I'm a fan of Hall of Fame rookie cards. I think most collectors are in one way or another. Either you are chasing the current rookies in hopes they will one day become a Hall of Fame or you go after the guys who are already in the Hall of Fame, or both.
I'm more of a go after the guys who are already in the Hall of Fame. I enjoy a nice vintage rookie card of a Hall of Famer. Because I'm not picky about condition, I've been able to add some good ones. Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, and Reggie Jackson come to mind. When it comes to vintage rookie cards, some seem to be more common than others and I suppose they are because of how vintage sets were issued by series and later series were sometimes more scarce.
For example, I rarely ever see the 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt rookie card; card #615, but the Goose Gossage rookie card from the same set I see all the time. It's card #174. So the Schmidt is from the final series, which is typically in shorter supply. I also realize they are different players. One a position player and one primarily a relief pitcher, but they are both in the Hall of Fame. The Gossage can be had for $10 or less, while the Schmidt is over $100 regardless of the condition and a decent copy will set you back in the $200-$300 range (not graded).
One Hall of Fame rookie card that I don't recall seeing very often is that of Don Sutton. His 1966 Topps card is card #288, so it not in one of the later series, but for some reason I just don't see it very often.
I picked this card up for $5 at a card shop earlier this month. It's in rough shape, but I can live with that for $5.
What's a Hall of Fame rookie card that you rarely see?
Rarely? Pretty much any of the 1st ballot HOF guys from the 50's. I used to see them more frequently when there was a big Tri Star show in the Bay Area, but since then... I don't think many of my local card show dealers carry a 1951 Bowman Mays or Mantle.
ReplyDeleteAnything past card No. 310 in 1952 Topps.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've been keeping an eye out for a '52 Hoyt Wilhelm #392 rookie that looks ok and won't break the bank for a while now. Might be a pipe dream.
DeleteI am trying to find deals on Hall of Famer cards lately. Earlier this summer, I managed a really good deal on a lot of mid 1970s cards and it included a Gary Carter rookie card and a Dennis Eckersely rookie card.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbors are older and have given us an open invitation to use their pool - it's been a life saver this summer. The husband heard that I was "into baseball" and one afternoon plops an old dusty binder of cards down in front of me. Said, "take a look at these...I'd like to know if there is anything worth keeping."
ReplyDeleteThe binder was fill of 1965-1969 Topps cards...including 4 Nolan Ryan rookie cards. FOUR. Mantle, Mays, Aaron...all there...
I don't see many Ryan rookies but that day I was holding 4 in my hand.
In my first big vintage purchase there was a '67 Carew rookie. I was new to vintage then and didn't realize how lucky I was to get it for cheap.
ReplyDelete