ShareThisDear Babe: My brother, Ken, was at the dump the other day getting rid of some construction debris from a house he is working on in Shreveport, La. As he was dumping his trailer out he noticed some other debris there that had some very old wood in it. He started poking around and found some newspaper pieces in perfect condition and one piece in particular caught his attention. It was a corner of the sports page with the date of 1921 and a New York Yankees box score with Babe Ruth's name in it. The Babe went 2-for-3 that day with a double. -- Corey Shamburg, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Alas, there's not much of a market for complete newspapers. Single articles or clips really have no value. It's more of a conversation piece, although it would probably look nice trimmed up, matted and framed with a photo of the Bambino.
Dear Babe: I have two pictures. One shows a young Mickey Mantle and is signed. It has an authenticity sticker from Paul Goldin at Scoreboard. The other is also a signed 8-x-10 that shows a young Joe DiMaggio swinging a bat in his Yankee uniform. -- Don Ryan, Merrimack, N.H.
While the pictures might show the Hall of Famers in their younger days, I am pretty sure they were signed after their playing days were over. Each photo is worth around $200, said David Kohler, president of www.SCPauctions.com in Mission Viejo, Calif.
Dear Babe: I have an autographed program from a 1971 hockey All-Star game banquet held in Boston on January 18. It has 29 signatures, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito, Stan Makita, Dennie Hull and Milt Schmidt. -- Paul Yetman, Smyrna, Ga.
Generally unless there's a biggie hidden among the more common signatures, items such as this end up being worth $10-$20 per signature and that's the case here. "The value of the program is $300 to $400,'' said Mike Heffner, president of www.lelands.com auction house in South Dennis, Mass.
Dear Babe: I have two 16-x-20 posters of Phil Niekro that are signed to my sons. -- Anita Smith, Kennesaw, Ga.
Niekro items are among the most affordable for Hall of Famers. Tuff Stuff lists a signed 8-x-10 photo at $25 and single-signed ball at $40. I think those two numbers would make up the range for the oversized poster, assuming it's in great shape and would look good framed. The personalization will hurt. How much? That depends on how common yours sons' names are.
BABE NOTE: Wrapper redemption promo cards and special sets will be the order of the day at the NFL Experience prior to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Feb. 1. Donruss, newly anointed as the title sponsor of the event, and Upper Deck will be giving away limited edition cards Jan. 29-Feb. 1. Both redemption programs require fans to open packs at the each company's booth and will feature Tampa Bay Buccaneers players while supplies last. Collectors who bring three unopened packs of any 2008 Donruss Playoff trading card product to the booth will receive one card -- Jeff Garcia, Earnest Graham, Derrick Brooks or Ronde Barber. Fans who purchase three packs of any 2008 Upper Deck football products (except UD First Edition) can exchange their three foil wrappers for one of four cards -- Antonio Bryant, Derrick Brooks, Jeff Garcia and Aqib Talib.
For more information on other special Donruss and Upper Deck promo cards and other Super Bowl offers from the two companies, 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)
