Ask Babe Waxpak

Dear Babe:

I have a 1967 Yankees pennant with a team picture and a Mets pennant (images attached).

Scott Hartman, Flowery Branch, Ga.

In real estate it’s location. For sports memorabilia it’s condition. Unfortunately, based on the images you included, it looks like the pennants are a lot worse for wear with the Yankees one missing a chunk of fabric. “Yankee photo pennants sell well,” said Dave Stark, of www.pennantking.com in San Diego. “This particular design is hard to find in decent shape. They are usually faded or have bad paint cracking,” Stark said. He valued your damaged pennant at $10-$15. In top shape, it might sell for $75-$125. The Mets pennant would probably fall in the $25-$45 range in great shape. Yours is only worth $5 or so.

Dear Babe:

During the 1982-83 NBA season, I worked in the ticket sales office of the Atlanta Hawks. When the Lakers came to play the Hawks, I got an Atlanta Hawks stamped basketball and had the majority of the Lakers team sign it for me. The signatures include James Worthy, Mike Cooper, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kurt Rambis, Magic Johnson, Mike McGee, Eddie Johnson, Norm Nixon, Clay Johnson and Mark Landsberger.

Christopher Smith, Decatur, Ga.

The 1982-83 version of the Lakers won the West, but was swept in four-straight by the Julius Erving-Moses Malone led Philadelphia 76ers. The ball is worth $1,000-$1,500, said David Kohler, president of www.SCPauctions.com in Mission Viejo. However, the fact that it is an Atlanta Hawks ball is going to hurt the value some.

Dear Babe:

I have two Honus Wagner cards. One is a smaller card. On the back it says it is worth $100,000. The other is regular-size and is No. 504.

Rocky Furlar, Riverside

The T206 card is a reprint as you can tell from the info on the back. The cards with this type of back have little if any value. Of course a real 1909 Wagner recently sold for some $2.35 million a few months ago. The second card is a 1996 Collector’s Choice issue that Beckett lists at 50 cents. There are a couple of parallel versions. A card with a gold signature lists for $12, while one with a silver signature is worth $1.25.

Dear Babe:

I recently came across a 1990 Reds World Series bat made by Rawlings. I have seen several examples of the H&B (Louisville slugger) World Series black bats but never one made by Rawlings. This is a very nice looking Black bat with “#432 of 1990” stamped on it along with the Reds logo and “1990 World Champions.” Any history on these would be great.

Andy Rodgers, Cincinnati

As you noted, the classic World Series black bats are made by H&B and have all the players’ names engraved in gold lettering. It sounds as if your bat doesn’t have the names. I checked with the Reds and no one there remembers the team making the bats. That’s the same answer I got from the folks at Rawlings. I did see a bat similar to your description that sold for $100 including S&H. However, that bat was autographed by Lou Pinella, Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, Paul O’Neill, Barry Larkin, and Hal Morris. Dibble and Charlton added “NASTY BOYS” to their signatures. Without autographs, I don’t think the bat has much value. All signs point to it being something created for a TV shopping channel. Generally, that type of “ready-to-wear” collectible without an autograph has little value as a true collectible.

If you have a question for Babe Waxpak, send your full name and hometown, the card number, year and manufacturer or send a copy to babewaxpak@charter.net.