1959 Home Run Derby Set
 

Saw an almost complete set of 1959 Home Run Derby cards up for auction on eBay. I haven't ever seen a set of these before and was wondering what the history is behind them and also if the price it's up at is reasonable normal price for a PSA graded set like this one is?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1959-HOME-RU...UAAOSwrXdXKNdY

The original link didn't work this is the right one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1959-HOME-RU...UAAOSwrXdXKNdY

Tough set to piece together!! With patience I think you could put one together for less than that asking price. Here's my lone example :
Attachment 230051

Nice Mick!

Always loved watching those episodes back in the very early days of ESPN, and would like to own one example one day.

Overall, that's a great start to a world class set. Several would have to be upgraded, of course, including the key card---Mickey.

Tonight, or early Sunday tomorrow morning, Memory Lane concludes its SPRING CLASSIC RARITIES AUCTION. Germane to our discussion is lot #83, a fine PSA Near Mint 7 of the Home Run Derby Mickey Mantle. Pop 3, with only one higher. At well over a dozen bids, by early Saturday afternoon, it was over 18K. At the time the preliminary auction concluded, it stood at $19,217. "Extended bidding has now begun. Studying the bid history, I noticed with the last several bids, three were placed in unity, signifying three eager "well-fixed" chaps have top-all bids concurrently working. By the time it reached "Extended bidding", that had stopped. It will be interesting. I've seen the example on Memory Lane's site, and it's a honey.

World class specimen.

Assuming the winning bidder is a Mickey Mantle specialist, if he should also have a taste for tough postwar regionals, I would definitely recommend the near set to mate with the Mick.

As for the history behind Home Run Derby, I devoted a chapter to them in my now-released book on those beautiful, pesky postwar regional / food issues, NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN. Though I sadly do not own a specimen, that did not deter me from writing about the Home Run Derby set. It HAD to be included.

I will never apologize for plugging my own book. If you devoted 8 years of your life to writing, editing, and securing legal copyright to a book, you would do the very same. Our hobby does not have many outlets for news and communication. However, Net54baseball is one of them, and I should think collectors with a taste and an interest in those fascinating cards and coins would most assuredly want to be made aware of a new hobby book on the subject. Had someone else written one, I sure would want to know how to get a copy.

A couple weeks ago, I sold a book to a chap who was really only interested in my seventh chapter. He's a most devoted fanatic of the mid-60s Coca-Cola baseball and football bottle caps. ALWAYS thirsty for anything on the COKE caps and premiums promotion, years ago he pleaded with me to call him when it was ready. I called, and he was more than ready.:D

'Nuf said. ---Brian Powell

Neat set but has some (IMO) goofy/weird facial expressions esp. Mantle Snider Mathews Killebrew.

Peter, I beg to differ. I love all the poses and expressions. One of Mickey's biggest joys was batting; the photo portrays this. With Killebrew, I see his shyness, and intensity at the bat. With Mathews, he's looking at the umpire as if, "ah, come on, that one missed the plate"; but not too intense, as it would upset kids and perhaps get him sent "to the showers". Snider looks intense, as if he just took a close pitch he just didn't like enough to slam! These last three come off to me as game-action photos, for which the players will never strike a pose with a "now say cheese" smile.;)

As for the Memory Lane 1960 Home Run Derby PSA 7 Mantle, it appears to have been won at $23,060, including the 20% buyer's premium. While that price is roughly $5,800 less than the PSA 7 which sold late in 2015, the price point is still a deep home run. The specimen was not quite as well-centered as the one that sold last year, but it was indeed well-centered. I believe someone got a terrific card for a good price. That's a super tough and beautiful Mickey Mantle.:D

Wish more people had chimed in on this thread.

Regardless, take care, Peter. Have a good one. ---Brian Powell

Hi Brian, I agree wholeheartedly. It's a great set. There is a duplicate thread on the pre-war side with pictures of my set before I broke it up.

To me, not an attractive pose at all, but that's just me.

snider
looks like the Grinch to me

And Mathews.

Hater

I do hate you.