auto racing cards

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

A PSA 6 sold in Goldin in 2021, which generally is considered the peak of insanity, for under 1000. I do not get it at all. Pent up demand maybe? There was a defect in his hair too.

I have two of them (only 4s) and I always joked with people that it was the 52 Mantle of miscellaneous sports but maybe there is something to that.

My remaining 1972 Petty is also a PSA 4. I have a complete, 11-card set of 1972 STPs. I have told this story before, but when I was putting together the set, I bought some STP cards off an elderly lady in Connecticut who picked them up originally as they were given away at the STP sponsor table at the 1972 Daytona 500.

Anyway, the woman included a handwritten note along with my cards saying that she wanted me to call her to talk about the STP cards. I felt super weird calling an old woman I did not even know, but she was such a nice lady and was informative about the set. One of the comments she casually made was that she thought her full set of the cards were probably worth about $2,000, and all the value was in the two Fred Lorenzen cards from the set. When I put together my STP set, I didn't feel any huge excitement about picking up Petty cards from the set. My excitement was in finding the Fred Lorenzen white whales that some long-time collectors had chased for over 20 years. The woman I talked with on the phone explained that fans could grab as many STP cards as they wanted that year at Daytona (and few fans were interested) other than the two Lorenzen cards. Those two cards were not available at all.

The Petty STP card has skyrocketed in value over the past few years, yet cards of the second winningest NASCAR driver of all-time (David Pearson) are still worth next to nothing. It is a mystery why Pearson is not in the STP set, yet journeymen like Elmo Langley, Dick Brooks, James Hylton and Charlie Glotzbach are. Pearson doesn't have an iconic rookie card like the Petty STP card.

With regard to the 1952 Topps Mantle of miscellaneous sports cards, I think the 1982 Hulk Hogan Wrestling All-Stars is a great candidate. That thing has exploded in value over the past years, and examples used to sit on eBay forever as BINs for under $200.

The 1983 Dale Earnhardt Uno card is another card that has exploded in value in the past five years. That is his true rookie card, but I really dislike the Uno cards as an option.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I hate the Uno Earhardt. Recent sales all over the map, an 8.5 selling for double a 9?

A miscellaneous card that does not get any recognition is the Karelin 1998 Culture House. Very hard to find one, a great looking card, and depicts arguably the most dominant athlete ever. I think he went a decade without a POINT being scored on him. Not only that, perhaps surprisingly given his appearance, he was an intellectual -- a chess player and student of the arts. He went on to politics.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I hate the Uno Earhardt. Recent sales all over the map, an 8.5 selling for double a 9?

A miscellaneous card that does not get any recognition is the Karelin 1998 Culture House. Very hard to find one, a great looking card, and depicts arguably the most dominant athlete ever. I think he went a decade without a POINT being scored on him. Not only that, perhaps surprisingly given his appearance, he was an intellectual -- a chess player and student of the arts. He went on to politics.

I remember you talking about the Karelin card previously. You are much more knowledgeable of that card than I am, but I think that card may always be underappreciated because Karelin is Russian. Even before the Ukraine invasion, I think it was hard to show off a Russian who is only known to many Americans for suffering one of sports' great upsets.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I remember you talking about the Karelin card previously. You are much more knowledgeable of that card than I am, but I think that card may always be underappreciated because Karelin is Russian. Even before the Ukraine invasion, I think it was hard to show off a Russian who is only known to many Americans for suffering one of sports great upsets.

Fair points. Nonetheless still an incredible athlete with an almost nonexistent rookie (and only) card -- PSA population 8. You are not exactly going to surf ebay or walk into a show and find one.

Another card and I guess you could argue it isn't sports, but you NEVER see the 2012 FaceChess Magnus Carlsen. Unless you look below of course.

[Peter_Spaeth]

...

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

...

Awesome Mario, Peter. The prices on his 1969 Panini have retreated from the Covid craziness. I am on the lookout for a low to mid-grade 1969 Panini Mario.

[Bored5000]

A couple more stunning STP Petty sales happened on eBay in recent days:

A PSA 6 went for $3,700 on September 5 and a different PSA 6 sold for $4,100 on September 6:

Seems like there is a full-blown STP Petty mania at hand right now. That is why I always think the best answers on what card will increase most in value (percentage wise) over any given time period are usually some under the radar non-sports card rather than an already pricey Ruth, Cobb, Jackie card.