Pre-80s Rookie Card Craze?

[albrshbr]

Originally Posted by con40

1975 was my first year as a collector and the first time I recall there being any "buzz" in the schoolyard about rookie cards was in 1979 with the cards of Bob Horner and Willie Wilson... 1980 was not a big "buzz" year aside from some mild interest in Rickey Henderson... but 1981 cemented the RC craze when everyone was chasing Valenzuela, Charbonneau, Raines, Sax and Gibson.

It hasn't been the same since.

I remember the first "craze" in 79 with Horner and Wilson. In 1980 I was able to pick up 30 Henderson's for 5 cents each. To me 1981 was all about Raines and Valenzuela.

If I recall correctly alot of this started at the National when 2 guys bought 3 Mantle rookies (actually 52 Topps) for $3,000 each. It was an unheard of amount of money at the time and they were quite picky about the condition. Prior to this, other factors created the hot cards and prices. Examples I can think of are the 1970 Topps Johnny Bench (rumored short print) 1967 Yaz (Triple Crown year) and 1973 Carlton Fisk (not sure why).

I remember buying 1973 Mike Schmidt's for $5 and trading a 1981 Topps set that I paid $16 for and getting a 1965 Carlton rookie (book value $16), both in 1981. In 1982 I took both to a card show and got $100 in trade for a Schmidt and $150 for the Carlton.

In 1983 the regular 82 Topps Ripken was selling for over $2 and the 79 Topps Gretzky was already going for $12. There were other hot rookies (83 Boggs and Kittle) (85 Clemens and Juan Samuel) but things really got crazy in 1986 when the Donruss Canseco was selling for $5. A card in a current pack going for $5!!!!! By 1987 everyone was buying rookies in 100 count lots and things haven't been the same since.

[hangman62]

I recall around that time, things started to get a bit silly..collectors/dealers started going backwards and "discovering" and pumping up rookie cards of guys that were just regular players..all of a sudden you had to have the 64T Rico Carty,the 60 Kaat, 62 Fregosi, 73 Boone,69 Nettles, the 71T T.Simmons, the 68T Hal McRae, 77 Mazilli, 71 Concepcion and Bowa,..cards that were pretty much commons..now were being percived as valuable/ must have rookies..and many jumped on the bandwagon....years later ( early 80s..it got even more rediculous ! )

[scmavl]

I wish it would go back to the year that player had, to determine the value. For example, Maris' 61 card should be worth a fortune but not his rookie card.

[sox1903wschamp]

Originally Posted by albrshbr

Examples I can think of are the 1970 Topps Johnny Bench (rumored short print)

Funny how rumors back then inflated a card. The 72 Carew and Carew IA were over inflated and to a degree the 67 Brooks Robinson was over hyped in the early 80's.

[David W]

Originally Posted by sox1903wschamp

Funny how rumors back then inflated a card. The 72 Carew and Carew IA were over inflated and to a degree the 67 Brooks Robinson was over hyped in the early 80's.

In the pre internet days (I know, I know, the under 30 folks don't understand this....) if you couldn't find a card locally, and didn't know who Larry Fritsch was, or have a way to get SCD, those cards were "scarce" as your only source was the local guy selling his own collection , or the lame card shows at the mall or motel conference room. There was no way to buy them from a guy in another state via ebay.

I remember going to a mall show in the 80's looking for the Carew and Carew in action, and only 1 guy of the 30 or so vendors had one. I bought both of them for about $30, both VG-EX at best.

[hangman62]

Yes, that 72T Carew, that one had a lot of hype,( and the 72T Garvey also was real hot ) but It was a "fairly tough" hi#,
As was always the case back then,if Carew had a real good month at the plate/ hitting streak going,etc.., the card would jump up a couple of bucks in the next issue of CPU or CCP. And we all were " OK" with that and just went along with the flow !

I recall buying that card from a flea market dealer..$40., and not even noticing it was way offcenter..I dont think I even felt that mattered back then ! ..just crazy baseball card times then

[David W]

Originally Posted by hangman62

Yes, that 72T Carew, that one had a lot of hype,( and the 72T Garvey also was real hot ) but It was a "fairly tough" hi#,
As was always the case back then,if Carew had a real good month at the plate/ hitting streak going,etc.., the card would jump up a couple of bucks in the next issue of CPU or CCP. And we all were " OK" with that and just went along with the flow !

I recall buying that card from a flea market dealer..$40., and not even noticing it was way offcenter..I dont think I even felt that mattered back then ! ..just crazy baseball card times then

Here is what $30 got you in 1988......

I just checked ebay, I could upgrade significantly for half that

[hangman62]

There it is, with that other player in the backround playing golf with a bat ! LOL

[afklin]

i remembered i spent $100 on 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco RC, which was an outrageous price for a modern card. Also remember paying $100 for a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson's RC, and $30 for Tony Gwynn 1983 Topps RC. Still have those cards after 20 years, and today they have all depreciated below my purchase price.