Dear Babe: I have a framed set of Barcelona Olympics 1992 Dream Team cards that includes Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan and Chris Mullin. The cards are mounted on a board and in a glass case. I can only see the fronts of the cards, which say "Barcelona 92" with a picture of the player and his name with a U.S. flag in the background. It's one set of individual cards and a team picture card. -- Steve Lowenstein, Chino Hills, Calif.
Dear Steve: It looks like you've got some 1991-92 SkyBox cards of the original Dream Team. They were part of the 659-card set that was issued in two series. You have Nos. 530-539. There were four Team USA cards -- Nos. 544-546 and one without a number. My guess is you've got one of the team cards that are listed at $2.50. Beckett's yearly basketball card price guides lists the 10 cards at $24.40, with Michael Jordan far and away the most valuable at $8.
If the cards were glued to a board, so they could be framed, they don't have much value. The framed set might appeal to someone, but it's more than likely that the framing cost more than the cards' value. In the end, the framing quality will determine the item's value I suspect it's more of a conversation piece than a highly valued collectible.
Dear Babe: I have some cards of baseball players who have been in the news for bad things, like steroids. They include Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens. -- Ben L., Nashua, N.H.
Dear Ben: I don't offer recommendations on buying and selling, keeping or trading, saving or tossing. You have to do some research to see if the cards have value.
All three of the players' cards have taken a beating in value. Even before the steroids issue raised its ugly head, the values had dropped because of overproduction and the advent of Internet sales.
The only thing that would improve the value of the rookie cards would be if one of the ballplayers somehow ended up in the Hall of Fame.
Dear Babe: My husband's uncle played golf with Babe Ruth. Ruth signed a baseball to the man's nephew: my husband, Charles. It's an Anchor brand ball still in the original box. It is dated June 27, 1937. Ruth wrote, "To Charles from Babe Ruth." -- Nancy Clarke, Corona, Calif.
One thing we know is that the personalization will cut down the value by about 25 percent -- unless the buyer happens to be named Charles.
Mike Gutierrez, consignment director for Heritage Auctions, said a baseball with an average Ruth signature that is personalized is worth from $4,000 to $6,000. The value jumps to $6,000 to $8,000 for a ball with just Ruth's autograph. Based on the photo you enclosed, Gutierrez says your ball will be closer to the bottom end of the range, because the signature is faded.
(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, P.O. Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or email 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. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)
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