auto racing cards
 

Work in progress for me.

Love seeing another racing collector on here, Peter. :) I have been looking for a 1969 Panini Andretti for a while, just have not found a lower grade one that is not wildly overpriced. That Senna sticker exploded in value for a while, but seems to have cooled off a bit with the 1984 Scratch N' Play going through the roof lately. He also has some neat and obscure European and Brazilian cards.

I have been trying for a SportsStar Photo-Graphics Earnhardt, but they don't show up too often anymore.

I have been toying with the idea of putting together a period card of all 34 F1 World Champions and pricing out what that would cost. There was a 1952 Chocolate Aiglon of Juan Manuel Fangio that ended on Saturday on eBay. My snipe never fired because I was surprised that the card went for over $300. That card is pretty tough, but it was still a sub $50 card a year or two ago. I guess more people have woke up to the fact that it is Fangio's rookie card and several years before his hyped rookie from the 1954 Kane Products set.

As we talked about on the main board, the 1972 STP Petty has also exploded in value over the past year or two.

Love those, especially the Andretti and Petty. Have never seen any of them though, so they're all cool. Racing-wise I have been into the early '70s Fleer drag racing issues, but love seeing the Indy/NASCAR stuff.

Hi Peter
I was a Nascar collector before i got into baseball again in 2012-ish.
Just the other day in Goldins auction, the same Senna card fetched some good coin.
Look at these:
https://goldin.co/buy/?search=senna&sort=
If your Senna graded a 10, it be a 34K card. WOW!
I once had the Jeff Gordon RC and Earnhardt promo cards. I know i had Kyle Busch RC.
Still have tons of diecast & cards with the wall displays, but they are all now boxed up.

What year is that Earnhardt?

Thanks Chris. Senna probably grades, or should grade, 8. I might call it Mint but I am not in touch with the new rigid grading. I was fortunate enough to pick it up out of Europe where once in a while you can still find good prices.

Heres some what i have or have had

1986. He also has a 1983 Uno card that has really taken off in value the last couple years. The Uno card is usually considered his rookie card, but I am not really a fan. It is unknown how the Uno card was distributed, but it is just a standard looking Uno card as part as a 30-card NASCAR set.

Here is a quick thread on Collectors Universe that talks about the 1986 SportStar Photo-Graphics Earnhardt card.

https://forums.collectors.com/discus...r-racing-cards

Peter, are you familiar with the story behind the Maxx Earnhardt card No. 99 and it subsequently being "officially" released in 999 stickered copies several years later?

Here is another link that talks about the 13-card SportStar Photo-Graphics set and the Earnhardt card, along with a picture of the card.

https://www.psacard.com/psasetregist...egallery/46819

No.

That's pretty cool. I love non mainstream cards that are earlier than RCs.

MAXX produced the Earnhardt card No. 99 assuming they would be able to reach a deal with him, but that did not happen. As result, the Earnhardt card was supposedly released in very limited quantities or were released without company consent when MAXX went bankrupt.

The card was "officially" released in 1994 with Earnhardt's blessing and a sticker denoting it to be one of 999 copies. There used to be a big premium for the stickered 999 version, but that premium has shrank in recent years. A lot of collectors don't realize the back story of the 1988 MAXX card No. 99 not being "officially " released until 1994.

Here is a link to an explanation of the 1988 MAXX Earnhardt card No. 99 and what transpired.

http://nascardradio.com/1988-maxx-da...tory-versions/

Hmmm... I bought it instead of the 1989 because naturally I thought it was one year earlier even if not considered by the mainstream hobby to be the "rookie" card. Should I revisit that?

The 1988 Earnhardt MAXX situation is such a huge clusterfuck. There is nothing wrong with a 1988 version. It is still desirable, and it does sell for less than the redemption version if cost is a factor. This is just personal preference, but I would I would rank them 1986 SportStar/1988 (1994) Maxx Redemption/1988 Maxx non-certified. But they are all cool early Earnhardt cards. The price gap between the two versions of the MAXX cards has been steadily shrinking in recent years. Either version is still the iconic image of Earnhardt on a card. The MAXX cards are not his rookie card, but that is still the image people think of when it comes to an Earnhardt card.

The 1994 redemption version is quite a bit more rare than the 1988 version. PSA has currently graded 52 copies of the redemption card and 210 examples of the 1988 version.

FWIW, I have never seen one of those /100 autographed versions of the MAXX card that were released in 1997 by Upper Deck.

Like I said earlier, his 1983 Uno card is earlier than all of those options and has taken off in value in recent years. But that card doesn't do much for me.

My 1988 appears to be uncertified so I guess I'll stick with it as at least earlier than the 1989. Probably god enough for me. From ebay they seem to be a lot more pricey than they were not long ago, I paid less than 200 for my 8. Separately, any opinion on the 1992 Traks Petty/Earnhardt dual auto? Any issues there? Seems like a cool item never pulled the trigger but have thought about it.

The Earnhardt MAXX cards people list as BINs on eBay are just crazy Even with an uncertified version, you did very well at under $200 for an 8. Like I said, that is still the iconic image of Earnhardt on a card.

Here is a link to an awesome podcast dealing with some of the iconic NASCAR sets and notable rookie cards. A lot fo what I learning from listening to this podcast.

http://nascardradio.com/podcast/

Notable episodes you may be interested in are episodes 29. 1972 STP set, 31. Uno and SportStar-Photo-Graphics sets, 33. SportsStar Photo-Graphics set, 42. 1988 MAXX Earnhardt card No. 99, 44. 1972 STP set, 45. 1983 Uno,

Peter, if you do go after a 1992 Traks Earnhardt/Petty card, save yourself a headache and go with a graded copy. That card is notorious for phony autographs. Many of the cards made it to the public unautographed and have become a forger's paradise in recent years. Both Petty and Earnhardt have pretty distinctive signatures, so the fakes are usually pretty easy to detect. But I have steered away from that card because I am not really an autograph guy and that card has been the subject of rampant forgeries. Be very careful.

Who would you trust more in terms of authenticity, Beckett or PSA?

I think either one would be ok. I am far from an expert when it comes to detecting forged autographs, but some of the Petty/Earnhardt fakes are so bad that it is very obvious they are not legit. There is definitely a wariness among collectors when it comes to that specific card because it is known to have many examples make it into the public unsigned.

Thanks. I suppose in that case there is also the issue of real ones signed later and not factory issued. I believe that is a problem with the 1993 Hoops Magic/Bird autos.

Jeff Gordon
 

That Jeff Gordon card looks like he’s about 13 years old!!!!!

Actually, he was 16. Or 15 depending on when during the year it was issued.

Gordon actually did start racing full size Sprint Cars at age 13. That was the reason his family relocated from California to Indiana.

That is another great point. Both Petty and Earnhardt were very accessible and would sign anything for fans.

I've enjoyed reading about your passion for auto racing cards, guys. Though I don't collect racing cards, preferring the 1/43rd scale model racing cars (a pursuit that caught my fancy 3 years prior to my interest in baseball cards the spring of 1961), I respect your deep interest and love for motorsport.

You bring up a hallmark of most racing drivers---they respect and are kind to their fans. Same with hockey players.

Anyways, keep having fun, mates!:) --- Brian Powell

Another point about cards being legit signed after the fact: From what I read on the various Facebook F1 card groups, Lewis Hamilton is all but impossible to get on a card these days, and Max Verstappen is almost as tough. But everyone else on the grid willingly signs Topps cards. Lando Norris has even commented how much he likes signing cards. It just seems weird to me that an on card autograph will sell for a fraction of the Topps stickered autographs.

On one of the NASCAR radio podcasts that I linked to above, the hosts talked about the process Richard Petty goes through to this day when it comes to TTM autographs. Petty usually shows up at least once a week at his museum and museum volunteers lay out everything he recently received in the mail on several tables for him to autograph. He then goes down the line with several different colored Sharpies in hand.

When the item is something different or something Petty has not seen before, he will usually stop and write a short note on the item.

On another topic, I was looking at Lauda cards today, other than the now prohibitive 74 Panini there don't seem to be any good options.

I think his 1975 Jenkki card from Finland is a good option. The image is neat, and it is still affordable. There is one currently listed on eBay for $250, but that is high. A Lauda Jenkki card sold at auction for $58 in May. Even though the title of the listing is 1974, that is actually a 1975 release. That Jenkki set has some F1 drivers that can be had fairly cheap.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26568318805...AAAOSwr7JiaRy7

I have been wrestling with whether or not I really want to pay up for a Lauda Vedettes card. Not that I want to see the entire economy collapse, but I do have some dry powder if the economy does hit a recession and sanity returns to card prices.

I don't like the image of him blocking up his ears. I may like you just wait and see if the Panini comes back to earth. The 1974 Keisa does nothing for me.

Oh one more I forgot to post. I THINK this is her first card but who knows.

I agree with you completely on the Keisa card. I try to stay away from images in which the driver is helmeted or action shots.. That is an issue with some of the early F1 options from the 1950s and '60s.

Yeah most of the Fangios until Top Flight are like that. There are some awful Jackie Stewarts.

I like Fangio's 1958 SADA. It is a big image of just him and can still be found for under $100.

Thanks, there is one on ebay, I am on it.

I'd have to dig them out but I know they are much newer that 70's drag racing, but those are the only drag racing/ NHRA cards I own.
I've been a fan of drag racing for many many years but unfortunately very little is aired up here anymore. :(
I do have a really cool photo of Big Daddy Don Garlist that my parents picked up at his museum many years ago as well as a couple 1/24 funny cars/dragsters of John Force and I believe Eddie Hill?
I collected, when they first came out, 1/18th Muscle Machines, but they never really caught on I guess you could say?
I thought they were pretty cool and I believe I have around 12-15 of them?


Great thread, Peter and Eddie. Thanks for the pics and info. :)

Happy to help. :)

[QUOTE=irv;2238074]I'd have to dig them out but I know they are much newer that 70's drag racing, but those are the only drag racing/ NHRA cards I own.
I've been a fan of drag racing for many many years but unfortunately very little is aired up here anymore. :(
I do have a really cool photo of Big Daddy Don Garlist that my parents picked up at his museum many years ago as well as a couple 1/24 funny cars/dragsters of John Force and I believe Eddie Hill?
I collected, when they first came out, 1/18th Muscle Machines, but they never really caught on I guess you could say?
I thought they were pretty cool and I believe I have around 12-15 of them?

I am mainly a fan of '70s/'80s drag racing as far as anything collectible goes. I don't know why this pic below came out so dark (it seems a lot of stuff that has been left in my fotki has done this?????), but this card is one of my favorites. I'm sure I would love the Garlits photo, that's cool. I have been to his museum and pretty much all of my phone storage is taken up with the pics and videos from there. I don't have any of those newer, well, newer than the '70s issues, just have never run across any in person here. I collect some of the funny car/dragster/pro stock model kids from that era as well, kind of a sickness. Anyway, nice to hear of your interest in drag racing.
https://images34.fotki.com/v1633/pho...00_2817-vi.jpg

Have you ever been to an NHRA race before, Rob? Unfortunately I haven't, only top alcohol event up here at Cayuga many many years ago.
Going to Gainesville, or another city somewhere is definitely high on my bucket list.

Yes, I have been to a few. The NHRA used to come to Memphis Motorsports Park as part of their season from '88 thru 2009 as the Mid-South Nationals then the O-Reilly Auto Parts Mid-South Nationals. That being local I want from '88 thru '90 and then sporadically until the NHRA dropped this race on the circuit. Really fun seeing Snake in his last years in the funny car, Eddie Hill in TF, McCulloch, etc. Nothing like how you can walk around in the pits and watch, and even interact with the drivers. Also went up to the HHRA race just outside St. Louis a few years ago. A lot of fun, but I just don't enjoy the new cars. I am hoping to get up to Bowling Green, KY for the Holley Hot Reunion in the next couple of years. They run nostalgia cars and also have a cackle-fest at the end where some of the old funny cars and dragsters from back in the day come out for an exhibition. You should definitely hit Gainesville some day, an NHRA event is definitely an experience. Take your hearing protection, there is nothing like the sound.

This may be one of the cooler sets I've randomly picked up from Europe. Some great poses for those who don't like the action race shots.

I believe this is:

Either late 1975 or 1976 Berliner Spielkarten out of Germany:

I sold my Stewart rookie because I really didn't like the card, a tiny pinhead shot. Looking at other 60s cards of him I'm not really seeing anything else I like either. Hmmmm.

That would have been great for sure as I clearly remember those guys. Always loved Eddie Hill and his wife, Ercie. They were jovial people who just loved life.

Nowadays, because I rarely get to watch any, I am not even sure who the top guys are anymore. Force, of course, and likely a few other names I'd recognize but that is likely it?

It's too bad they closed Sanair years ago in Quebec due to the new leaded fuel laws. One NHRA event a year cost the area thousands and thousands, if not millions, in revenue. Just stupid, imo.

The top alcohol event I went to years ago was pretty loud so ear plugs were required there as well, but I can only imagine TF. :eek:
Shockwave, the 3 jet engine Peterbilt semi was there and every time he burped the throttle, it felt like someone was thumping you in the chest.
https://youtu.be/t_inFieJhVQ?t=100

SI for Kids Lewis Hamilton RC
 

I have this SI for Kids Lewis Hamilton RC for sale on Ebay. It’s listed a $1,500 OBO. I’m willing to sell it here for $1,200 delivered. If your interested, please PM me. Thank you, Kevin

Auto racing cards
 

Just found this thread, and really enjoyed reading it.

Those of you who collect the Sportstar Photographics, are you into variations. The set is loaded with variations; at one time I had more than 50 different. There are at least 3 different Earnhardt variations. There was also a Sportstar Photographics sticker set, which I remember as a 9 sticker set.

Someone asked about the Uno set, it was sold as a boxed set. Am not aware if the cards were ever distributed individually.

We had contracts with most of the major card companies selling racing cards from about 1989 through 1995; and bought cases of these cards.

I am curious as to why no one has mentioned the Hassan/Mecca set of 1911, the Stark and Wetzel set of 1954, and the various Marhoefer sets in the early 1960's???

Every card in the Hassan/Mecca set was a "first" card, as were most of the Stark and Wetzel, and many of the Marhoefer.

Jon.

Sad news.
RIP Chris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpSaWrRoHTc

I saw that last night, couldn't believe it, you were just talking about it. Sad news indeed.

I know. Somewhat freaky for sure. :(

Is there some scandal with Schumacher? His PSA 9 RC which not long ago was over 200 just sold under 100.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28485746772...MAAOSw6hJiqktU

I think the markets getting saturated. It’s turning out to be a much more common set then people anticipated a couple years ago. Like most early 90’s issues in all sports, there’s been lots of overstock of this uncovered.

I think the market is just softening due to the economy and recession fears. The 1992 Grid set was worth very little up until a year or two ago. Even the Topps 2020 F1 cards, which just kept rising into the stratosphere, have had a noticeable pullback in recent months.

Here are a couple my NASCAR cards.

Any thoughts on this one? I never understand why on some of these there is a grade for the card but not the auto, and some vice versa, and some both, is it a question of how much someone is willing to pay to get it graded?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18540420271...UAAOSwvZZiadey

Might just go for it lol, not many PSA graded and I prefer that to Beckett.

I'll take a shot at answering some of your question.

This applies to autographed cards certified from the company; Topps, Panini, etc. With SGC when they grade an autographed card, they will also grade the autograph if it is in mint or above (I think that's what I was told) at no charge and note the grade for both on the label. With PSA they will also grade the company issued autographed card but charge a fee. The PSA label will reflect both grades, regardless of the numeric value assigned.

If the card has been privately obtained, PSA will charge you an autograph authentication fee - if it passes - it would then be graded (which you would be charged) - and then the card would be graded (which you would be charged). The label would then reflect both the autograph grade and the card grade. Beckett is comparable to PSA. I don't know how SGC does it.

Confusing to say the least. Hope it helps and someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The linked card, I am pretty sure, is a factory issued auto card, but the label only calls the autos authentic and does not assign a grade. There are lots of PSA graded factory cards like this. I think the submitter can ask for the autos to be graded for an additional charge. For a later signed non factory auto, the card itself won't get a number grade because it wasn't issued in its current form.

Peter, that card looks good. The price looks high, but it could be a while until a PSA graded one shows up at auction.

Thank you. Yeah, it is a tad high. I'll think on it.

SADA Fangio. Eddie, is it 56 or 58 do you know?

Awesome pickup, Peter. I don't get how undervalued Fangio cards are, considering he is one of the 3-4 drivers for whom a serious case can be made for being the best F1 driver of all time.

I believe the SADA card is from 1958, although I have seen it listed by eBay sellers as 1956. The information I found previously online about the card almost always listed the year as 1958.

https://www.cardsoflegends.com/colle...l-fangio-1958/

Here is a checklist from the entire set of SADA cards, and the checklist says 1958. That would make me think that is the correct year.

http://athleticards.com/c_girandola.html

Thanks. From the Marciano I always thought it was a 58 set. As for the other drivers in the conversation, are you thinking Clark Senna and Hamilton? Lots of views on the subject of course.

I was actually thinking Schumacher more than Clark. I know Clark was killed at Hockenheim at age 32 and his win percentage is among the best of all time, but his early death robbed him of future wins/titles. Even with Clark's early death, I think it is hard to make a case for him being number one with 25 wins and two world titles when you look at how many wins and titles the other possibilities had.

Prost is usually ranked somewhere between third and fifth all-time on most lists, and I guess that is probably where he should be. But I was listening to Tom Clarkson's F1 "Beyond the Grid" podcast with Prost a few months back and Clarkson made a credible case for how Prost could have won 7-8 world titles.

Prost won four championships and finished second four other times. He lost the title by two points to Nelson Piquet in 1983, half a point to Niki Lauda in 1984, three points to Senna in 1988 and seven points to Senna in 1990 (thanks to the infamous Suzuka crash when he was taken out by Senna).

I have a Prost RC (hopefully) incoming; I recently had a UK package go missing on me.

I know Prost does not have the miraculous story of Lauda or the mythic aura of Senna, but he seems so undervalued compared to the explosion in prices for his contemporaries.

Winners Circle Say No To Drugs 1989
 

Just completed this NASCAR "Winners Circle Say No To Drugs" set after more than 30 years!

This set was extremely low-printed, and was tough in 1989. So tough that counterfeits came out about 1991.

As the counterfeits are very deceptive, I was concerned until the Fred Lorenzen card arrived, but it is genuine.

So another set finished.

Jon

The buying phase continues with Lewis Hamilton. Normally I would buy a "rookie" card or something as early in time as possible, but the 2006 Futuera is out of the question, I really don't care for the 2009 SI for Kids card showing his car and even less for the Top Trumps, and there wasn't anything in between, so I ended up with his first Topps card. Why someone sent this to Mike Baker is beyond me.

Nice Topps Now Hamilton pickup, Peter. That card really cooled off once Topps Chrome F1 came out, but I think that Hamilton card can be a winner long term financially because of the small print run. I do agree with you that the Top Trumps and SIFK Hamilton cards do nothing for me, either. I do like his two card No. 1 images on the 2020 Topps Chrome cards; he looks like such a bad ass in each image.

I may break down and eventually buy an SIFK just because it's 11 years earlier, but they seem overpriced (what isn't) on ebay.

Here's another 2009 Lewis Hamilton issue I dug up. Peter, I don't think you'll like this one any better then the other 2009 issues, but you might find it at a much more reasonable price.

I personally like it better then the SI issue, but not as much as the Top Trumps issue.

Also has the earliest card I've found of Sebastian Vettel (4 titles, though no one seems to care quite yet), though there's probably something a little earlier out there on him.

German "Formel 1" issue. These exist with different backs such as the "Quartett" issue shown here. Also "Top Ass" and a couple other versions I've found.

These type German issues can be complicated to date as they were issued in toy stores from year to year, with many of the same pictures, but with different number variations.

A lot of sellers date them by the season listed on the cards, though that's a very faulty method to do so. If you have a full set, you basically go, the last season mentioned in the set + 1, for the date of issue.

You can differentiate the year issued based on the numbers listed on certain cards. In the 2009 set from what I can tell, the Lewis Hamilton is always numbered "A2", and the Vettel is always numbered "F4".

Example: I don't have one on hand, but if the set was re-issued again in 2010, you might see a similar card of Hamilton listed as "Saison 2008", but it will have a different number in the upper left corner.

Some drivers and cars will be cycled in and out of sets, depending of the most recent season of drivers.

All very complicated, and it probably turns a lot of collectors off to them, but I tend to love these little complicated Formula 1 game sets. :D:D

next

Great pick up, Peter. There have been a lot of Lauda Vedettes coming out of the woodwork in recent months, and they continue to go for strong prices.

Prost is in.

86 Earnhardt on ebay if anyone is interested.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/19524521213...&segname=11021

Ravensburger SGC
 

Well, I know these issues are complicated, but SGC is getting these wrong already.

Here's one for now. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find others.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36392093793...&segname=11021

This Lewis Hamilton card #4C is labeled as a 2010 Ravensburger "Pole Position" issue. It is actually a 2012 issue. The 2010 issue using this image, should be numbered #4A.

You can tell this is a 2012 issue, because if you look in the bottom left corner of the card, you can see card #4A (and most recent car) in this run should be the McLaren-Mercedes MP4/26 car, driven by Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button during the 2011 season.

I will post the images of the incorrectly dated SGC card, and what the correct 2010 card looks like.

I know these cards can be very similar from year to year. Best way to tell them apart is the number listed in the top left corner, and then the car models listed in that number sequence in the bottom left corner of the card.

Hope this makes at least a little bit of sense, if anybody cares about the obscurities in these sets.

Here's one SGC got correct.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30456130396...Cclp%3A2047675

It's become much more expensive, but for what it is I still think it has a lot of upside, so added a second one. Probably fooling myself.

Peter, when I saw you had a new post in this thread, I thought it was going to be about picking up the 1965 Lampo Jim Clark that ended last night. LOL. I have bought from that seller before, and he does have some neat oddball racing cards, since he is based in Italy. The final price of $1,027 was very strong. I remember a Lampo Clark from the same seller a few months ago that ended in the $400 range.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175358716539

With regard to speculating on prices down the road, I think Max Verstappen is worth loading up on. I know there is a huge danger in buying cards of current athletes, but he is already eighth in career F1 wins at age 24. With the season seemingly going to stay at 21-22 races for the foreseeable future, he has so many more chances to win races than drivers from even one generation ago.

IMO, Hamilton's seven titles and 103 wins are already fully priced into his cards.