ShareThisDear Babe: I have a 1987 M&Ms collectors limited edition uncut sheet of 24 cards. -- David Merrill, Hudson, N.H.
In 1987 when the rebirth of card collecting took off, M&Ms issued a 24-card set produced by MSA. Two-card perforated panels were inserted into specially marked packages of large M&M candy. As is usually the case, the values for individual cards exceed the total value of the set. Beckett's Almanac of Baseball Cards lists a complete set of 12 panels at $10, while Beckett's Almanac of Baseball Cards has it at $5. A set of individual cards books at $4-$6.
Three panels have paired Hall of Famers. Panel 7 with Cal Ripken Jr. (No. 13) and George Brett (14) is the most valuable at $2-$3.75. Ripken books at $1-$2 with Brett at 50 cents-$1. Panel 2 has Mike Schmidt (3) and Ryne Sandberg (4). Schmidt is listed at 50-60 cents, while Sandberg books at 40 cents to a $1. The panel is listed at $1.25-$2. Panel 12 has Tony Gwynn (23) and Ozzie Smith (24) books at just $1.25-$2.50. Individually the cards list for 40 cents-$1. The other notable card in the set is No. 22 Nolan Ryan. He's worth $1-$2. He's paired with Steve Sax (21), who is just a 10-20 cent common.
A full 24-card uncut sheet is not listed. It's probably worth as much as the full set of unbroken panels -- $5-$10. With this type of set, most collectors are interested in one player or players from one team. Plus an uncut sheet is hard to display.
Dear Babe: I have three coins one of which is silver. One coin is .999 troy ounces silver. On one side it says "Super Bowl XXX Champions Dallas Cowboys, January 28, 1996; limited edition 1755.'' The other two coins are brass and are from 1977 -- one each for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders. They appear to be "coin-toss'' coins. -- Doug Waite, Redding, Calif.
The Highland Mint folks said they did not mint these coins or more accurately "rounds'' as they are referred to by collectors. The consensus is that they were probably produced by ChicagoLand Coins, which was cranking out "collectibles'' at the height of the collecting and memorabilia craze in the late 1980s and early '90s.
"I did a little Googling and ChicagoLand Coins were created by a part of Environmint coins,'' said Rich Klein, a long-time hobby expert and www.cardinformant.com columnist. "They made a ton of coins over the years. I'd say that from a quick check ... that the coins are usually worth about what they were originally sold for back in the day."
We know 1,755 were made and that's far from a limited number. We also don't know what they sold for originally.
As you note, the two bronze rounds are probably not worth much. They're more of a novelty than a collectible.
The silver coin is going to be worth whatever the going rate is for an ounce of silver -- at least. Plus they'll be a premium, especially to a Cowboys fan. Dallas beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-27, on Jan, 28, 1996 In Tempe, Ariz. These days I'd say $20-$35.
BABE NOTE: The fallout from the lawsuit by Major League Baseball Properties against Upper Deck over unlicensed baseball cards and the settlement continues. For more, including comments from a dealer who isn't happy with exclusive deals, visit my blog at www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak.
(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)
