Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

ShareThis

Dear Babe: My husband has a 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card (No. 150), an Ed Mathews Topps (120) and a Whitey Ford Topps (160). All are in mint/near mint condition. All three have been autographed and he has the letters of authenticity. These are cards he got as a kid. He got the cards signed in Atlanta in 1992. My husband was pleased when Mick commented "nice card'' upon signing it. -- Marcia Viers, Hapeville, Ga.Here we have the age-old debate about autographs on valuable cards. Cards collectors don't want signatures on their vintage cards. Autograph collectors would prefer a nice ''cut'' signature that can be framed and mounted with a picture or simply a nice 8-x-10 signed by the player. An autograph on a card is a small autograph that is hard to display and doesn't always show up that well. While the Mantle is from 1958, it looks like the other two are 1961 Topps cards. Tuff Stuff and Beckett list the Mantle card at $1,000 with Ford at $50 and Mathews at $25-$30. Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass., valued the signed Mantle card at $500, while Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com) in Dallas, said it was worth $250. They put Ford in the $40-$75 range with Mathews valued at $35-$50. Interestingly, Heffner has Mathews higher, while Gutierrez put Ford in the top of his range.Dear Babe: I have a Rolling Stones magazine from Oct, 9, 1975, with Muhammad Ali featured on the cover. It is signed by Ali -- "Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay'' in black Sharpie. The magazine was signed in 1975. The magazine had just come out, featuring the "Ali/Frazier Tapes,'' the first published excerpt from Ali's autobiography. I bought it at an estate sale from the son of the man who got the autograph. The gentleman stood in line for more than eight hours for a meet-and-greet signing with Ali in Florida. -- Diana Gomez, El Paso, Texas.A magazine with an authentic vintage Ali signature is great item. "If real, it is worth around $1,000,'' said Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass. A more modern Ali signature from the 1980s would be worth half that. Heffner was a little concerned about it being signed with a Sharpie and being from 1975. While they were apparently around, it looks like widespread use of Sharpies for autographs didn't begin until 1979 or so. The Ali-Joe Frazier fight in Manila was on September 30, 1975 and Ali's autobiography came out in 1975, so the story sounds authentic.Dear Babe: I have a baseball signed by Greg Maddux where he added "Chicks dig the long ball,'' from the TV commercial. -- Dana Beren Lawrenceville, Ga.The Maddux ball has the catchy promo slogan, but most collectors would prefer a baseball with just a signature or possibly a note about a Cy Young award. Or would they? "The original Maddux television commercial was for Nike and was shot with teammate Tom Glavine,'' said Dean Zindler of Zindler's Sports Collectibles in Norcross, Ga. "It was a spoof on the two of them bulking up to become power hitters. Autographed Greg Maddux baseballs sell for around $200, but with your inscription on it would be worth close to double.''Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com) in Dallas, agreed that a Maddux ball should be worth around $200, but with the "Chicks'' inscription the value would drop to $75.BABE NOTE: Topps 2008 Basketball boasts an impressive lineup of autographs along with a 30-card insert featuring today's stars and top rookies on retro cards in the style of the 1958 Topps baseball set. The autograph selection showcases 30 rookies. There are also cards with the signatures two and three rookies. In addition, a number of rookies have signed their 2006 and 2007 McDonald's All American cards. These cards are signed directly on each card. For more information, visit www.topps.com.(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)