What was it worth then ? And now

[Rookiemonster]

Just wondering if anyone knows what a Babe Ruth autographed ball was worth through the decades ? I wouldn't mind hearing about other your own personal auto stories. If you got a Lou Gehrig in 1962 ? Or a try Cobb auto in 1970 and the price from then to now.

[7nohitter]

Dustin,

This is an interesting thread...much like the guy who didn't want to pay a whopping $300 for a Mantle RC x amount of years ago.

I remember seeing a beat up Mantle in my local card shop back in about 1995...the guy wanted $800 for it and I thought he was bonkers. That same card would probably easily fetch $4-$5K today.

I would love to hear about some kid's dad grumbling about paying $30 for a Ruth ball back in 1945 or something!

[Kzoo]

My folks used to drag my siblings and I to an antique show from time to time in the mid 80's. We would get there mid afternoon on a Sunday, in the blazing heat, with the dusty isles and trampled grass, and I would always search for cheap cards, as I was usually almost always nearly broke and only about 10 years old. There was one old guy that always had a small selection of t206s in an old binder and I remember buying a couple including Brain and Thelen.....but I vividly remember to this day the exact spot another dealer was set up with a 52 topps Mantle in a thick lucite screw down case that had rounded corners, probably grading Good-VG at best and priced at $500. It blew my mind. How could anybody ever save that much money?

[toyman55]

I started collecting card again in 1976 after my mom tossed all mine. I had just got married and didn't have a lot of money but I had a chance to buy a 1952 Mantle rookie for $400.00. I begged my wife over and over to no avail. Today when I buy something and she whimpers at what i spent I remind her of the Mantle card and it's value today.

[theshleps]

I used to buy from a guy named Max in the mid 60's. Ruth gehrig, Jimmy Collins and most other HOFers. had a cut or Sullican and Corbett the day of the fight. Most I ever paid was $35 for an item. Sold the whole collection for $250 in 1968. Would love to know what I had. had been writing players for years and widows to get cancelled checks etc.

[MooseDog]

Michael -

Max was quite the character and had some nice stuff, but was apparently was not careful whom he purchased from. Visited him at his home a few times, his wife was very nice.

Several items I bought from him (pre-WWI HOFers) I later discovered over the years were bogus. Don't think it was necessarily Max's fault but I suspect he bought stuff from the infamous Ron Dross.

I was young, trusting and still learning the game back then.