GU Cards – can any retain value?
Last week, I wrote a post discussing the future of game-used cards. The post did not insinuate that game-used cards had no future; they are here to stay. Rather, I made a few suggestions on what card companies might do to keep them interesting. Since 1997, value has been leaking out of game used cards like a sieve...with a few exceptions.
So the question today is, "what game used cards will maintain and perhaps even rise in value?"...and..."how can I spot these cards?"
The answers to these two questions are much the same throughout the card collecting world, they must be:
1. Visually attractive
2. Unique in some manner, low chance of being made again (think Ruth Jumbo)
3. Rare, rare is not equivalent to low serial #
What doesn't meet this criteria: Topps Sterling Bat Cards
While the visual merits of the card can be debated, it most certainly does not meet the second two standards. This card isn't unique, you can find a card like it in several brands, particularly Triple Threads which also features multipiece bat cards. Nor is it rare; Speaker bat cards can now be found in older issues of Topps Tribute, Triple Threads, 2010 Topps, Topps Sterling and Topps T206 just to name a few. Sure, all of the cards themselves are #'d below 50 but 50 times 100 different varieties is still a lot. Heck, even Topps Sterling itself has a seemingly endless array of different Tris Speaker Bat cards.
What to do, what to do, you like GU, you like having them but you don't like buying cards that are worth 40% of what you paid a few years later. Here's a couple examples of GU cards that I think do meet the standards above.
I really like the Satchel Paige Jumbo Jersey, the photography is fantastic. The Jimmie Foxx from a visual perspective is ok, not stunning. However, I do think it is unlikely we see another Satchel Paige Jumbo Jersey
, there just aren't that many jerseys of his out there and the jumbo part makes it infinitely more rare. Although Foxx Bat Cards
abound, glove cards do not. Getting a bat and a glove of this pre-war 500-HR club player is something that again, I don't think we'll see again.
As I said, the Paige will run you in the $175-$200 range and the Foxx sold for $172 on eBay yesterday. Certainly, they are going to cost you a little more when you do pick up GU examples like this. But at least you know it is not like driving a new car off the parking lot.
These two are just a couple examples of GU cards I believe that can hold value, there are others, have fun searching!
Game Used – What is the future?
In 1997 Upper Deck wowed the baseball card collecting world with a new concept that combined game used jerseys and baseball cards. In 2005 Absolute Memoribilia
took things up another notch, offering a Babe Ruth Jumbo GU Jersey Card
. Over 13 short years GU has already carved for itself a very interesting history. What in 1995 didn't exist as a part of the hobby, now exists as an integral part of it.
Game used cleats, batting gloves, jackets, hats, pants, bats, benches, stadiums seats and oh so much more have been incorporated into cards. So now, after more than 10 years of game used cards ,a few things stand out to me:
1. Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth
GU Cards will always sell for a ton - the most famous Yankees ever = big money.
2. Manufacturers can make an infinite amount of GU jersey cards of current and recently retired players. Even patches, the possibilities as far as print runs go are limitless.
3. In spite of the fact above, jumbo patches, even of current players continue to sell very well. This is in spite of the fact that owning a really nice jumbo patch
will often bring on that horrible question, "you think its a fake?"
Although patches and some other selected game used items continue to provide collectors value. Over time, this value has declined. The question now becomes, what must card manufacturers do to keep the game used concept fresh? Three suggestions:
1. Continue to offer the jumbo varieties of jerseys, patches and bats. 2009 Ultimate
has proved that the jumbo patch market is a long ways from saturated.
2. Offer specific information on the card, about the game, that the bat or jersey was used in. This has been done to some degree with All-Star Patches and was also incorporated with a Leaf Rookies & Stars product. They should do more of it, do it with the World Series, Playoffs, No-Hitters, Perfect Games, 4 Home Run games and so forth. It builds the story behind the card and makes it so much more interesting, as opposed to "yeah, I think he wore this in a game."
3. Obtain and offer, even if in small quantities GU items of pre-WWII players. Although many of these pieces are in museums and many consider cutting them up to be sacrilege, Topps and UD have been able to obtain them in the past. Game used cards of Napoleon Lajoie, Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner
are exciting. But what about Cy Young, Cap Anson, Wee Willie Killer, Walter Johnson, Rube Waddell, John McGraw, Mike "King" Kelly and more? None of those exist today but I believe would be huge hits, were they to exist.
Pre-WWII GU interests me a great deal and I will write more on that topic at a later date. What are your ideas for keeping GU new and fresh?
Interesting fact of the day, you can now pick up the 1997 Rey Ordonez GU Jersey for about a buck on eBay.
