It’s Helmar Tuesday. More than 100 hand-made cards up for auction!!

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Yeah I thought they were like $20 items, not $300. Unless they're actually hand drawn/painted (and then they at least have a claim to "art" status) I ain't paying $300.

[rholmes]

Blech.

[Rich Klein]

One of the artists for Helmar is Monty Sheldon who is quite the hobbyist himself and a really good guy

RIch

[Exhibitman]

I thought it was Soylent Green day...

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I thought it was Soylent Green day...

Probably not.

[oaks1912]

Rich...Monty Sheldon is no longer working with Helmar. He was involved for a few years at the beginning of the project around 2006. Helmar does produce some interesting products and features some interesting / obscure players. They have found a niche for themselves...... Adam...TUESDAY is soylent green day, not Wednesday !!

[peterose4hof]

I've never gotten into buying Helmars; mostly because there are too many real cards I want to spend my money on.

That being said, I 100% support Leon's right to advertise these types of things on the main board and I appreciate his restraint in not overdoing it.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Yeah I thought they were like $20 items, not $300. Unless they're actually hand drawn/painted (and then they at least have a claim to "art" status) I ain't paying $300.

Agreed, if the original art was available it would be actually a collectible. Just buying beat up unsigned prints of it seems like burning money.

I was a very critical opponent of Helmar in the past, but I will say they have improved by dating many of their products. Still would like to see that at 100%, but improvement is improvement.

[Jay Wolt]

if the original art was available it would be actually a collectible.

Justin now & then original Helmar art is available.
Here's my original Goudey style Eddie Plank w/ regular card.

[oldphil]

Love these cards. Been buying them for a few months now. Also, no need to get them graded!

[bbcard1]

To each his own. No interest here. Not saying they aren't pretty, but frankly, I'll do my own if I wanted such things.

I wonder how they get around using images of people who are legally protected such as Ruth, Mantle and Cobb.

[Mdmtx]

I have bought a few. I personally think they are inexpensive compared to other limited quantity collectibles and they depict images in the arena I like. I especially like the images of baseball folks that can't be found elsewhere in a card format. Like Gus greenlee. I believe these will appreciate in value, and if they don't I'm not out too much anyway and I will have something I enjoy regardless of value. Just my .02

Mark Medlin

[JustinD]

As they are unlicensed and frankly, likely contractually illegal prints of protected rights of licensed figures I see absolutely no possibility of actual true appreciation as no grader or catalog will ever touch these with a 10 foot pole.

However, to each their own and actual worth is really just determined on who is in the room at the time. As I tell people who are upset at home appraisal values, if I have a dollar bill I have to sell and no one in the room will offer more than 25 cents...it's really worth 25 cents at that time. If they all will pay 10 bucks, then it's ten bucks. Just depends on the day and the room.

Charles does a good job selling these at good returns with his marketing, however the ones I see come up on the secondary market often seem to go at a loss. I believe REA tried auctioning off a large collection of Helmars a few years ago and they averaged about 10 bucks a card, I imagine at the crazy prices some of these get the seller lost his shirt.