Willie Mays

The card you have must be a 1961 Post Willie Mays card number 145. Post did not issue cards in 1960. The 1961 Post cards will have the stats for the 1960 season. The cards were available on thick card box stock, singly, or in various panel sizes from cereal boxes. They were also made available in team sheets, printed on thinner cardboard stock, directly from the Post Cereal Company.

The 1961 Post Willie Mays card number 145 from the box is worth about $55.00 in near/mint condition. The card from the company $45.00 in near/mint condition See Related Links below for a complete checklist.

A 500 Home Run Club signed baseball could sell anywhere from $800. -$1,200. and up depending on which members appear on the baseball. A baseball with only the following signature Ted Williams Mickey Mantle Ed Matthews Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew the baseballs might sell in the $500. price range. Value is based on average prices of recently closed auctions. Prices may vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the baseball. Prices may also vary based on the amount of signatures, and key signatures acquired. The more complete the baseball with key signatures the more valuable.

The 500 Club signed baseballs became popular in the late 1980's -1990's when promoters for autograph signings put together the shows or signings featuring the "Eleven Living" members of the 500 Home Run Club. A 500 Home Run Club Lithograph From the art of Ron Lewis was the center piece for these signatures.

The most common 500 club baseballs feature these 11 members: Ted Williams, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Mike Schmidt, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews and Willie McCovey Baseballs with these signatures typically sell for about $1,000.-$1,200.

If the signatures listed above were to have the signatures of earlier 500 home run club members like Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, and Mell Ott, the value will shoot through the roof. This baseball would be too rare to quote a price and I have never seen one up for auction.

Today. there are 23 members of the 500 Home Run Club. (and growing fast) Various combinations or additional signatures to the original 11 living members will vary in price accordingly, and the original 11 living members can be used as a base to determine value.

As with all collectibles, condition is the most important factor of all providing that the item is authentic. With programs/scorecards the slightest flaws will bring the price down significantly. An exceptional mint condition scorecard could sell for more.

Common flaws would be staining, foxing (yellowing), fading, creases, rips, loose pages, cracked binding, and writing on the cover. Un-scored programs will generally sell at a higher price than a scored program but sometimes it doesn't effect value. The over all condition, and how well the cover displays will.

Common flaws with baseball cards include: rounded edges, creases, off centered, and faded color. Any or all flaws will devalue the card significantly.

Collectors will pay more for inscriptions like 660 HR or HOF, and pay less for personal inscriptions like "Good Luck Chuck"

Assuming the signatures on the balls are authentic, the value and interest to collectors becomes a function of: 1) the clarity, legibility and overall condition of the signatures on the ball(s), 2) the condition and type of ball ("Official American League"?), and possibly, 3) the provenance; where and when obtained, may also dramatically affect value. If genuine, this ball would be worth between $1500 to as much as $2500, depending on the aforementioned factors. One of the most prized signatures in the hobby a Babe Ruth single signed baseball in general is worth about $6,000.-$10,000. Value may vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the signature. The type of baseball will also effect the price with an Official American league baseball from Ruth's playing days being of the most value.

A baseball in poor condition with a weak signature could sell in the $4,000. price range or less, and a minty baseball with a strong signature could sell in the $15,000 price range or more.

A signature with the quotation marks around "Babe" typifies his pre-1928 autograph and will sell at a higher value as well. To show that the baseball was signed in 1929 the ball might have to be dated by the Babe or Lou. This will be considered an inscription, and sell for more.

A Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig duel signed baseball is worth about $15,000. -$30,000. Price will vary based on the type of baseball signed, condition of both the baseball and signatures, and what type of authenticity that accompanies the signatures. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less.

In an auction held in May of 2007 a pristine example of this duel signed baseball sold for $33,460. and another sold for $26,290. in October 2007 an excellent duel signed Ruth Gehrig baseball signed with the quotation marks around "Babe" sold for $14,340.

Lots of these Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig baseballs were signed during Barnstorming tours of the US. Below is a link to a great baseball that sold for about $25,000. The Babe Ruth Autograph signed on the Baseball with the inscription: "I'll Punch Lou in the Nose" and the Lou Gehrig Autographed inscription: "To my friend Kay from H.L. Gehrig The kid known as Lou" Check it out.

A Willie Mays single signed baseball is worth about $125.-$200.

Value is based on average prices of recently closed auctions. Prices may vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the signature. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less. Add for inscriptions. Collectors will pay more for inscriptions like 660 HR or HOF, and pay less for personal inscriptions like "Good Luck Chuck" In a recent auctions a Willie Mays single signed baseball sold for $179.25

For more information on a Willie Mays signature see Related Links below == ==

A Mark McGwire single signed baseball is worth between $150.-$250.

Value is based on average prices of recently closed auctions. Prices may vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the baseball. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less. Inscriptions such as "70" will sell for more. Personal Inscriptions like Good Luck Chuck" will sell for less. In a recent auction a Mark McGwire single signed baseball sold for $131.45 another signed on a 1998 All-Star Game baseball sold for $179. For more information on Signed baseballs read "How Much Is My Autographed Baseball?" link located below. -Steven KeyMan

A Willie Mays single signed baseball is worth about $125.-$200.

Value is based on average prices of recently closed auctions. Prices may vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the signature. Signatures that have not been properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less. Add for inscriptions. The grade of the signature will also be a factor in value. A Sharpie signed baseball might not be as sharp, and clean as a signature signed with a ballpoint pen, and sell for a lower price. Collectors will pay more for inscriptions like 660 HR or HOF, and pay less for personal inscriptions like "Good Luck Chuck" In a recent auctions a Willie Mays single signed baseball sold for $179.25

A Willie Mays signed 8 x 10 photo is worth about $50.-$125. Price will vary based on condition, and the type of authenticity that accompanies the signature. Photo composition, and how well the signature stands out in contrast to the photograph will also effect the price. A signature signed in Sharpie would be most preferred for a photo. Larger and more desired pictures could sell for more. A 4 x 6 sized photocould sell for less.

In a recent auction a Willie Mays signed 8 x 10 photo sold for $95.60

Signatures that are not properly authenticated could sell at half the market value or less. Like your 4 x 6 photo, some Picture Pack Photos were made the same size. Be sure that your photo is hand signed, and not a facsimile signature. Picture pack photos are a very popular souvenir sold at all Major league Stadiums for years. They also feature a facsimile signature that is not hand signed but a copy. A preprint signature or a facsimile often appears to be below the surface gloss of the photo, and the signature is often very "flat." Hold the photo up at an angle to a light source. A real signature is written on the surface of the photo, and should have a different level of reflectivity than the rest of the surface. A preprint will blend right in with the surface because it's underneath the surface gloss. For more information on Willie Mays signatures visit the link below.