Pete Rose - status of cards if HOF?

[MCoxon]

What's your take on Pete Rose memorabilia? If he rehabilitates fully into the HOF, will collector interest soar?

Or does his past and personality mean he's not enough of a hero to excite people?

I remember as a kid when his cards were far and away the most popular, especially 84-85 during the run up to 4,192.

I'm not asking for opinion whether he should or shouldn't get in, but how the market will react if he gets in?

For disclosure I think chances are better than not that he'll be reinstated by baseball and from there elected to the HOF sometime in the next 5-7 years.

[MattyC]

I think his cards are already quite popular and in demand-- the early issues from the RC, the AS Rookie 64, and the 65 all sell very well especially when nicely centered, as most are horrible in that department.

If he gets in the HOF there will surely be a bump. Enough to become rich by selling versus today's prices? No, but I can definitely see some bandwagoning on his cards after the fact, plus registry-types scrambling to fill their HOF RC sets spurring some price increase, as that's a hugely popular set.

[begsu1013]

I think the debate and debacle as to whether or not he should be in the hall generates buzz and keeps his cards in the spotlight each year...

would they rise if he ever should? imo, there'd definitely be a spike. it'd level off after a while, but his cards in whole will always continue to rise in the long term regardless...

just my 2 cents and I have been wrong on too many occasions...

[Econteachert205]

In some ways I think not being in the hall has increased his collectibility a la the black sox with one exception, that the hof collectors if they don't have him will have to get him, so it might help prices a bit. The other thing holding him back is I personally think his rookie is a dreadful card. I'd rather save the money and get the 64.

[MCoxon]

Dennis, I agree the '64 and '65 are much nicer visually than the '63.

[ALR-bishop]

Some Rose stuff

[KingFisk]

The last two 63 Rose PSA 5s that I was tracking - both beautifully centered cards - both went for $700+, one of which closed last night. So he definitely seems to continue to be trending up..

[JollyElm]

I imagine if Charlie Hustle gets in, his card values will skyrocket. Think of where he stands today in that weird gray area. When people post cards for sale, for instance, usually it'll be under a banner of "I Got These HOF'ers For Sale." There's a prominence attached to these guys and the card prices reflect it. But right now Pete Rose is like the crazy uncle you keep up in the attic. Who knows what to do with that guy? But if he suddenly becomes legitimate by being added to the prestigious roll of HOF'ers, I don't think there's any doubt his card prices would go through the roof. Could be for the long term or could be just a short term thing, but just imagine the price of his 1963 rookie card if the word "HOF" was now attached to it. He would be on a whole new level.

This theory doesn't apply to everyone, mind you. I can point to other players like Ron Santo and Bill Mazeroski who eventually got into the Hall and (anecdotally) didn't see any significant bumps in their card values, but Pete Rose is a different story. If you only consider his play on the field (and ignore the gambling entirely), he woulda/shoulda been a first ballot Hall of Famer. It's silly to even argue that fact. Those other guys don't fall into that category. "Pete Rose, Hall of Famer," would lend a newfound legitimacy to his cards…and there's little doubt the prices would follow.

[jb67]

Here is a link to a PSA 7 (perfect centering/sharp corners) that sold for 598.00 which is way over VCP. If this is any indication the early cards of Rose that present well will do very well if he gets in the hall some day.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-Topps-1...item5674d286e4

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by jb67

Here is a link to a PSA 7 (perfect centering/sharp corners) that sold for 598.00 which is way over VCP. If this is any indication the early cards of Rose that present well will do very well if he gets in the hall some day.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-Topps-1...item5674d286e4

Jeez-- now I am in a tailspin of rage because somehow I missed that 64! THANKS!

[jb67]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Jeez-- now I am in a tailspin of rage because somehow I missed that 64! THANKS!

I figured you were all over this one. I went really big (or so I thought) thinking I had a real good chance and still came up short. I'm learning to "Go Really Big or Go Home"! I went home on this one. I'm still kicking myself for not going with a higher bid. A card like that does not come around very often.

[MCoxon]

Do you think that the '64 is his most iconic? Or the '63? I own the 65-81 run in fairly high grade but haven't yet pulled the trigger on '63-64.

I love the '64 myself

[begsu1013]

I like the 65 and 71!

[MCoxon]

Bob, looking at your sweet Rose basic topps registry sets, looks like you like 'em all!

[MattyC]

My favorites are the 63, 64, 65, 67, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76. Also like the 1986 RB.

[MCoxon]

Well, we may be able to scratch this question out now, given the recent reports that Rose bet on baseball while a player.

[ls7plus]

He has zero chance of ever getting into the HOF. What he did undermines the very foundation of the game, i.e., that: (1) the games are legitimate contests of skill and the winner is not predetermined by the participants' lack of integrity or morals; and (2) the outcome is not scripted in advance. Like Joe Jackson and pals, he will forever be on the outside looking in (unless he buys a ticket to the Hall), and should simply meander into oblivion insofar as his personal efforts to change his fate are concerned. Enough is enough--some mistakes are not meant to be overcome!

Best regards,

Larry

[begsu1013]

Originally Posted by MCoxon

Bob, looking at your sweet Rose basic topps registry sets, looks like you like 'em all!

just saw this....and yes, I do like them all. had the #3 and #5 set for a while. sold off the #5 set about two months ago...it's looking like it mighta been a good move. don't think i'll ever sell off the #3 set. I grew up watching ol pete and absolutely loved him, but as time progressed i realized what a false idol he really was. the new revelations certainly don't help either....

regardless, i still love the images of his cards as they are engrained in my childhood...just a hall of shame, i guess.

[MattyC]

Love him or hate him, he's part of the game's history. If one collected anywhere during his playing days, the images-- the cards themselves-- are iconic and take you back to youth. Whether his cards go up or down in monetary value, I'll leave that to the flippers, investors, and clairvoyants.

I remember the fanfare around his pursuit of Cobb, and as a boy who got into cards in 1986, that Topps Rose Subset is such a vivid memory now. The cards depicted four at a time in that subset seemed ancient to a ten year old.

If one collects to have his collection tell the story of the game, as well as to be something of a time portal, Rose cards will always be desired pieces for the collection. Same as Shoeless and other stained names whose on field achievements electrified at the time.

A fall from grace makes for as much of an entertaining story, albeit a tragic one, as does a tale with an inspirational, upbeat tone. Both can be useful to share with our kids as well-- cautionary figures and role models of work ethic, class, humanity, and courage (like Gehrig, Clemente, or Mattingly) are both valuable.

What I also like about early cards of tragic figures-- Shoeless, even Mantle, Doc and Darryl, Bonds-- is that many of these men had such prodigious talent, and early pictures of them, at the dawn of their careers, make us remember there are always multiple paths we can choose in life. Early cards of these players make me pause and wonder what could have been.