Wow! Who says 1968 Topps Baseball prices are soft?

dude · January 21, 2004 10:08AM

Congratulations Dave! I put in an esnipe bid on this 4 days ago, and forgot about it. Now I see that my bid didn't even register on the radar screen.

1968 Topps Gates Brown PSA 9

mikeschmidt · January 21, 2004 10:13AM

Is that a Detroit Tigers thing going on...?

jimtb · January 21, 2004 10:15AM

Wow! You 1968 set collectors are really making it tough on us guys that are just trying to put together a nice 1968 World Champs Tiger set. Congratulations Stump on getting a great card.
Jim

Vargha · January 21, 2004 10:30AM

Those pinch hitter cards tend to command a premium . . . Now where did I put that Manny Mota card?

toppsgun · January 21, 2004 11:17AM

Pinch hitter cards? Wasn't Gates an ex-con? McLain, too. Whattsup with the water in Detroit?

Somebody should get a Registry set together of ex-cons:

Gates Brown
Denny McLain
Pete Rose
Fergie Jenkins (or were the charges dropped?)

srs1a · January 21, 2004 12:03PM

That's a really tough card..and a Tiger, too. Congratulations Dave. Scott

ejguru · January 21, 2004 12:20PM

Gates is clearly one of the toughest cards of the set. My sense is that 9's across the board (other than those few where an equal or greater number of 10's exist) are solidifying and rising. What is there now, a dozen sets being built or existing above 8.2? Glad to see those 9's get action at $35+.

E

jimtb · January 21, 2004 12:36PM

Yes, Gates was an ex con before joining baseball. He cleaned up his act and has become a model citizen in Detroit. McLain is a different story. He recently got out of jail (again). The guy seems to self destruct every five years.
Jim

Vargha · January 21, 2004 12:43PM

Not only was Gates an ex-con before playing pro ball, but so was Ron Leflore (both Tigers).

dude · January 21, 2004 12:45PM

Don't forget the Tiger's Ron "5-to-15- for-armed-robbery" LeFlore.

As for cards, the Gates Brown is a toughie. I recall that the Pop Report listed 4 in PSA 9. Best to my recollection, I would have to say that $760 is record for a common in that set (if he's considered a common).

dude · January 21, 2004 12:51PM

Ah, Vargha, you beat me to LeFlore.

jimtb · January 21, 2004 1:16PM

At the closing of Tiger Stadium in 99, they invited back a bunch of old Tigers to take the field. As Ron Leflore left the field after the ceremony, he was arrested (again) for not paying child support. Some things never change...
Jim

slvnumber2 · January 21, 2004 2:13PM

Maybe the retro Tiger uniforms should have pinstripes on them to make the players feel more comfortable

purelyPSA · January 21, 2004 3:13PM

I think Bobby Higginson is the biggest criminal in Tiger history. He's making like 9 million a year to hit .255 with modest pop. That's grand theft in most states.

Stump · January 21, 2004 10:30PM

Hey guys really did want the card. Its a 2 pop and the other is in Ron's set. If I am to remain in the number 2 slot I might as well controll my own destiny. It is truely a tough card. Did I pay too much yea probably. Would I do it again heck yea. Just wanted the card because I collect. But the really good news is I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by going to Geico.

Dave

Basilone · January 21, 2004 10:55PM

<< <i>Just wanted the card because I collect. But the really good news is I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by going to Geico. >>

Priceless.....

rw2win · January 21, 2004 10:58PM

<< <i>But the really good news is I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by going to Geico. >>

What will this one go for?1968 PSA 9 Oliva Pop-1

coachh · January 21, 2004 11:30PM

The $7 shipping charge might keep it under $1000

Davalillo · January 21, 2004 11:42PM

This will certainly go for over $1,000(unless the two likely bidders reach an agreement beforehand).

rw2win · January 21, 2004 11:44PM

But, but SMR says it's under a $100.........

Stump · January 21, 2004 11:46PM

Jim

I know I am passing on this one.

Dave

dude · January 21, 2004 11:51PM

But the really good news is I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by going to Geico.

Stump,

I just looked at the Pop Report and we're both wrong - it's 3.

Reviewing the bidding history, that price looks very stable since two other bidders placed bids within $29 of yours.

I've been buying '68 Topps cards off of eBay for 5 years now and Tigers cards always go for a huge premium. If it makes you feel better, I once paid more than that for a '68 Topps Northrup PSA 10 and that was 2 years ago on a direct sale. When I bought it, I thought it was the craziest purchase I ever made - but the card was absolutely gorgeous and I had to have it. But after reviewing this auction, I now feel pretty good about what I paid for the Northrup card.

Davalillo · January 21, 2004 11:57PM

Whoops--Stump passes--I would say that Ron may be the only bidder who would go that high for the card. I will revise to $700-$800.

Ron,

Whoops--Joe must have missed this one in his close scrutiny of transactions that he dedicates himself to before the smr is published each month.

Dav

rw2win · January 22, 2004 12:01AM

Dav - Ron does have this in a "10"

The53Kid · January 22, 2004 12:03AM

Would this type of huge price be garnered only for 9's with Pop's of 3 or less? In other words are there only a few bidders fighting it out for these cards, and then once the Pops get to 5 or 6 the price drops dramatically?(Assuming those 3 bidders already have gotten the card)

Thanks for the insight!

Stump · January 22, 2004 12:05AM

Dude

Wow the pop report was just updated. I see the Mac is a 3 pop now also. A Northrup 10 thats a good one. I grew up in Detroit so the tigers are special to me. I know I posted this before but Norm Cash lived a couple blocks away from us and all the kids went to his house when he was home. He was a great guy who was wonderful to the kids.

Dave

Stump · January 22, 2004 12:10AM

Rw2win

Jim is right. Ron will earmark this card. Although he does have this in a 10 he told me once for every 10 he had in his set he had a 9 if avalible for back up. I would tend to go with Jim on this one and say Ron will be a bidder. I try not to bump heads with him it will usually just cost us both money. I have no dream of being number 1 in 68 I just want a nice high grade set in that year. Its an important set for me as this set and 69 are the ones I remember the most growing up.

Dave

rw2win · January 22, 2004 12:55AM

How likely is the Pop. 9 for the Oliva to rise?

Ripken · January 22, 2004 1:48AM

I don't think the pop report has been completely updated. I received my submissions over a week ago & received a '68 Pirates team in PSA 9 but the pop report still shows it as a zero. Does anyone else have a '68 McAuliffe in PSA 9? If not, I guess the one I have up for bid right now is a 1 of 2 (I have the other).

Stump · January 22, 2004 2:12AM

Ripken

Congrats on the first 9 of card 308. There is a 10 that ron has in his set. The Mac I believe is a pop 3. Dav had the first one he then traded it to me(I would like my first born back when your done with him Jim) and then I traded it to Ron. Thats why you see me as a bidder on the one you have on ebay now. If you do have another then that would be the three that are out there. I do not believe the Oliva will go as high as the Gates did only because there is a 10 that sits in Ron's set. The oliva,Brown.Mac and the pirates team cards are all killers in 9 long with the 16 and 453.. With the oliva and the pirates team in 9 I believe you can now have an all 9 set.
Good luck with your auctions and I will be there on the Mac and if you want to sell the Pirates privatly let me know and I will make a generous offer for it.

Dave

Wow! Who says 1968 Topps Baseball prices are soft?

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