1/3 RPM records at $250. "Henry Aaron (Hits 715th Homer)'' and "Nolan Ryan (fourth No Hitter)'' are the most valuable at $45 each. The rest book at $20-$35 each. Interestingly "Bobby Thomson (Shot Heard Round the World)'' is a $20 common. If it has Russ Hodges classic call of "The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant ...'' That seems a little low. The fact that records have fairly crude drawings on them also detracts from the value.
Dear Babe: I have several Notre Dame football programs. They include one for a Northwestern game in 1948 for which I also have the ticket stub, and the Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame, January 1, 1988, Cotton Bowl. -- John Cannon, Fairport, N.Y.
Individually, it looks like the ticket stub and program combo from 1948 is the most valuable item. David Kohler, president of www.SCPauctions.com in Laguna Niguel, Calif., puts it at $50. He said a program from the 1988 Cotton Bowl in which Texas A&M defeated Notre Dame, 35-10, is worth $10-$20.
Dear Babe: I have a 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces Captured on Canvas Yogi Berra jersey card. It has a black border. There is a blue stripe running through the patch. -- Michael Taves, Montgomery, Ill.
This one is tough because the product is fairly new. It looks like yours is a black parallel. There are just five of those, according to Chris Carlin of Upper Deck. The low number and the presence of a Yankee pinstripe should bode well for your card. Most of the eBay activity has been for Berra cards with multiple pieces or jersey and bats and/or with a signature. I did see a couple of UD Heroes jersey cards numbered to 25 offered for $25-$35 in eBay stores, but that doesn't mean any have sold for those prices. Even though it has just a single piece of jersey and no autograph, the card is just one of five and the jersey piece has that Yankee pinstripe. Based on other auction results, etc., I'd say $20-$50, but that's just my opinion.
Dear Babe: I have a copy of the first Sports Illustrated issue, Aug. 16, 1954, and a copy of Sports Illustrated prototype called "Dummy'' No. 2 dated April 19, 1954. Inside the magazine is a loose advertisement insert explaining why Time and Life were expanding into the sports world. My dad, an American Airlines executive, was given these by the publisher who was trying to get the airline to put the new sports magazine on board their aircraft. -- Tom Brooks, Peachtree City, Ga.
Original first issue Sports Illustrated magazines from Aug. 16, 1954 are worth $100-$150 in excellent-mint condition and $150-$250 if near perfect, said Phil Regli, owner of P&R Publications in Irvine and a long-time magazine dealer. Since the originals went out in brown envelopes, there shouldn't be a problem with mailing labels. The dummy issue, which was produced to show what the new magazine was going to look like, is worth $100-$200, Regli said.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak(at)charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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