Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

By BABE WAXPAK
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Dear Babe: My son recently purchased what appears to be an old copy of a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card in an antique store. I'm trying to determine if this blue card is a recent "fake" or an actual reproduction that was produced years ago. His card is 3 x 4 1/4 inches in size. My son's copy certainly looks old and the back, which is blank, appears to be water stained. I would appreciate any insight you could give me regarding this card. An original was sold this past spring by Robert Edward Auctions (REA) for $130,000. _ Bruce Curtis, Pittsboro, N.C.

"The real Ruth card has been known since the 1980s,"said Robert Lifson, president of www.RobertEdwardsAuctions.com in New Jersey. "The Ruth and all other (non-Ruth) cards in the set have the team's schedule on the back. None have blank backs. Also, there is only one size (approximately 2 5/8 x 3 5/8)." The REA sale was actually for $150,800 when you include the buyer's premium. It's doubtful anyone would have made a copy of the card before they became widely known in the 1980s. While you son's card might have been aged to look older, it would appear that it is just a more recent fake that has little if any value.

Dear Babe: I have a Kmart Topps MVP Mickey Mantle card. It says "1962 MVP American League." It also says "20th anniversary." _ J.D., Ponder, Texas

Kmart issued five boxed sets between 1982 and 1990. Your card is from the first set that celebrated the company's 20th anniversary that features MVPs from both leagues from 1961 through 1981 along with three high cards of Don Drysdale, Pete Rose and Henry Aaron. The Mantle card from that set is worth 50 cents to $1.

Dear Babe: I picked up a Babe Ruth Gold performance card a few months ago at a swap meet. I've done some heavy research as far as reading goes and I'm baffled. It has no date, no year and no manufacturer's name. _ Carlos Jacques, Beaumont, Calif.

These days when Da Babe is baffled he just logs on to eBay to see what he can find. Voila, a couple of eBay stores are offering this card for around $18 with S&H. The fact that it has no manufacturer listed on it makes me a little nervous, although it looks like several other players' cards were also issued. Granted the only licensing needed would be from the Curtis Management Group (CMG),which has the rights for Ruth's image. However, there is another Ruth gold card issued in 1996 that is far more prevalent and all the auctions for those cards say it's a CMG card. Remember, it's for sale in those eBay stores. That doesn't mean it will sell at those prices. The images I saw showed a card of much lower quality than the other CMG gold cards being offered. The CMG cards that sold were in the $4-$7.50 range with S&H. I think your card is worth less than those.

Dear Babe: I have 8 x 10 pictures autographed by Bobby Cox, Jeff Burroughs, Bob Horner, Cito Gaston and Biff Pocoroba among others. Most are signed to my daughter, who was 5 and died July 9, 1978, from a brain tumor. She was sick for six months and a friend, who worked as a security guard at the stadium, told the players who then sent the photos to her. _ Jenny Meadows, Woodstock, Ga.

"Unfortunately most collectors prefer their autographed material without personalization. So unless you were able to find someone with the same name as your daughter, they would have little value in the collectibles market," said Dean Zindler of Zindler's Sports Collectibles in Norcross, Ga. "On the other hand, personalized photos make terrific gifts and are worth the excitement the recipient gets. Plus, how can you really put a value on personalized Biff Pocoroba photo - priceless."

Dear Babe: I have cards of Whitey Ford (No. 160) with him in his follow through, Don Mattingly (606), Nolan Ryan (240) and Greg Maddux (36). _ Linus Haines, Grand Island, Neb.

It's an interesting mix of cards. Thanks to its age, the Ford card from the 1966 Tops set is the most valuable. Beckett and Tuff Stuff list it at $30-$35. Maddux's Donruss Rated Rookie card from 1987 books at $8-$10, while the 1981 Topps Ryan is worth $5-$8. The Mattingly is a 1987 Topps All-Star that probably sells for 10 to 25 cents.

Dear Babe: I have an unopened Slim Fast can signed by Tommy Lasorda. I'm assuming it's from when he was doing ads for the product. _ Andrew Kort, San Diego

It's not the most attractive way to show off a signature and it's not really a sport-related product. Also, I don't think Lasorda's picture was on the can even though he was endorsing the product. Lasorda's signature on an 8x10 photo lists for $50 in Tuff Stuff. I'd be surprised if the signed can is worth as much as half that value. It's probably worth $5-$15 to a Lasorda collector.

BABE NOTE: In honor of the NFL going to three Thanksgiving Day games for the first time, Donruss Playoff is producing special sets of cards for the teams hosting the games with one retired player included with some of today's stars. The Dallas Cowboys host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Detroit Lions are at home against the Miami Dolphins. The third game will find the Denver Broncos traveling to Kansas City. Some 100,000 packs of the trading cards will be handed out at the three host stadiums on Thanksgiving Day. Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett (Cowboys) and Marcus Allen (Chiefs) will be included along with Billy Sims of the Lions. For a complete checklist, 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.)