9 Comments

As a big fan of non jersey or autograph cards, seeing stuff like this makes me happy. To know that a great card is a great card whether it has an auto/jersey or not makes my collection feel a little more justified as I very rarely go after an auto or a jersey card.

It is nice to see an article about hot cards that are not a rookie, auto, or relic. Keep up the good work and i do happen to have a 1996 rave card of Frank Thomas #’ed 100/150.

There may finally be hope for the 1997 Rave Jay Bell/ 150 I have been hanging onto all these years…LOL

I guess nostalgia is finally hitting for some of the 90′s issues.
I wonder when this will hit things like 1996 Select Certified with it’s unnumbered issues.

The reality is, it just takes 2 well heeled collectors fighting each other over the same card
to make something jump up like crazy. The problem is, once one of them gets “his” card, the
next one sells for a fraction of what the first one did unless the seller has the forethought to
list it with a buy-it-now instead of straight auction.

Wake me up once they catch up to 2001 with Donruss Signature Proof cards.
The stars were numbered to 175, the rookies just 25. I saw an Ichiro sell for $900
and a guy asking $5000 for the Pujols.

Part of the problem is, is that Beckett lists many of the rare cards at quite low levels,
which in turn discourages sellers from putting something on Ebay and discourages buyers
from completing a set that is “dropping” in “value”. The moment you get a collector that
does not care about previous “trends” is when suddenly see a resurgence of interest.

Sometimes its just a matter of collectors becoming aware that something exists.
How many people remember the starting 9 cards #’d to 9?
Or the 1998 Bowman Chrome Golden Anniversary cards #’d to 5?

If I remember correctly, there was once a set of the Raves that sold for a bit more than $15,000.

It’s nice to see that the collecting world is starting to notice these and other truly rare cards.

Man, those are some ugly cards.

Its great that “certain cards” are jumping in value from the 90′s (only have read/seen basketball and baseball though….no football yet)……but to me, and thats JUST TO ME, its sad when everything is about value & dont get me wrong- I love when my cards increase in value….but, why not just make it about ‘collecting’ and I know that word is lost today. How many true hobbyists are there out there ( 5% ?, 10% ?, 20% ? )??

I do understand the business side of it……but I dont think “value” was in mind when kids opened up packs in the 50′s……or 60′s…..or 70′s….I remember buying packs in 1981-for $0.25 a pack….and opening it up for FUN, nothing to do with “value”

Steve-o, the purpose of cards were because it was good for business

It was like getting a prize in a cereal box. Now how many kids do you know
that went and chose their cereal based on the toy? With cards, you have
the additional factor of the need of the collector to complete the set, thus
selling more product. Originally it was just tobacco, later on it was other
things like candy and (believe it or not) clothing like garters for men.

By the time you were a kid in the 80′s cards were sold for their own sake.
Topps still did the gum thing, but others added stickers and puzzle pieces.
In theory the cards were a bonus insert, but the reality is no one bought
Topps for the gum anymore.

Since cards are the thing, of course people are concerned about “value”.
If nothing else, they want to get something at the “best” price.

i got the 98 circa thunder rave manny ramirez card. I did not realize it had much value. I used to collect circa thunders alot