Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

ShareThis

Dear Babe: I have an O.J. Simpson print numbered 378 of 500 by K. Atkins. It shows Simpson with football in hand running and ready to make a cut. -- Bob R., Riverside, Calif.Unless the artwork is something special, I'd say $50-$75 if you can find a buyer. While it is true that folks will line up to get a sig from Simpson in person, his memorabilia and cards do not sell that well. Apparently folks are looking for the thrill of standing right there when he signs.Dear Babe: I have a 1975 Yankees yearbook that Thurman Munson signed on his photo page. Do you think it would be best if I left the Munson photo in the yearbook or took out the page and put in a nice frame? -- Nick Nappi, Newnan, Ga.The signed page with his photo is worth $500 or so, said Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com) in Dallas. "Munson is so expensive now it would be fine to do so, as none of the others are anywhere close to the same value. The old school thought of leaving the program intact will not make a difference. Go for it, Gutierrez said. Another option is frame the entire book after folding it back to Munson's page.Dear Babe: I was leafing through some cards and found a Yuniesky Betancourt No. 576 with his picture and name on the front. However card No. 588 shows Betancourt's picture again but with Jose Guillen's name on the front. All the information on the back is about Guillen. Any idea about this one? -- Michael Deck, Birmingham, Ala. These errors occur from time to time. Unless the error is caught extremely early in the process and involve a key player, they are very rarely corrected these days. By the time an error is spotted, the card companies are usually printing the next product. I checked with Clay Luraschi at Topps, who confirmed the error was not corrected. It's just a nickel common to someone who needs the card to complete a set. Dear Babe: I have a friend who played baseball in the Appalachian rookie league for the Bluefield (W.Va.) Dodgers. They won the championship in 1957 and he received a gold ring with Dodgers on top. -- Sparky Beirne, Woodstock, Ga.As you noted, the Bluefield Dodgers won the Appalachian League title in 1957, the last season the team was part of the Dodgers system. Back then, it was a Class D team, which was the equivalent of today's rookie leagues. The ring could be worth as much as $1,000, according to Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass. Naturally the type of gold and size of the ring are going to go a long way toward determining value.BABE NOTE: Once again Topps Series 1 and 2 660-card factory sets are on sale. The hobby sets have variation cards for several rookies, while retail sets contain five cards featuring the artwork of Dick Perez. In addition, sets on sale at Target have an "authentic Mickey Mantle'' memorabilia card featuring a piece of Mantle's off-the-field clothing. (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)