How much for a 2012 Topps Rally Squirrel card? Have we gone nuts?
By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary
Even the day before 2012 Topps‘ official arrival, there is at least one card making national headlines.
It’s the Rally Squirrel’s “rookie card.”
As previously reported here on Friday, the Rally Squirrel release is a rarer version of Skip Schumaker’s card – the rabble-rousing rodent made his run into immortality on the Busch Stadium infield as he was awaiting a pitch – so all you see on it is the infielder’s heel in a photo taken by Tom Gannam of The Associated Press. (The regular version of card No. 93 shows Schumaker sliding into home plate.)
But that’s not what’s nutty.
The first copy of the short-printed variation (not an official RC) to sell on eBay went for $319.95 via a Buy It Now and a second sold on Tuesday went for $299. The first auction that was completed ended at $611.99 after 26 bids on Tuesday.
Now that‘s nutty.
Now, common sense dictates that as more and more of the cards are found that the sales for the cards are likely to plummet. We get that.
However, if non-collectors are scooping up these cards and stashing them away for the summer? Well, these rarities might be even rarer than you think and the prices might not falter.
What a nutty concept.
So, what did Schumaker think of the card?
“It’s pretty ridiculous,” he told FOXSportsMidwest.com. “I have a shoe on my baseball card. And a squirrel. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
To this collector, it sounds like he didn’t know that there were two versions of his card made. But Schumaker wasn’t done there.
“It’s not disappointing, it’s just ridiculous,” said Schumaker, who has hit .290 over seven seasons. “I don’t know how else to explain it other than that. You expect to have some sort of action shot or something but it’s like a mascot card to me.”
Maybe Schumaker knows more about 2012 Topps than he’s letting on … there are a few mascot variation cards being found, too.
Heck, he even played product development for Topps during his Fox interview.
“The Rally Squirrel was fun during the series and it worked, so people had fun with it,” he said. “I had fun with it and everybody thought it was a good thing for the fans. Torty was funny, but is Allen Craig going to have a tortoise on his card? I just think it’s pretty ridiculous.”
We can only hope that Topps is considering that for Series 2 – ok maybe just some of us … you know, the nutty ones.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
That’s the sad thing about these SP variations. It’s nice to have some fun with these cards, but it would be even nicer if people could afford to collect them. (Yes I know packs are cheap, but unless you get very lucky you have to buy a whole lot of packs to get these cards).
Maybe some of the “fun” versions of these cards could show up in opening day? That could keep everyone happy.
Yes, some enthusiasts in our hobby have gone crazy. Or maybe it’s just how crazy EBay has made the market so competitive with bidders from around the world throwing down their flexible liquidity on a SP version of Mr. Shumaker? More power to those sellers, and good luck to Cardnial fans ever acquiring one of these SPs. I will never pay that much for a single piece of cardboard. Ridiculous, yes!
Long Beach, Ca.
I just saw one close on Ebay for $299!
Let’s see, get a sp card of a squirrel, or any baseball hof RC printed from 1970 on?
(Actually, almost every single Topps one together).
Surely I’m not the only one who thinks this might be slightly out of whack?
And two years from now that card will sell for $10. People are crazy!
If someone is willing to pay several hundred dollars for this ridiculous card, I sure hope I get one. And I’ve yet to sell any cards from my collection. I’m calling him “Hype” The Squirrel. Make it rain!
yuck. What’s next? A Santa Clause card in a football set?
People relax. The same thing happened in 2007 when the Derek Jeter /Mickey Mantle/ George Bush card first hit the market. The first few cards sold for over $400 a piece. Then the market caught on and the price came down to something more normal. The same will happen with this and all the other SP cards in the 2012 Topps set. I’m glad Topps had some fun with the SPs this year instead of giving us the same Retired Player SPs we’ve seen each of the last few years…
Another great move by my absolute favorite card company. Topps can do no wrong. Panini would never do something this awesome.
As with anything in short supply and high demand the price skyrockets. Its human nature as well. People want to have it their collection first. This doesn’t surprise me and I for one am glad to see so much excitement and buzz around a piece of cardboard.
Someone also needs to show Skip his REAL card – he shouldn’t have to feel upstaged on his own card by a squirrel!!!
Seriously, this card got some airtime on the web already, that’s why it jumped in price that way. The other SPs aren’t commanding the same kinds of prices. I agree with Michael that the buzz and excitement is great for the hobby.
i love how they call something that they makes 20,000 copies of a short print…there will be a hundred up by next week.
The Jeter card was different given the level of short printedness.
This is closer to the Farve on a tractor card which I have not seen in a while.
It all comes down to supply and demand. Demand gets fueled by people knowing
the card exists and in some cases it can spark interest in the non-hobby collectors
since they don’t need the “Set” they just want the card which they will save with
the newspaper clipping about it, or perhaps a printout from the computer. *shrug*
Now if we can get these people to chase the low print run cards, perhaps they might
actually start selling at a level relative to their rarity.
[…] even reports on some of the early sales and also features Schumaker’s own reaction to the short-print […]
If/when I pull this card it is going on ebay immediately.
Well, that did not take long.
Seems that the first auction encouraged people to crack and post.
Now the card is going for about $75. I can see it dropping to under $40 before all is
said and done.
Does Anyone Truly Know How Many Of The Rally Squirrel Cards Were Produced By Topps ?? This Would Dictate What The Card Will Be worth Down The Road .
I have honestly purchased around 12-15 brand new boxes, with multiple double packs, and individual packs and I’m yet to see one. Would be nice to get one, maybe two lol
I could sell the second one and purchase another 20 packs.
What are the most valuable cards in this years 2012 Baseball set, blues?reds?
As anyone noticed all the misprints, where it is suppose to say 2B, and it says 3B
the cards in the stats categories list as H, 3B, 3B
they list the triple twice , bought not the double??