Any "love" for Kenner's SLU's?

BruceinGa

I have several 1988-1991 baseball, football and basketball Starting Lineups, new in the package. I know they aren't worth much but was wondering, if I open the package and have the coins and cards graded will I stand to make a little more?
I checked the pop report and some only have one or two 9's and 10's and some haven't been graded at all. Are these included in the set registry?
I'm just curious as to what everyone thinks.
thanks

DanBessette

The cards and coins are eligible for player registries, yes. Whether to crack them open or not, IDK. I have a decent number of them still in the package that I would sell if you're interested, or anybody reading this thread.

JoeBanzai

Good question. I have a few laying around. Put them on ebay and didn't get any bids. I would assume if the SLU is not a rare one, having the card graded could get more in return.

timpatg

At the moment, the value in the SLUs is purely the cards in high grade. There seems to be very little if any interest in the unopened SLUs themselves. Plus, when you do sell them, the cost to ship them is pretty close to the finally sales price. This is probably the main reason there is little collector interest in the McFarlanes even though they are much nicer works of "art".

BTW, I was a huge SLU fan and have probably 150 that are unopened. I have considered busting them all and submitting the cards but even in PSA 10 they do not seem to sell for any premium (with a few exceptions of course).

dytch2220

Like Dan mentioned, just the ones I need for my player registries. I'm patiently awaiting what I need with good centering, even among tens. Also, I see the ones I need out there at BIN museum prices.

begsu1013

good thread.

I have about 4 boxes full of them still sealed. some of the packaging has creases in them, some don't.
checked on the bay and for the most part, most of them are readily available as w/ just about any sports card product from the late 80's.

I certainly have fond memories of them growing up, but don't think they'll be on display at the ol house.

I just have no clue on what to do w. them myself....

MULLINS5

I would sell them as a lot and take advantage of a Medium to Large USPS Priority Flat Rate Box....or whatever the most economical way to ship is.

The hassle of opening those toys and fronting money for grading fees and waiting 1,000 business days and then listing each card and (hopefully) selling, seems like a bit of a waste of time IMO.

sportscardstop

Some of the rarer 1988's go for a decent amount. Make sure to check those out.

yankeeno7

I collect 88 and 89 baseball cards only. I dont collect the figures. If you have nmmt or better cards for sale, feel free to PM me and maybe we can work something out. Im just putting together raw sets.

curch

Still an interest in Starting Lineups. In the past year, I have been interviewed by Mens Health, mademan.com, Beckett, ESPN and most recently NFL Films about my collection. They were very interested. Like most toy lines, they all have good and bad products. I think one of the biggest problems with Starting Lineups is that most collectors are still in shock that that 96 Kevin Garnett they paid $75 for back in 1996 is not worth that today. Like most of the 1990s figures, they were very hot when they came out, but have cooled off or are forgotten about today. Some figures from the 80s do carry a premium and are very hard to find. The 80s and early 90s had many regionally released items, and are very hard to find today. Some of the 1990s figures are great looking and are fun to have. Just because they don't bring in large dollar amounts, doesn't mean that nobody cares anymore.

eagles33

I had these as a kid and loved finding stars at toy stores then then selling them to my local cardshop for triple what i paid at toys r us. Back then the 88 Nolan Ryan and Jordan were very expensive. I also remember the first year hockey being very popular.. I always wanted a 1991 Emmitt Smith but never found one. The Dream Team set is pretty cheap on ebay any given day. I've been tempted to scoop one up. What are some of the ones that held their value. I don't own any of them anymore.. were the Utah Jazz and Steelers short printed?

BruceinGa

In 1990 or 1992 I would check them out at discount toy stores, never paying over $4 for each one. The figures to me are much like action figures, not my cup of tea. I think that I would enjoy having some cards and/or coins graded and adding them to my collection.
Are there websites that realistically price these? I looked at a couple and wasn't impressed.
As my wife and I visit antique malls I see many SLU's, maybe I should take a closer look.
Thanks for the responses!
Bruce

PMKAY

I have the first two years of hockey - I remember ordering them through an ad in the Hockey News. The goalies sold for quite a bit back then. I'd pick up the odd football one whenever I was in the States. I own what might possibly be the least desirable one ever made - David Klingler.

curch

I still collect to this day. Although, I chase more prototype and rare items now, but still pick up some normal released items as well.

vols1

I noticed this Dale Murphy sold for $260. That's pretty good for a $10 piece in package. And here's a Ryan that sold for $230. But you can't give them away if there still in the package.

mrmopar

I have somewhere around 500-600 of them, but damn do they take up space!

I bought my first figures in 1988, all of the Raiders I could find at the time. I opened them, as they were designed, and displayed them on a shelf. I put the cards with my collection. Never even thought to keep them sealed and never bought another until probably around 1994-95. That is when I went in hard for them, but grew cynical after all the backdooring that was happening or the people who would camp out for the new case arrivals (some of us had to work or go to school or just carry on with a life).

I still can't resist buying them for a buck or two when I find them, remembering back to a fun time when most were hot figures "worth" a lot. I bought about 75 or so within the last year from a shop at about a buck a piece and the lot had several extended and formally rare/desirable first pieces (Pudge, Bledsoe, etc).

In 1993, I dreamed of owning the Maddux EXT piece. That was one of the holy grails of the time. Now you can get one for under $10 I'm sure.

curch

My collection is all loose as well. Ecpxcept for a few that I got graded (89 Falcons). They look awesome opened, no matter the player. My favorite part of the figure is the back of the jersey where you can see the name and number. Can't see that in the package

eagles33

What are some of the ones that are still considered rare? I picked up the 1988 Rod Woodson card because it's a nice xrc of a hof.

yankeesman

I was big into them back in the early 90s as well. Every Wal Mart and toy store I drove by I stopped to check and see if they had anything. I remember driving to New Orleans with my wife and another couple who are our best friends. He's a baseball card collector as well. We stopped in a Wal Mart outside of New Orleans and I found a 1991 Ken Griffey Jr. figure that the bubble was dented. He found a perfectly mint Todd Zeile. At the time, they would have been worth about the same. Ah memories. I also remember ambushing the dollar store in the mall because they had gotten a case of the Italian soccer pieces in at a dollar a piece. Still have a couple of them including a Maradona.

I still have a ton of SLUs in storage boxes. I have a few displayed in my man cave on shelves - Mattinglys, Jeters and some I just recently purchased - the Hall of Famer catchers from the Cooperstown series. I still love those things. Fortunately I did sell some of them back in the craze and even sold a 1989 Chris Miller recently for decent money - $40 I think.

It's weird though I really only liked the SLUs. When the McFarlanes came out I wasn't interested in those at all.

Great memories!

curch

<< <i>What are some of the ones that are still considered rare? I picked up the 1988 Rod Woodson card because it's a nice xrc of a hof. >>


A lot of rare ones exist, doesn't always mean they are valuable. But when it's time to find them, some just are not around.