Regarding the Mantle, another difference between the two kinds of cards is the connection sports cards have to history. And by history, I mean the experience of collectors/fans in relation to both the sport and the hobby in time. There are moments when the consumer base, player, and hobby come together in a way that super-charges a card or cards. The fifties were the first decade of baby-boomers as gum/card consumers, the sport also quickly transitioned into a new era on the field and in the home, with TV playing a big role. Topps became the standard for cards and essentially modeled what the hobby would look like for decades to come. And Mickey Mantle, a NY Yankee, arrived on the scene just in time to be the touchstone star for this serendipitous nexus of events.
The 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Junior is similar. That card should not be as much as it is. And as great as Junior is, there are plenty better. But he was the best at the right time, Upper Deck leads the way in the premium card production movement, ESPN finds its footing on cable television, the steroid era is heading toward its peak (but before people were concerned about it). The cold war ends, Gen X kids are ready with their allowance money.
It doesn't always shake out that the value matches the rank of player greatness combined with card scarcity. It rarely shakes out that way. The moment in time for the sport, the hobby, and the consumer base plays a key role in what players and cards become the top cards. And it often maintains and compounds because baseball card collectors are almost always driven in some measure by nostalgia.
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06-23-2022, 10:13 PM
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