1957 Topps Koufax a Top 10 card in value

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Posted By: Bobby

Just entering auction results and very surprised by the results for the 1957 Topps Sandy Koufax #302. 2 months ago a PSA 9 sold in Mastro for $44,110.70 and just the other day Andy Madec sold a PSA 9 for $78,086.10

This would put this card up there in the higher echelon of price results.

What is so special about his 1957 card it's not a rookie I just do not get the dollars been paid for this particular card.

And in the same auction a 1962 Topps Koufax #5 PSA 9 sells for $66,788.55

Insane

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Posted By: barrysloate

Bobby- I agree it is insane. People have too much money to throw around.

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Posted By: JK

I think it has everything to do with the psa set registry and nothing to do with actual value.

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Posted By: dennis

guess #1)it's in the semi-high #'s which in the "57 topps is like the high #'s in their other sets. so it is harder to find.
2)it's his first card in the regular size card format.
3)it's a hard card to find centered as are most of the cards in this series. often they have print dots and fuzzy focus
4)many think (not jay) that he was the best pitcher they ever saw
5)also what barry and jk said

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Posted By: Peter Spaeth

If you took 9 high end 8s and that 9, cracked them out and lined them up, what percentage of people would accurately pick out the 9 do you think?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Probably none. That's why it's insane.

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Posted By: Peter Spaeth

10 percent would probably randomly get it right, but even with a loupe I bet it wouldn't be much higher than that.

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Posted By: dennis

line up 9 8's and that 9 and keep the cards in the plastic slabs (just hide the grade)and i bet no one could pick out the 9. maybe mr mint rosen

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Posted By: barrysloate

It would take him ten guesses (sorry, I counted wrong).

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Posted By: jay behrens

Mr Mint would know a mint card if he cut himself with the corner of one.

Jay

I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

The cards have not appeared on the PSA Registry either for the 1957 Topps set or the Koufax Player Set. I suspect the winners are Dodger/Koufax fans with crazy money.

Frank

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I think the Koufax 57 card is also one of PSA's Top 200 Sportscards. Why? I have no clue as it's not his rookie and not a card from a year in which he was dominant.

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Posted By: anthony

who's sandy koufax? did she play in "a league of their own"?

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

There is no getting away from Topps. They keep coming on stronger and stronger. They are a big part of almost every auction.

I betcha Barry Sloate caves into the Topps pressure before Ryan Christoff does; but it will be close.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

During the 1960's Koufax was just about the best in the NL. He and Don Drysdale
formed a Lefty-Righty "punch" that was devastating to the hitters in the NL.

His '57 Topps card is in a very tough mid# series; and, the fact that it is the last
picture card of him in a Dodger uniform drives up the price of this card.

But, these 5-digit $$ figures for this card are indicative of how "out of whack" this
hobby has become with respect to Graded cards. This same exact card in its "raw"
state would probably sell for $500-1000, at most.

T-Rex TED

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Yes, the last Brooklyn card of him is significant, I suppose, but Koufax was not much of a pitcher then. I think his 55 Topps rookie card is spectacular, however, and is one of my favorite cards despite its easy availability. Of my 55 high grade set, this card is by far my favorite.

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Posted By: barrysloate

The 1955 Topps Koufax was nicknamed the "Bar Mitzvah" card because Koufax looks not much older than 13 in the picture. The 57 card is from the scarce number series and the set is a classic. That said, the price is still insane. Gil, I love the early Topps sets- the 52 and 53, the 57, even like 58 and 63. But I've never really developed a customer base, so I don't really pursue them.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

In a Brooklyn uniform, Koufax lacked control (very similar to another New York pitcher....Nolan Ryan).
As you know, Koufax settled into his stride, in the "hot California sun". As, a kid I was quite intrigued
by his "uncoiling" type of pitching motion, and I had a feeling that he would eventually be a very
effective Southpaw pitcher. And, he is a true gentleman in person.

Incidently Jeff, I value your opinion.....did you get a chance to read my 1949 LEAF BB article ?

T-Rex TED

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Posted By: Peter Spaeth

The 9 is definitely worth 70 times as much as this one.

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Posted By: edacra

The real test would be to see if the PSA graders could spot the 9 twice in a row.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, I did--it was waiting for me at my old apt (just moved a few blocks away in NYC). Really wonderfully done, very well-thought out and informative. I also appreciated the anecdotal comments about the flavor of the Leaf gum v. Bowman and the reasoning why you believe there are so many high-end Ruths out there. Old Cardboard is such a great magazine because it allows for long articles about such esoteric (but significant) issues. I got my SMR in the mail today and nearly puked in comparison. I really don't need a multi-page story about Ryan Howard. I only wish Old Cardboard came out monthly and was bigger.

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Posted By: WP

Whats a 10 worth?

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Posted By: Richard Masson

an infinite amount

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Posted By: peter chao

Gentlemen,

I just completed a 1957 Topps set and the Koufax is among the 10 most difficult cards to find in near mint condition in the '57 set. Still that doesn't explain the crazy prices for a PSA 9. A sleeper card in the set is the Don Larsen, on the back of that card it mentions his perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Also, the Ted Williams (card 1) is a condition rarity. Centering is almost always a problem.

Peter

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Posted By: peter chao

Guys,

I wonder if the buyer of the PSA 9 was from LA. Sandy is a God to true Dodger fans. Three years in a row the Dodgers led by Sandy beat-out my Giants and my favorite pitcher Juan Marichal. But I got over it. Not really...but I still purchased a near mint '57 Koufax for a couple hundred recently. My guess is it would grade a PSA 7. But who knows...

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Posted By: T E

I think there has been a surge in prices for Koufax over past couple of years. No proof of that, just my annecdotal experiences.

In the early 1960s, I was a Met fan. Koufax would mow the Mets down five times a year. It was a ritual. He was like a God, there was no escaping the Mets destiny. Losing to Koufax was part of life. Then Tug McGraw actually beat him, in Koufax's final year.

I think that as already pointed out, some people have lots of money and are more than willing to spend. Koufax is an icon, and a clean '57 Koufax would be a thing of beauty to own.

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Posted By: bruce Dorskind

Imagine, for a moment a PSA 9 card of Mickey Mantlebaum in PSA 9

$1 million for sure...

Cards of Jewish Baseball Players always sell at a premium
Cards of players who were stars in New York City always
sell at a premium

There is more money and power in New York City than
anywhere else in the world.

Sandy Koufax was a child hood hero to so many...

Today those "boys from Brooklyn" run hedge funds
and earn $15 million a year

Why is it a surprise that a card would sell for $78,000


Bruce

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Posted By: Anonymous

Exactly Bruce. Its increasingly a bifurcated income world. Wall Street bonuses up 25%--hedgies making mega-bucks. Market near all time high--ipo market healthy. Money rolling in for oil and gas guys.

Add to that you have our own Frank Evanov who with a 8.72 set rating is only .01 out of first place with just a psa 8 Koufax in his set. The .02 an upgrade would give him would catapult Frank into first place--you know Frank has his eyes on winning that gold medal for best 57 set in existence.

Jim

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Thanks Jim. Larry Robbins and I have been neck and neck on this set for 2 years. While having the PSA 9 Sandy would be nice, I could spend that same amount on other cards and actually be .11 ahead of him!

Frank

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Go Frank Go--I'm cheering for you.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Koufax's autograph is one of the most expensive for a living retired player. More expensive than Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken, Willie Mays, etc.

When the autographs are similar in supply, the going value is a reliable indication of the player's popularity and following as anything.

If you follow the modern history of autographs, you will see distinct shifts in value for autographs-- with certain players gaining popularity and others losing popularity. The autograph value for Hank Greenberg, for example, has risen dramatically recently, and a single signed ball is in high demand. Satchell Paige and Roger Maris are hot commonities. Mark McGwire dropped like a stone after his Conressional testimony, and Barry Bonds has more than halved recently. Ted Williams has become more expensive than Joe DiMaggio. Hank Aaron, a frequent signer, will likely rise. Koufax has always been a fan favorite, but his single signed balls have rised dramatically in value of late.

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Posted By: Mark

a waste of money....so many other cards to be had at a fraction of a fraction of cost.

But some idiot has the money to burn.
We should all be so fortunate, right?

Mark

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Posted By: Anonymous

Given that this is not the first Koufax that has traded at high prices and that others are bidding the price up there could be several "idiots" under this line of thinking.

If the hobby can get through this alteration/restoration issue, there is no reason that psa 9 and sgc 96 vintage star cards cannot have a significant move up from here.

Jim

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Posted By: davidcycleback

There can be more than one idiot. Ever heard of a "Ship of Fools"?

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Posted By: JimCrandell

David,

Possibly, but trying to call the end of the big upward move in psa 9 vintage card values is a tricky thing.

Jim

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Outside of card and related areas of collecting, the paying of a small fortune for something, anything, due to the lack of a miniscule wrinkle or edge touch would be considered sign of a mental problem that may require medical treatment.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

$44,00 isn't a small fortune to some people--I think all popular collectibles have a big spike up in value for high end stuff.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I understand both David and Jim's point of view. Here is mine (and we've been through this a hundred times): If you had $200 to spend, you could probably buy a presentable 57 Koufax; if you had $500 to spend, you could probably upgrade to a very nice copy; and if you augmented that to $1000, you could probably buy an extremely nice looking example. And that's why it's difficult to see what that extra $44K or $78K gets you except the bragging rights that yours is better than everybody else's. To some that is important, while others couldn't care less.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

My concern isn't as an appraiser, Barry, but as a mental health specialist.

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Posted By: barrysloate

David, I feel your pain

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Posted By: Josh Wolf

Hopefully, we're back to reality:

PSA 9 1962 Topps Koufax-

Andy Madec 10/25/06- $66,788.55

SCP 11/30/06- $9,116.40

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Posted By: peter chao

Josh,

That big of a drop in a PSA 9 Koufax means that he pitched badly in November, laugh out loudly. Or more likely, the market for PSA 9 Koufax's is pretty thin. I know for a fact that at these prices I'm not looking for an upgrade.

However, I did pick up a PSA 9 '69 Bobby Bonds rookie for $200. What do you think is that a pretty reasonable price.

Peter

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

To some it is a hobby of relaxation.....to others it is a competition. I really don't care what people spend their own money on...it is afterall their money. Some people have to have a bigger yacht...some have to get the new Escalade every year. People like me enjoy the hobby for relaxation purposes...it is also fun to study the history of the players that appear on these tiny pieces of cardboard.

It's amazing to me some of the prices these graded cards realize....How long before the graders start receiving bribes???

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Posted By: Anonymous

I guarantee someones already tried to come up with a way to bribe a grader. But anyways, to me price is abtstract in this market. Its the collector who assigns value to any card or other antique, we set the market, as a whole. The problem with spending enormous amounts on a psa 9 which is 1of1 though is that others may be graded psa 9, or even 10. Then your cards inflated worth is brought down to reality. I dont know if that had to do with that 62 Koufax or not. Remember the first BGS 9.5 Jordan rc? A buyer paid tens of thousands for it when it was the only one, now its worth a small fraction of its original price tag.

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Posted By: Bobby

Josh,

I just entered all of the SCP auction results into my site and did not come accross the 1957 Koufax PSA 9 result. Also did a search for it in there site with nothing coming up. Are you sure you did not make a mistake or is it a different auction house?

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Posted By: Josh Wolf

Bobby,

I was talking about the 1962 Topps Koufax...Lot 528

Josh

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Posted By: Bobby

My bad just assumed we where talking about the 57 should have read your post more thouroughly

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Posted By: peter chao

Bobby,

What kind of language is that, "My bad." Thank you for reminding me that I'm getting old and creaky. But I'm going to make a come back. Heaven help me, I'm starting to understand some of the slang. Laugh out loud.

Peter