Big time baseball vintage questions for big time collectors!

[#1BILLSfan]

I have a few questions...

1. O-Pee-Chee..What years did O-Pee-Chee make baeball cards because I saw a Mike
Schmidt RC for OPC. Are they rarer then Topps?

2. Is the Jackie Robinson 49 Leaf or Bowman RC better? Does Satchel Paige have a 48 or 49 Bowman RC? Does Stan Musial have a Leaf RC?

3. What are these players true RCs: Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams (I believe 41 Play-ball is his)

4. How can you distinguish if a card is fake...ie 52 Mantle etc..

5. Where are there big auction houses located to purchase big time vintage cards..

Thanks for anyone that can help with any of them!

[BlueDevil]

Answers:

1. O-Pee-Chee issued sportscards from 1958 - 1995. OPC baseball cards were issued 1965 - 1994. While the OPC baseball cards are more rare, they are also somewhat less popular than the Topps brand.

2. Both the Jackie Robinson 1949 Bowman (#50) and Leaf (#79) are highly regarded rookie cards, however, the Leaf commands a premium price over the Bowman. Price guides will show the premium at as much as 2X, but in practice it is likely closer to 25-50%. Satchel Paige rookie cards were issued in the 1949 sets by Bowman (#224) and Leaf (#8). The Leaf #8 card was a short-print card in that set, and as a result it is far more rare than the Bowman Paige rookie. The Leaf Paige rookie can carry a premium of 10X - 20X that of the Bowman Paige rookie.

3. The Dimaggio rookie card topic is a bit of a controversy. Some say it is the 1938 Goudey (R323) #250 or #274, while others claim the 1939 Play Ball #26 is his real rookie. However, there were several specialty issues in 1936 and 1937 (Zeenut, National Chicle Fin Pens, Goudey Wide Pens, R312, World Wide Gum, 4-on-1 Exhibits) which also pictured Joltin' Joe. Take your pick, as there is no "official" Joe D rookie card.

The Ted Williams 1939 Play Ball #92 (R334) is widely accepted as his rookie card.

4. There are many different types of fakes. It helps to be familiar with the original cards to spot the counterfeit ones. A loop is a very useful tool to make comparisons. Variations in size, color, card stock, cut, printing style, etc can sometimes be observed between the real and fake cards. Even the best professional grading houses have been fooled on rare occasions.

5. There are a number of big auction houses that issue catalogs for their seasonal sports memorabilia auctions. The most reputable of these is Robert Edward Auctions (REA). REA makes a great effort to reject counterfeit or suspect material, while a number of the others are all to happy to sell possible fake or altered cards to make a commission.

Hope you find this information to be helpful.

[#1BILLSfan]

Thanks for all the information! Anyone else have anything to add?

[nebboy]

I have been reading Sports Collectors Digest for many years. It is a very good trade mag, with very good vintage info and stories every week and a complete listing of all the top auction houses listing dates and info. You can't beat the price for a 1 yr subcribtion.

[mintacular]

I think Cassidy sports pretty much hit the nail on the head. You may consider joining other sports cards forum to learn more about vintage cards such as PSA, Net54, SGC.