Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

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Dear Babe: Can you help an ex-baseball card collector with some info on a great-looking Jim Thorpe All American football card? Would there be a better time to sell it such as around the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, start of the football season or around the college football bowl games? -- Steve Currie, Moreno Valley, Calif.You've got a 1955 Topps All American card of Thorpe (No. 37). As you noted, this is one of the more attractive sets. Beckett and Tuff Stuff agree that a mint version is worth $400. Based on the photocopy you send along, it looks as if there is some corner wear and that will hurt the value some. Da Babe doesn't offer advice on buying and selling, but I can say that in this day and age of online sales and major auction house sales year-round, it really doesn't matter when it's offered. Dear Babe: I have a complete set of the 1942 Boston Red Sox black and white signed (stamped or authentic?) photos. -- Nancy Mansolillo, Nashua, N.H.That's a nice set to have. Beckett's Almanac of Baseball Cards and The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards from the editors of Sports Collectors Digest list the 25-picture set at $275-$300 with Ted Williams the most valuable, booking at $60-$80. Jimmie Foxx lists for $40 with Joe Cronin, Dom DiMaggio and Bobby Doerr booking at $20 each. The photos have preprinted facsimile signatures. Dear Babe: I have a 5-x-7 print of a Leroy Neiman sketch of John McEnroe from 1986. The original was signed by both of them, but the print is matted and framed and their signatures are also on the mat portion of the picture. Those signatures are not copied. Neiman signed in pencil and John McEnroe in black ink. Typed on the mat below the original is "For the Children of New York. The finished framed piece is 8-x-10. --Mike Jones, Woodstock, Ga.Just about any original of Nieman's has value, especially when signed by the subject. Your piece is worth around $500, said Brian Marren, vice president of acquisitions for www.MastroAuctions.com auctions in Chicago. Dear Babe: I have a Kingdome coffee cup that says "Collector's Edition Mug In Commemoration of the Grand Opening of the Kingdome Stadium, Seattle, Washington, Saturday, March 27,1976.'' This is one of 576 mugs created for this special occasion. -- Mike Sweley, Grand Island, Neb.Most often this type of item is more of a novelty than a collectible whether the mug is for a special occasion or even a player. In fact, it's been my experience in researching values that most modern day ceramic items rarely end up being worth what they sold for originally. Obviously, the mug is going to appeal to someone who collects Seattle items or mugs. I'd say $5-$10, but that's my guess. Even if only 576 were made, which I doubt, the value would still top out at $25.Dear Babe: While cleaning out my in-laws' house, we came across a Cincinnati Reds 1976 commemorative bat. It is in the original box and plastic wrapping. It has replicated signatures for the whole team. There is card signed by Bob Howsam, the Reds G.M., that says "with the compliments of the Cincinnati Reds.'' --Reed Baker, AtlantaIt looks like these were special gifts to season ticket holders back in the days of the Big Red Machine. The bat is worth around $100, said Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass.Dear Babe: I have a T-shirt sent to me by a friend of mine who lived in Minneapolis. The shirt is a reprint of the Minneapolis Star Tribune front page showing a jubilant Minnesota Twins baseball team celebrating its victory over the Atlanta Braves in the final game of the 1991 series. The shirt has never been worn. -- Urban R., Milton, Ga.Naturally, for a buyer you'll be looking for a diehard Twins fan. I'd say it's probably worth $10-$20 to the right person. While, there are plenty of shirts that proclaim the Twins as champs, there probably aren't a lot with that front page on them.(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)