This is the last Flash Market Report of August, which means that this is the last Sunday in August. This time next week, the waiver trade deadline will be gone and the baseball season will be in its final month.

But while our grip on summer may be slipping, the good news is that the hobby marches on.

As evidence, check out these five incredible lots of vintage baseball (or football) cards that changed hands in the last week.

Enjoy the vicarious pleasures of the big-ticket items and, for goodness’ sake, enjoy the fleeting moments of our 2018 baseball season.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

T206 Sweet Caporal Cigarettes Baseball Series Cards (9)

In this crazy, fast-paced and glitzy modern world of ours, it’s easy to forget that the simple pleasures of baseball cards have thrilled boys — and all other types 0f collectors — for well over 100 years.

That’s why lots like this one are so great, since they give us a chance to see bits of that history through the cardboard of the times.

No one could ever accuse the T206 set of being underrated, but I’m always struck by just how colorful and bold these cards are.

This particular lot offered up nine of the cards, with Sweet Caporal backs, in what the seller described as “good” condition.

The whole kit and kaboodle — which included Hall of Famers Walter Johnson, John McGraw, Clark Griffith, and Tris Speaker — brought $1175 thanks to a vigorous 48 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1967 Topps Baseball Complete Set (VG/EX+)

If you had to choose the most beautiful set from the first 40 years or so of the modern hobby, which would you pick?

Certainly, 1953 Topps, 1953 Bowman (color), and 1957 Topps would be among the strong contenders for many collectors. If you roll into the 1960s, you’d have to throw 1967 Topps in the mix, don’t you think?

The most prominent design elements for 1967 Topps were the awesome and huge player photos on card fronts — they’re right there with the 1957s in terms of being Topps’ most “pure” cards.

Doesn’t hurt that the Rod Carew and Tom Seaver rookie cards pop here, either, right?

This eBay lot featured a complete 1967 Topps set, with an average condition of VG/EX+ and with Seaver actually graded at PSA 9.

The asking price was $5480, but it’s unclear if it actually changed hands since the listing shows it simply as “no longer available.”

Still, a great perusal through a scenic piece of hobby history.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1973 Topps Mike Schmidt Rookie Card (PSA 9)

Do collectors even care about guys whose legends are immutable, long since written in the stars? Heroes who last took the playing field 30 years ago or so?

Depends on the circumstances, I suppose, but when the player is the greatest third baseman ever and the card is a high-grade version of his rookie … heck yeah, we care!

In this case, a 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt rookie card graded at PSA 9 (MINT) pulled in 33 bids and sold for a final price of a nice, round $1852.27.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1970 Topps Baseball Unopened 6th Series Wax Packs (3)

Man, remember how great it was to collect baseball cards in 1970? You know, back when you could get 10 cards in a 10-cent wax pack?

And those great red, yellow, and white wax packs were really something!

You say you don’t remember all of that?

Well, this lot of three unopened 1970 Topps baseball wax packs from the sixth series, could have helped you relive those moments, even if you never lived them in the first place.

Of course, the allure of pulling a Pete Rose or Willie Mays card might have made it hard to resist opening those puppies. Good thing you still have the listing to get your juices flowing, without the temptation, huh?

This three-pack brought in $1499.95.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1986 Topps Steve Young Rookie Card (PSA 10)

Who was the greatest quarterback of all time?

Plenty of the current crown of NFL fans will tell you it’s Tom Brady, with Peyton Manning support still strong in the heartland.

If you’d asked fans in the 1980s or 1990s, though, a majority probably would have said Joe Montana took top billing.

That just goes to show you how good Steve Young was — it should have been easy to forget about the man who replaced Montana with the San Francisco 49ers.

Instead, Young won his own Super Bowl and became one of the greatest scrambling quarterbacks ever, which only complemented his strong traditional skills.

Even years after his retirement, no one has forgotten about Young, as evidenced by this eBay lot.

A PSA 10 copy of Young’s 1986 Topps rookie card — with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — hammered down at $10,999 on the strength of 28 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other Flash Market Reports here and our other posts about card values here.)

Hard to say for sure, but judging by the lots that changed hands on eBay over the last week, there’s nothing at all wrong with the market for beautiful old (or not so old, in some cases) baseball cards.

To wit, here are five extraordinary listings that sold on eBay during the week ending August 19, 2018.

Try to control your green-eyed monster as you ogle these puppies.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

Huge Lot of Star (Only!) Cards (60,000+)

We’ll take care of my biases right away this week … if you’ve read any of the posts in this series, you know I’m a sucker for big honkin’ lots with mucho variety.

This one hits on both counts, plus it adds in plenty of star power.

Offering more than 60,000 cards from 1974 through 2018, this listing contained nothing but stars (according to the seller).

It was like an aspiring dealer’s dream, with Luis Aparacio right there beside Charlie Blackmon, Albert Belle teamed up with Ron Cey.

This glut of cardboard went out the door at the $2299 Buy-It-Now price, which seems like a deal for the fun it’s going to provide the buyer.

Heck, the gaudy images alone are worth you click even after the sale.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1955 Bowman Baseball 5-Cent Unopened Pack (PSA 5)

Have you ever lost something dear to you and then rued the fact that you didn’t cherish it enough when you did have it?

“If I had known that was the last time my mule would kick me in the chest before he ran away, I would have relished that breathless burst of pain.”

Well, if you were a collector in 1955, chances were you didn’t know that those 1955 Bowman 5-cent packs would be the last Bowman packs you could buy until 1989, when Topps issued not-really-Bowman packs.

This lot gave you the chance to remedy that oversight with a PSA 5 unopened 1955 Bowman 5-cent pack. What gems are contained among the nine cards within?

Hard to say, buy you know they have wood-grained borders and you know someone will cherish them.

The $3999.99 sales price provides evidence of that.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1978 Topps Alan Trammell & Paul Molitor Rookie Card (PSA 10)

For years, Alan Trammell was the big star on the 1978 Topps rookie card he shared with Paul Molitor simply because Molitor couldn’t stay on the field.

But late in his career, Molitor found a home at designated hitter and poured on the gas to secure his berth in the Hall of Fame.

All along the way, Trammell plugged away at steady, superstar levels and was finally reward, in 2018, with his own Cooperstown plaque.

The double-dose of HOF greatness has propelled this card to all-time classic status, but there is usually a problem — namely, this thing is smudged more often than a Sharpie signature on an old baseball

But not this copy.

This copy rated a perfect 10 from PSA, with no qualifiers.

Is it any wonder that this beauty — one of the most valuable cards from the 1970s — attracted 55 bids and brought in $8500 when PWCC auctioned it off this week?

Wow!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1977 Topps Tom Seaver (PSA 10)

Man, PWCC was on a 1970s roll this week, huh?

Not only did they offer up the 1978 Topps Molitor and Trammell rookie above, they also brought this gorgeous 1977 Topps Tom Seaver to market.

The last card to feature Tom Terrific as a member of the New York Mets before he landed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1977, this action-packed issue is always a hit.

Another perfect 10, this one brought in $2368 on the strength of 15 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1972 Topps Complete Set

If you like psychedelic baseball cards, they don’t come much better than the 1972 Topps set.

And if you like big baseball card sets, you won’t do any better than the 1972 set until the 1980s.

This particular lot featured a complete 787-card 1972 set that the seller lists as NM-to-NM-MT — not graded, but all the stars were in top-loaders, and the rest of the volume in a binder.

The cost for this type of pristine nostalgia?

$2325 on 12 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other Flash Market Reports here and our other posts about card values here.)

For anyone who thinks that the hobby will never be what it once was, well … you’re probably right.

But that doesn’t mean there’s not plenty of fun to be had in the cards, and it doesn’t mean there’s no market for old cards.

In some ways, in fact, the good old stuff has never been stronger.

As evidence, here are five amazing lots that changed hands during the week ending August 12, 2018.

Enjoy!

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1951 Bowman Robin Roberts (PSA 9)

When you think of 1951 Bowman baseball cards, a few things probably pop into your mind: gorgeous paintings, weird card size, last year before Topps made a “real” set, and the true rookie cards of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

Robin Roberts probably doesn’t make your first-blush list of 1951 Bowman memories.

But that might change once you take a look at this eBay lot, which offered up a PSA 9 copy of Roberts, card #3 in that long-ago set.

It’s a great looking pasteboard featuring Robers in his red, white, and blue Philadelphia Phillies togs the year after he helped the Whiz Kids make it all the way to the World Series (where they were swept by Mantle and his New York Yankees).

The PSA Population report shows only eight Roberts cards have been graded at 9 and none have made a perfect 10.

So, you know, good luck finding a better copy.

This particular card sold for $6000, a big price for a big, scarce card.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1974 Topps Nolan Ryan (SGC 98 GEM 10)

If you think nothing issued after the 1950s or 1960s ever brings really big money, this card just might change your mind.

This 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan card has a lot to offer …

• Nolan Ryan getting ready to unleash a fastball at your head as you stand in the batter’s box
• Nolan Ryan at his physical peak, when he was regularly hammering out 300+ strikeouts per season
• Nolan Ryan
• The less confusing “California” Angels.
• A Topps card from the first year they issued all their cards at one time (except for that “Washington Nat’l League” thing)
• A grade of SGC 98 GEM 10

What would you pay for all that?

If you were the winner of this lot, you would pay $8500.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Bo Jackson Rookie Cards (40)

Man, nobody was more exciting to watch — or collect — in 1986 than Bo Jackson.

Every year brought its share of hyped players, but Bo seemed like the guy who might actually be able to do it all.

Hit the ball … hit the ball with power … catch the ball … throw the ball … steal bases … flatten linebackers … score touchdowns … return kicks and punts for touchdowns.

Dude pretty much wore a cape on NFL fields and MLB diamonds all year round.

So, as you can imagine, there was a lot of speculation around his cards, and there for awhile, he gave Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire and Randy Velarde a run for their cardboard money.

Of course, after Bo’s hip injury ended his football career and curtailed his diamond dreams, his cards softened.

But even after all these years, Bo is still fascinating.

So when a huge lot of his rookie cards comes up for sale, you can bet there is going to be a lot of interest — it’s a chance to relive Bo’s greatness and the excitement of the 1980s hobby all at once.

But are the cards still worth anything.

Depends on your definition of “anything,” but these forty 1986 Topps Traded Jackson rookie cards gaveled down for $3383 on the strength of 55 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1957 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Set

What’s the most beautiful baseball card set of the 1950s?

There are quite a few candidates, right? I mean 1951 Bowman, 1953 Bowman, and 1953 Topps all come to mind as strong contenders.

But if you’re more into clean card designs and gorgeous photography, then it’s hard to beat the 1957 Topps set.

And, since the set was issued after Topps took down Bowman and before Fleer starting messing around with baseball cards, you get everyone all in one shot: Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, the Frank Robinson rookie card.

You could try to put this thing together piece by piece, or you could buy a complete set already done up for you.

Neither one is all that easy to find, but this eBay lot offered up the latter — a complete 1957 Topps set with many of the biggies in EX or better condition.

This hunk of hobby bistory brought in $5500.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

Lifetime Collection of 15,000+ Vintage Cards

After more than 35 years of collecting, I continue to be intrigued by big, honking hodgepodge lots that look like they might contain anything.

I suspect I’m not alone in that, and this eBay lot bears that out.

Offering 15,000+ cards, this listing was billed as a lifetime collection and included goodies like a 1954 Topps Ernie Banks rookie card and 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card among thousands of other vintage baseball and football cards.

This heap of fun pulled in 65 bids and finally sold for $2755.55.

Worth checking out for all the mouthwatering photos alone.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

That’s great but depressing all at the same time.

I’m not ready to let the glory of baseball fall into second place, though, and neither is the sports card market, apparently.

This past week, great old baseball card lots continued to fly through eBay, with enough delectable stuff changing hands to keep you green (with envy) all through the fall.

Here are five of those awesome sales to keep your baseball card juices flowing as we head into the dog days of summer.

Enjoy!

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1970s Gentleman’s Vintage Baseball & Football Card Collection

If you’ve read these flash market reports in the past, you know I’m a big fan of big vintage lots — the more hodgepodge the better.

This lot isn’t a messy hodgepodge because there is a clear focus on Topps cards from the 1960s into the 1980s, with a heavy emphasis on the 1970s.

That includes baseball and football, and the pics show delectables like a 1967 Topps Rod Carew rookie card, a 1976 Topps Mike Schmidt, a 1968 Topps Johny Bench rookie card, and a 1976 Topps Walter Payton rookie card.

This listing is definitely worth checking out just for the images alone, but some lucky collector snagged the whole shebang for $2119.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1990 Topps Frank Thomas Rookie Card NNOF

Not long after 1990 Topps baseball cards began flooding the market that spring, rumors began to rumble about a funky version of the Frank Thomas rookie card.

There had been, it seemed, a few sightings of the budding Chicago White Sox superstar’s card that were missing his name on the front of the card.

“Hogwash!” some said.

“Who cares?” some said — if the card did exist, it was just a printing flaw. No one pays for mistakes, right?

Um … ever hear of “C. Nettles”?

As it turns out, the Thomas NNOF (no name on front) card is real, as evidenced by the nearly 200 graded by PSA.

And it does appear to be a printing flaw — no black ink on the affected cards.

The Big Hurt is a legend, though, a Hall of Famer, and collectors love scarce cards of HOFers. Especially sluggers.

And so, nearly three decades on, this ungraded card changed hands at $2225 on the strength of 41 bids.

1947 Bond Bread Jackie Robinson Rookie Card (PSA 6)

You might think Jackie Robinson’s rookie card is his 1948 Leaf issue, but the truth is that the baseball and civil rights pioneer found his way to plenty of cardboard during his rookie year of 1947.

Among those were at least one exhibit card, a studio shot from Pleetwood Slacks, and a 13-card Jackie-only issue from Bond Bread.

This particular lot featured Jackie in portrait with a facsimile autograph, the only card from the set with such a sig. It was also the only one to offer up Robinson’s biographical information on the card back rather than quotes about Bond Bread.

This PSA 6 copy garnered 24 bids before gavelling down a $6100.

1956 Topps Baseball Card Set

Remember that time when Topps vanquished their competition from the baseball card mountaintop?

When they brought Mickey Mantle back into the fold?

When they issued their second straight set of horizontal cards?

When they were still fiddling with their card size trying to get it just right?

Well, if you had bought this set, you wouldn’t have to remember because you’d have all that history right there in your hands in the form of a 1956 Topps baseball complete set.

This one is not graded and lands in about VG condition according to the seller, but it’s still a snapshot in baseball and hobby time — all for $2171.

1985 Donruss Baseball Unopened Wax Box Case (20 Boxes)

Even before we knew that Roger Clemens and Kirby Puckett would be Hall of Famers someday (well, should be, anyway), 1985 baseball cards were the bomb when it came to chasing rookie cards.

Eric Davis, Dwight Gooden, Alvin Davis, Danny Tartabull, Shawon Dunston, Terry Pendleton, Orel Hershiser, Bret Saberhagen, uh … Rick Schu.

All those guys and plenty more made the ’85s exciting as all get-out.

And, among the three major manufacturers, Donruss had a certain mystique that was hard to beat. Not only had their limited 1984 set lit the hobby on fire thanks to being, well, limited and for the presence of the classic Don Mattingly rookie card, but their 1985 issue had *gasp* black borders.

They seemed pretty limited, too.

And had box-bottom cards featuring Gooden, Ryne Sandberg, and Ron Kittle.

Of course, that bottom pretty much fell out of the 1985 Donruss market when the hobby busted, but the same can be said for every issue from the 1980s.

With all us old guys kinda coming back to our roots, things look better now, and the ’85 Ds still feel magical again.

Magical enough, in fact, for this case of 20 wax boxes to fetch $2100 on 37 bids.

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

For one thing, the trade deadline is just a couple of days away, which means contending teams are jockeying for the few available star players.

For another, this is Hall of Fame induction weekend — Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Ivan Rodriguez, Jack Morris, and Alan Trammell all get their Cooperstown busts.

So, in this Flash Market Report, I made sure that every lot had some star power — All-Star, Hall of Fame power, in fact.

Here then, are five big, honking baseball card lots that changed hands on eBay during the week ending July 29, 2018.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

Huge Baseball Card Collection (Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Mike Trout …)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again — nothing is more exhilarating in this hobby than that moment you first spy a big old pile of baseball cards, especially if you can spy a few recognizable biggies peeking out at you.

This lot, dubbed by the seller as a “Huge Baseball Card Collection” certainly qualifies.

Take a look the associated images, and you’ll see stuff like a 1960 Topps Mickey Mantle, a 1957 Topps Ted Williams, a 1958 Topps Willie Mays, and a 1968 Topps Pete Rose.

There’s tons more here, too, and the collection spans autographs, vintage, modern, chase cards, superstars, rookies, and something like six decades among the 3000+ cards that went out the door for $1750.

Yum!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1951 Topps Blue Back Complete Set (PSA 3-8)

You’re a veteran collector, so you know that the ballyhooed 1952 set was not Topps first baseball card issue.

And you probably know that the old gum company issued two base-ish sets in 1951 — red back and blue back releases, both with a playing card motif.

But how often have you seen one of the two in complete-set form, especially with all the cards graded? Not too often, I’d wager.

Of the two sets, the Red Backs have the stronger checklist, but the Blue Backs are more scarce, which makes this lot all the more incredible.

In particular, all 52 Blue Backs in this set have been graded by PSA, with conditions ranging from 3-8. Hall of Famers Johnny Mize and Red Schoendienst both check in at 7 (NM), and the 8s include Billy Cox, Lou Brissie, and Johnny Pesky

(Incidentally, Pesky was a Boston Red Sox coach while Dick Pole pitched for the BoSox … the duo formed a real, live Pesky-Pole combo).

All of that seems good enough reason for the final price of $3000, don’t you think?

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1989 Topps Heads Up Test Issue Mike Schmidt (PSA 9)

According to hobby lore, Topps released only 24 boxes of 24 packs each of their 1989 Heads Up test issue, and only in a few Pennsylvania stores.

I don’t know for certain if that’s all true, but the Heads Ups do seem to be quite scarce and, if you look at them the right way, quite disturbing.

On the other hand, how many chances do you get to own the disembodied head of a Hall of Famer, like the PSA 9 Mike Schmidt offered in this lot?

I’d say two at most since that’s the PSA population for this “card.”

This one hammered down at a nice, round $1082.99 on the strength of 17 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1981 Topps Baseball Unopened Grocery Rack Packs Case

If you were a collector — or just a kid — in the early 1980s, you almost surely ran into those special Topps rack packs that were made especially for sale in the toy aisles of your local grocery store.

You may have forgotten about the packs since then, what with all the millions of cards issued in the intervening decades, but the memories will come rushing back whenever you see one again.

That’s the beauty of nostalgia in the broadest sense, baseball cards in general, and this eBay lot in particular.

For $1350, some lucky buyer took home a whole 1981 Topps grocery pack case and nearly 40 years of memories.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1954 Topps Hank Aaron Rookie Card (PSA 7)

Who is the greatest player of all time?

Even after all these years, the general consensus seems to be that Babe Ruth was the greatest.

But it sure is hard to discount Hank Aaron’s case to be right there in that conversation, alongside the likes of Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Barry Bonds, and, these days, Mike Trout.

The (former?) all-time home run leader is also tops in RBI and total bases, and he banged out 3771 hits on his way to a .305 batting average.

So, what do you think a PSA 7 copy of his 1954 Topps rookie card is worth?

Judging by this eBay lot, I’d say exactly $7499.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

It was easier to deny a few weeks ago, but with the All-Star game behind us, about 100 games per team in the books, and Hall of Fame inductions just ahead, we can no longer escape reality.

And, for a goodly number of us, it’s time to face the fact that our teams probably are playing for next year or beyond.

So, where do we go to drown our sorrows?

Well, to old baseball cards, of course! After all, nothing soothes the soul like diving into a big ol’ pile of classic cardboard.

For evidence of that, check out these cool vintage lots that changed hands during the week ending July 22, 2018.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1974 Topps Willie McCovey PSA 10

Willie McCovey built his Hall of Fame resume slamming home runs into the depths of Candlestick Park and “stretching” his lithe body at first base for the San Francisco Giants.

But, from 1974 to 1976, McCovey plied his trade for the down-state San Diego Padres.

Topps gave a nod to the off-season move by airbrushing mustard onto McCovey’s duds and by gracing him with the coveted “Washington Nat’l League” error designation.

This eBay lot offered up the more common (and correct) “San Diego Padres” version, but it became a heavyweight the second PSA graded it a perfect 10.

With a population of just two, it’s little wonder this one brought just a penny shy of two grand.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1985 Topps Baseball Sealed Rack Case

If you were a hardcore collector in the mid-1980s, any sight or mention of 1985 Topps baseball cards likely still sends a shiver down your spine.

All three sets were absolutely loaded with early-career superstars and big-name rookie cards that year, but Topps added the bonus of U.S. Olympic cards to its mix.

That meant that, in addition to guys like Dwight Gooden, Eric Davis, Kirby Puckett, and Roger Clemens, pre-rookies like Mark McGwire, Oddibe McDowell, and Cory Snyder were up for grabs every time you cracked open a pack.

This eBay lot provided plenty of chances to fill your cardboard coffers courtesy of an unopened rack case.

In “case” you’re counting at home, that’s 3456 cards of promise (3 boxes, 24 packs per box, 48 cards per box).

All it would have cost you to own this one was $1000.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1937 Donut Corporation of America Thrilling Moments Complete Set with Babe Ruth

In 1937, the Donut Corporation of America somehow managed to break through the cardboard repression of the Great Depression to issue a set of “Thrilling Moments” cards on the sides of their product boxes.

The thrilling moments run the gamut from inventions to war to … Babe Ruth’s exploits. (Read more about the set here.)

This particular set, offered on eBay last week, is handcut and glued into the accompanying album.

Not idea conditional, but …

It’s the presence of the Bambino here that typically piques baseball collector interest, of course, and the Babe helped drive this set to $1200 on the strength of 12 bid.

$1200 – 8 bids

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1941 Play Ball Near Complete Set (#17 in PSA Set Registry)

Issued on the brink of America’s entry into World War II, the 1941 Play Ball set has grown into a classic over the course of the last 75+ years.

It’s helped by a strong design that features very colorful photography and backgrounds, as well BIG cards of Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio (as well as DiMaggio brothers Dom and Vince).

The set is also home to the Pee Wee Reese rookie card.

This eBay lot featured the 17th-ranked 1941 Play Ball set in the PSA set registry, grading out at nearly PSA 6 on the average.

The Williams and Reese cards come in at exactly PSA 6.

Of course, it’s a HUGE ding that the one missing card is the Joe D. card, but nine bids still pushed this baby to $6750.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1963 Tommy Harper Topps All-Star Rookie Trophy

You know those little Topps All-Star Rookie trophies that have shown up on early-career cards from time to time through the decades?

Thought so.

Did you know that Topps gives each player on their All-Star Rookie team a real trophy?

Not sure I did, either, until I came across this listing.

Up for bid was Tommy Harper’s actual Topps All-Star Rookie trophy from 1963, along with a letter of provenance from Harper itself.

So, what is something like this — a piece of hobby and baseball history — worth?

Apparently, $1800.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

Ha! Trick question.

Of course you wonder what your old baseball cards are worth today — you lived through the hobby boom and bust, didn’t you??

Well, I can’t tell you exactly what your old cards are worth, but I can let you in on some of the more mouthwatering vintage sales of the past week.

So let’s hit it … here are five amazing eBay lots that changed hands during the week ending July 15, 2018.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1965 Topps Baseball Steve Carlton Rookie Card (PSA 9)

In the early 1980s, before the hobby completely exploded, the 1965 Topps Steve Carlton rookie was one of the marquee cards of the 1960s.

Back then, Carlton was battling with Nolan Ryan for all-time strikeout supremacy, and most of us thought Carlton would ultimately win that war.

Lefty was also busy helping his Philadelphia Phillies win the 1980 World Series and the 1983 National League pennant, all of which pushed his rookie card towards three figures.

Of course, in the subsequent decade or so, Ryan became NOLAN FREAKING RYAN and blew past everyone in terms of mound mythology. His cards followed suit.

And collectors figured out that cards like the 1967 Topps Tom Seaver rookie had extra scarcity owing to their high-number status — and that Tom Terrific was one of a handful of the absolute best pitchers of all time.

Somewhere in there, too, we had Pete Rose‘s run at Ty Cobb and the explosion of his rookie card.

All that served to sort of push Carlton’s rookie card toward the back of the legend line.

Truth is, though, Carlton was an all-time great, and his rookie card still commands big bucks when it pops up in big-time condition, even 30+ years later.

As a prime example, this PSA 9 copy changed hands at $1216 on the strength of 34 bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie Card

Any time a 1952 Topps rookie card comes on the market, it causes a stir, even though it’s not really a rookie card.

And when I say any time,  I mean, like, any time.

Even when the card is beat the hell up, like this one.

This card has been well-loved, or well-hated, or both, over its 66-year life.

Heck, the wear and tear around Mantle’s face looks suspiciously like someone scratched a full, hefty lumberjack beard onto him.

It’s quite amazing.

And so are the 35 bids that generated a $4251 sale price.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1982 Donruss Unopened Wax Box Case (20 Boxes)

You already know that 1982 Donruss baseball cards were no great artistic masterpieces.

And you probably also know that they aren’t scarce in any real sense.

But the 1982 cards are leaps and bounds better than the 1981 Donruss set from a quality standpoint, and they’re sushi-rare compared to the stuff pushed out just five or so years later.

Add in the presence of the Cal Ripken, Jr., rookie card and plenty of Hall of Famer cards, and you have a nice, solid issue that’s been around more than 35 years now.

A real part of hobby history.

Generally, you can’t put a price on history, but when it comes in the form of an unopened case of 20 wax boxes of 1982 Donruss … well, the price is $1899.

Approximately.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

Lifetime Collection of 12,000 Cards (including Mickey Mantle!)

If you’ve read any of my Flash Market reports before, you know I’m a sucker for big ol’ honkin’ lots of baseball cards that just fall all over each other and make your imagination race.

The visuals are stunning and the mysteries are tantalizing … you just never know what you’re going to find in the depths of a stack of baseball cards.

This lot is pretty much like that, except the images show much of the wares spread out before you, and the seller lets you in on the basics of the content.

So you know you’re getting … a 1954 Topps Ernie Banks rookie card, some Mickey Mantle stuff, wax packs, sets, albums, and graded material.

Or you would have gotten these if you’d been the winner at $4200 (39 bids).

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1955 Bowman Baseball Complete Set

Television was big-time sh** in 1955, probably even more so than today (thanks to the internet and greedy cable companies and such).

So it was certainly worth a last-ditch effort by Bowman to save their flagging baseball card line by writing TVs into their 1955 design card.

The result was a fairly cheesy effort that featured a woodgrain TV cabinet surrounding each player, the first mainstream issue with chipping, peeling borders.

Some collectors undoubtedly loved the set, but it wasn’t enough to save Bowman’s skin — this was their last hurrah before Topps bought them out.

So, again we’re looking at history here, and condition-sensitive history, at that.

This complete set didn’t offer much on the condition front, checking in with plenty of missing chunks, chips and peels, and fuzzy regions.

But, hey, it brings together the whole darn final Bowman set, and for that, it rewarded its seller to the tune of $1400.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

The best way to find out is to see what they have been selling for on the open market — like on eBay.

Be prepared, though, because that might be a slightly depressing exercise if you’re expecting big numbers for you 1986 Donruss Pat Tabler “Mr. Clutch” card.

But the truth is, there are still plenty of cards trading for big bucks online and elsewhere, assuming they’re in great shape or scarce in some way.

And those eBay listings … well, they’ll make your eyes pop and maybe give you a twinge of envy deep in your soul.

Still, it’s fun to see how the other half live every once in a while. With that in mind, here are five crazy baseball card lots that changed hands this week.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1991 Topps Operation Desert Shield Complete Set

In 1991, Topps made a special press run of their baseball cards to send to U.S. troops serving in the first Gulf War. Each of the cards was stamped with a gold foil logo representing Operation Desert Shield and shipped overseas.

As you might expect, not all of those cards made it home, and the combination of scarcity and history has made these a popular item among collectors.

Even though the base, non-Desert Shield versions of 1991 Topps are common as dirt, these beauties can bring bucks if they’re the real thing (reports of counterfeits have been around since the cards themselves).

Earlier this spring, the top-graded PSA complete set brought in more than $100K at auction, so it’s not too surprising to learn that this eBay listing pulled in just under $3500.

What a great lot just before July 4!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1984 Topps Baseball Unopened Wax Case

In the spring of 1984, Darryl Strawberry rookie cards were the hottest item in the hobby and led the way for much of the early season.

By the All-Star break, though, Don Mattingly was battling teammate Dave Winfield for the American League batting crown, and we all went berserk for Donnie Baseball rookie cards, which just so happened to be available in Donruss, Fleer, and Topps wax packs that summer.

While that 1984 Donruss set became a major hobby driver and an enduring classic, the 1984 Topps set is nothing to sneeze at, either.

This eBay lot served up a full unopened wax case of 1984 Topps — 20 boxes of 36 packs each — and sold for $1950 on the strength of three bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

Stan Musial Store Model Baseball Glove with Baseball Cards on Original Box

Stan Musial didn’t get the nickname of “The Man” for no reason.

This guy was THE MAN for the St. Louis Cardinal for nearly a quarter century, from the early 1940s to the mid-1960s.

Musial ended up as one of the top 10 or so players in Major League history and was an idol to a generation (and more) little boys from coast to coast.

Little wonder that Rawlings signed him to a deal that included marketing a Stan Musial model baseball glove, complete with a mid-century blue box that included a panel of “cards” on the lid.

You don’t see these for sale too often, but when you do, you can expect a lot of activity — liek 23 bids leading to an $1100 gavel in this eBay listing.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1975 Topps Nolan Ryan Graded KSA 10

You may not be too familiar with KSA Certification — I know I wasn’t before sussing out this listing — but they’re a Canada-based grading and certification company that seems to be well-regarded by those who have used them, at least based on the reviews I have found online.

Still, no grading service holds the name recognition of PSA (or BGS), so you can usually expect a significant gap in card value when considering two cards with similar grades but from two different companies.

A good example is this 1975 Topps Nolan Ryan card that is graded KSA 10. The seller mentions that a PSA 10 specimen recently sold for $40K … but this one brought “just” $1150.

Still a nice sum for a mid-career Hall of Famer, though!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken, Jr., Rookie Card Graded PSA 10

The 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken, Jr., rookie card was the first card from a year-end set to really make big waves in the hobby.

Although Ripken had a rookie card in the base 1982 set, he shared that puppy with two other guys, so collectors were happy to get him alone that November.

As Ripken went on his 30-year award tour, pulling down Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, World Series, Ironman, and Hall of Fame honors, this card rose right along with him.

It’s still a hobby favorite, and this perfect PSA 10 copy sold for $1450.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

Then came the market bust, and for years, it has seemed like our cards would never be worth anything.

Now, though, we know the truth is not so black-and-white.

Sure, there is plenty of “junk” out there that struggles to bring a few pennies per card, but there are plenty of BIG ticket baseball cards changing hands all the time.

And, while we may not be able to afford them ourselves, it sure is fun to live vicariously, isn’t it?

So, grab your cardboard dreams, sit back, and enjoy these tales from the vintage card market for June 17, 2018.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1949 Bowman Larry Doby Rookie Card PSA 8

For many years, Larry Doby was sort of a forgotten hero, but he has received a bit more of his due in recent times as the first black player in the American League.

Not only did he break the AL color barrier just a few months after Jackie Robinson made history for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but Doby appears on some incredible cardboard.

His 1951 Bowman, for example, is one of the most beautiful baseball cards ever.

This  1949 Bowman card is not quite in that caliber from a visual perspective, but it’s Doby’s rookie, and it grades a strong PSA 8.

Not a surprise, then, that this card brought in a final tally of $1150.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1979 Topps Pete Rose PSA 10

That Doby card made its debut two years before Topps made their entry into the baseball card market and seven years before they tossed Bowman onto the scrapheap of history.

Near the other end of Topps’ long cardboard monopoly is this 1979 Pete Rose card that grades a perfect PSA 10.

Not only does this baby show a slashing Rose who was still prime even as he neared 40, it’s also the last card from his first go-round with the Cincinnati Reds.

Issued just two years before Fleer and Donruss crashed the Topps party, this Rose card can’t be considered scarce under normal circumstances.

But these aren’t normal circumstances — out of 1230 Roses graded by PSA, only 85 have achieved a GEM-MT score.

This specimen drew 26 bids and sold for a healthy $4051.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

2000 Superstars, Hall of Famers, Rookies, Commons from 1950s and 1960s

Awesome graded cards are, well, awesome, but I maintain there are two sights that make collectors’ mouths water like nothing else …

A pile of unopened stuff, from wax packs to rack packs to vending boxes to cases, and …

A pile of loose old cards where you can see a few stars or rookies poking out here and ther.

All the better if “old” is of the 1950s and 1960s vintage rather than just our own junk wax era.

And that’s exactly what this lot offers up — more than 2000 cards from the middle of the 20th century featuring names like Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Nolan Ryan (in rookie form, no less!).

Now, there are plenty of commons in the mix here, and these aren’t pristine, graded pasteboards like the beauties above, but man!

How can you not get cardboard hungry just looking at that big mess of greatness?

Thirty-two bidders felt the same way, and this lot sold for $2300+.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1977 Topps Baseball Unopened Wax Box

This lot represents the other side of the most droolworthy stuff, and it’s the type of thing we dive into all the time on the Wow! Wax of the day.

The difference here is that this 1977 Topps baseball unopened wax box actually sold, and it brought in a cool $2950 on 21 bids.

That sounds pretty steep, but what is it worth to have the chance at pulling a perfect Dale Murphy or Andre Dawson rookie card?

Well … um … $2950, apparently.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1967 Topps Baseball Vending Box (500 cards)

Like the 1977 wax box above, this lot also feeds our need for the unknown.

Fifty-one year old cards in a their original vending box? And 500 of them, at that? Yes, please!

This red, white, and blue Topps treasure sold for $1900, which comes out to about $4 a card.

In case you’re wondering, these are 1967 Topps Series I cards, so you might expect to find guys like Frank Robinson, Mickey Lolich, George Scott, Ron Santo, and Al Kaline in the mix.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)

Each week in this space, I run down five eBay lots that sold for considerable sums, yes, but that more importantly are delectable collecitbles.

So, grab your cardboard dreams, sit back, and enjoy these tales from the vintage card market for June 10, 2018.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1950s and 1960s Superstar Lot of 1000 Cards

Sometimes, you just want a big old pile of really good stuff. The kind of stuff that makes your old baseball card dreams tingle to life at the base of your brain and in your old-man soul.

You know … the kind of feeling you get when you stumble on a big pile of cards with a few Hall of Famers peeking out cornerwise from in between stacks of gray and white edges, with maybe a little fuzz on the corners.

These are the cards from the 1950s and 1960s that your dad collected, and maybe you did, too, if you were lucky.

And these are the cards — 1000 of them — that filled out this lot and brought more than $2300 on the strength of 30 bids.

This particular grouping included goodies like a 1967 Topps Roberto Clemente, a 1958 Topps Stan Musial All-Star, and a 1954 Topps Ernie Banks rookie card, but the seller tells us they’ve moved more than 300 similar lots in the past year or so.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey, Jr. Rookie Cards (21 of them!) Graded PSA 9

Nearly 30 years after 1989 Upper Deck baseball first hit store shelves and made the Ken Griffey, Jr., rookie card #1 in their inaugural set, there is little denying the impact that marriage has had on the hobby.

Upper Deck was the card we had all been waiting for — thick premium white stock, gorgeous color photos front and back, tamper-proof packaging and anti-counterfeit measures (holograms), and limited distribution.

And Junior was the player we had been waiting for — the next Willie Mays who actually came pretty close to that lofty status.

The two of them together were unstoppable, and the 1989 UD Griffey rookie has been a hobby phenomenon for three decades now.

You don’t often find big groups of the Junior rookies, let alone 21 of them graded at PSA 9, so it’s no wonder this lot went out the door for more than $1150.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

Lot of More than 140 T206 Baseball Cards

More than a hundred years ago now, the T206 baseball card issue established standards for the hobby that still look pretty good today — clear depections of the players involved, team and position designations, vibrant colors, and a wide player selection.

The T206 set is the stuff of dreams, but for most us, owning more than a card or two as part of a type collection is out of reach.

This eBay lot of 140+ cards in nice, clean condition included two Ty Cobbs and offered the chance to grab a huge chunk of this all-time classic in one fell swoop.

Of course, it cost nearly ten grand to get that done, but nothing worth having is free. Right?

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1961 Topps Unopened Wax Pack Graded PSA 9

Even if the 1961 Topps set wasn’t your favorite of all time, you have to admit that being able to rip a wax pack from the issue would be insanely cool.

But could you really bring yourself to open a pack that has a population of two in the PSA database?

Probably not if you paid the $5000+ that this pack brought last week on eBay.

This is an absolutely gorgeous pack in red and yellow with black and white accents, and it’s a vintage ad piece for Topps stamps, too. Information about those inserts is “stamped” all over the pack.

Oh … this beauty also grades out at PSA 9.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1954 Topps Baseball Complete Set

By 1954, Topps was working hard to outdo their chief rival, Bowman, in the battle for collector hearts. Little did the hobby know how big those efforts would pay off in less than two years when Topps bought, and then killed off, their foe.

Part of the reason Topps rose to the top were gorgeous cards like the ones in this 1954 complete set that includes rookie cards of Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, and Ernie Banks, as well as a couple of graded Ted Williams specimens.

While this colorful set is not pristine, it’s still in solid condition and brought nearly $3000.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

(Check out our other posts about card values here.)