Dear Babe: I have a 1975 Super Sox record of the play-by-play action, highlights and interviews of the Red Sox 1975 championship season, including playoffs and World Series. I think it's a Fleetwood or Magnavox record. It's still in the original wrapping, but has a rip in the wrapping. We have kept it in a glass frame case for the last couple of years. -- Ben L., Nashua N.H.
This is definitely an item that needs a die-hard Red Sox fan if it is going to sell. One just like yours still in the package sold for $9.99 plus $4 S&H in a recent online auction. There's a number of others listed in a range of $12 to $30 (with S&H). Only time will tell if any of those sell.
I'd say $5-$15 is probably a good range based on that one sale. Now that the Red Sox have managed to win a couple of World Series titles, these records from 1975 and another from 1967 (the "Impossible Dream year"), have declined in popularity and therefore value.
Dear Babe: In 1989 a friend in management at Upper Deck sent me a complete box of cards. I have never opened it. It says it is the "Premier" edition with high number series. -- Steve Kendall, Grand Terrace, Calif.
Upper Deck turned the hobby upside down in 1989 when it entered the marketplace with its high-end glossy product, featuring Ken Griffey Jr. as card No. 1. Upper Deck issued two series of cards plus a 100-card update set. It sounds like you have the 800-card factory set. Beckett lists it at $100, while the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards from the editors of "Sports Collectors Digest," has it at $80. Both guides list Griffey Jr. at $40. There are a few other rookie cards of note. Randy Johnson (25) books at $8-$10, while Gary Sheffield's rookie card (13) lists for $5-$8. That's for both versions of his card. Some have the "ss" for shortstop inverted. Beckett lists Craig Biggio's rookie card (273) at $6. It has John Smoltz's rookie card (17) at $5. Finally Omar Vizquel's rookie card (787) lists for $2-$3. The only other high number card of note is No. 774, which features Nolan Ryan tossing a football. It lists for $4.
Dear Babe: I have the Billy Martin card (No. 173) TCG. I can't find a year on the card, but he is a second baseman with the Cincinnati Reds. -- Bea Hearn, Los Molinos, Calif.
Most folks think of Billy Martin as the Yankees second baseman and manager, but he was well-traveled during his long career.
He played for 11 seasons. He spent seven with the Yankees before bouncing around for the final four seasons, playing in Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, (Braves N.L.) before ending his career in 1961 with the Twins.
He managed for 17 seasons. He spent eight with the Yankees, splitting the other nine years with stints in Detroit, Texas, Oakland and Minnesota.
You have a 1960 Topps card that shows him on the Reds. The online guide at www.beckett.com lists the card at $20. However, it appears that your card has seen better days. It has a major crease top to bottom on the left side and some of the facing has been rubbed off. It's probably worth a couple of dollars in that condition.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak@charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak.)
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