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.)