1979 Beckett Price guide #1

Dhjacks · January 23, 2003 2:52PM

I just ran across this old book in the garage.
Some sample set prices in 'mint' condition:
1970 Kellogs: $20
1933 Goudey: $1600 (ruth and gehrig < 90.00)
1952 Topps: $4300
1953 Topps: $350
1954 Topps: $240 (Aaron $55)
1955 Topps: $175 (Clemente $15 and Koufax $10)
1972 Topps: $70

Let me know if you'd like a quote for a particular card or set.

This is after an incredible 1978 where "many key cards increased in value by 500%".

FB · January 23, 2003 11:33PM

I'll take 2 of each!!! and maybe a few extras of the 55 Clemente and Koufax!

Unbelievable, isn't it??? I remember walking through a card show at Montclair State College in the late 70s and picking through dozens of Seaver Rookie Cards until I found the perfect one - then was shocked when the dealer wanted $2.50 instead of the $1.50 that the others were priced at!

crazysc · January 23, 2003 11:35PM

Probably another price guide, trying to think of the name of it - I don't think CCP went back that far. Beckett started in '84. But amazing, the way prices jumped at certain points. The difference between a developing and mature market.

interchanges · January 24, 2003 12:47AM

I have the very first SMR from August 1994. I look through it and gawk as well. 1955 Clemente PSA 8=$2600.00.
It's only 17 pages. And of course, at the time, people thought the prices were outrageous. Because Beckett was all there was before this came out. Everyone thought they were trying to price gouge.
What's interesting is while almost all prices seem way out of wack (compared to now of course), the 52 Topps Mantle is at $25,000. Not a huge difference.

qualitycards · January 24, 2003 1:53AM

I was looking through 1 of my boxes in storage for a collectible which I couldn't find. But I ran across my 1st Topps order form. I opened my shop May 1 1987, and it was too late to order their '87 product direct. A few months later I was "entitled" to order the 1988 products. Here is the prices from this order form, dated November 9, 1987. The wax case which was 20 boxes containing 36 packs (15 cards & gum per pack) was $180.00, and the cello case which was 16 boxes of 24 packs (28 cards & gum per pack) was $165.00....The MINIMUM order was for 50 cases w/ no more than 10% being cello, so my order consisted of 45 wax cases and 5 cello cases for an initial order of $8925.00. I remember being happy as I was allowed to purchase their product at the lowest price level, instead of paying 15-20% more through a distributor. Back then customers would buy multiple boxes or a case or two, nowadays many 16 to 24 pack boxes retail for the same as a 720 pack case did then...jay

Dhjacks · January 24, 2003 1:55AM

It is actually 'The 1979 Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide No. 1'
by Dr. James Beckett and Dennis W. Eckes

Larry Fritsch has a 1972 Topps Football set in mint condition for $26 in his advertisement....and he's paying the shipping!

qualitycards · January 24, 2003 2:33AM

The Beckett yearly guide (book) came out in 1979
The Beckett mothly guide (magazine) started in 1984...jay

carew4me · January 24, 2003 6:06AM

I still have the first Monthly Baseball beckett(84) and the first monthly Football beckett(89).
Mom bought the first Beckett price guide in 79 for my bday.

Beckett issued a bi-Annual price guide before from 74-79 I believe, on newspaper stock.

Virtualizard · January 24, 2003 8:45AM

Great post!

When I read this, I decided to dig through my closet and I found "The Official 1984 Price Guide To Baseball Cards". I pull this book out every 5 years or so and I'm always amazed at the changes in prices.

Here are a few interesting items from the book (repeating some of Dhjacks examples for comparison):

1952 Topps Commons in Mint Condition - $3
1952 Topps Complete Set in Mint Condition - $7,500
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle in Mint Condition - $800
1953 Topps Complete Set in Mint Condition - $1,300
1954 Topps Complete Set in Mint Condition - $650 (Aaron $125)
1955 Topps Complete Set in Mint Condition - $525 (Clemente $80 and Koufax $35)
1969 Commons in Mint Condition - $0.15
1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle in Mint Condition - $16.00
Kit Young has the above card available in VG Condition for $15.00 - EX Condition for $22.50 (I guess some things don't change

)
1970 Kelloggs Complete Set in Mint Condition - $48
1970 Topps was valued more than 1971 Topps in Mint Condition ($250/$240)
1972 Topps Complete Set in Mint Condition - $275

Also of note: I looked through the last 5 years listed ('79-'83) and the most expensive card listed was the '80 Topps Rickey Henderson at $5.00. There were only a handful of cards valued over $1.00 and they are all of players now in the HOF (except Rose). What a difference between then and now. You can look at last year's cards (2002) in Beckett and find rookies that sell for more than 30+ year old vintage cards of HOFers do. It's kind of a joke now.

JEB.

goodriddance189 · August 20, 2004 1:47PM

<< <i>It is actually 'The 1979 Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide No. 1'
by Dr. James Beckett and Dennis W. Eckes >>

every time i saw Dennis Eckes' name, i thought they were talking about Dennis Eckersley. i was such an idiot when i was a kid

ZodiacMindwarp · August 20, 2004 1:58PM

JEB,

Did your priceguide look anything like this?

I thought I was quite the smart shopper walking around shows with this little baby in my pocket.

Virtualizard · August 20, 2004 2:12PM

Michael,

Yes, mine looks similar:

JEB.

SDSportsFan · August 20, 2004 2:38PM

Yea...I still have my original copy of Beckett #1 from 1979 also. If I remember correctly, Pete Rose's RC was priced at $5, Nolan Ryan's was around a buck or two, and T206 HOFers ran about $20 each. It was around that time that I was working on the 1955 Topps set. I picked up ex-mt+ commons from Steve Brunner (dealer from LA) for 25c each (75c for high #s). Aaron, Williams and Koufax ran about $3.50 to $5 each and Clemente cost me $7.50.

Every time I want a good cry, I just open it up and.....

.....

Steve

qualitycards · August 20, 2004 2:49PM

I have old Becketts & SMRs, and I rarely look at them, since I get the ""shakes"" when i see what stuff was listed at.
And I'm sure years from now I'll say the same thing when I look at the '04 guides...jay

xbaggypants · August 20, 2004 3:42PM

How about these prices from the 1985 Guide for FB cards

Topps Sets:

1962 $145
1963 $150
1965 $385 ( Namath $150)
1972 $235
1981 Montana $1.00, Billy SIms is worth $1.75

1984 topps Elway and Marino are worth $1.00 each

Bowman

1952 $685

FLeer

1963 $120

Anybody have a time machine???

purelyPSA · August 20, 2004 4:09PM

Zodiac - I ordered that very price guide from my school book club. It was the first I'd ever seen. All the Steve Stone cards were a ton because he'd just won the Cy Young award. Crazy.

Wabittwax · August 23, 2004 7:48AM

It does look funny to see those prices so low but think about it, the only thing keeping those prices as high as they are today is because a small, small percentage of the people in this country believe they are worth that much. Nothing more. Sports cards are unlike precious metals or natural resources which have stable worldwide value. Even the vast majority of Americans wouldn't pay a couple bucks for an piece of old cardboard (unless they thought they could resell it for a profit). Those prices from 1979 and 1984 could very easily be the norm again someday. It really makes you realize how fragile collectible markets are. That's why the best way to collect anything is just to assume that you've pissed away some money on something you enjoy and if it has any future resell value when your done enjoying it, then great, if not, oh well, it was fun.

67standup · August 23, 2004 8:50AM

1979: hey, what's the price of that rare 1979 Topps Bump Wills error card? If not listed, how about the 1974 Alou?

PSASAP · July 27, 2015 10:55AM

Still have my original copy:

1979 Beckett Price guide #1

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