Negro League HOF cards? Best choices?
 

I’m a HOF collector and am wondering if members can make recommendations of their favorite cards or sets for Negro League stars who made Cooperstown HOF but never made it on a common baseball card set during their playing days

If I can’t add a card for Cool Papa Bell of Josh Gibson etc from their playing days, and suggestions for great looking cards for these greats made after their careers were over?

I have recently seen a new set called Helmar - don’t know anything about them but they look pretty cool

Thx for your suggestions!

Jeff

Our own Graig Kreindler put out a 184-card set earlier this year.

https://negroleagueshistory.com/shop...ball-card-set/

First it’s important to remember that a number of negro league HoFers can be found in Cuban and Puerto Rican issues. Ray Brown, Ray Danderidge, Martin Dihigo, and Willard Brown can be had for less then 500. Willie Foster, Andy Cooper and Oscar Charleston are also available but well over 1k. Pete Hill, Jose Mendez and Gibson are possible but not for anyone without a trust fund

For more modern issues -

James Bell put out his own card set in 1976. Not a wonderful issue but you can find autographed copies for about 50 bucks
There are a couple of regional issues from the 70’s and early 1980’s that feature Negro league stars. I think it’s a Shakeys Pizza issue that features Pittsburgh Teams
The 1974 McLaughlins set is something that people either love or hate. It’s line drawings rather then photos. A bit rare in high grade
The 1984 Negro league set is cheap and decent but nothing that going to blow you away
The Ted Williams set in the early 1990s is decent and has a number of Negro league stars

The Helmar cards are very nice but they get pretty pricey for a manufactured collectible.

Go to the "Old Cardboard" website (you can click on their banner at the top of our homepage), then click on their "reference library," followed by "HOF Rookie Card database." That was set up by fellow member, Phil Garry, and is an excellent resource to see what the earliest five cards are, for each HOFer (updated through about 10 years ago). You'll see the super pricey Cuban/Puerto Rican/etc. cards from the Negro Leaguers' playing days (as Jason pointed out), but also many of the more modern commemorative cards from which to choose. Happy collecting!

The 1974 Laughlin set is a great choice:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ck%20Stars.jpg

Lots of cards of the HOFers, some considered RCs. You can also get some signed ones, which is nice:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...y%20signed.jpg

Willie Foster is not available to anyone without a trust fund.

1945-1946 Caramelo Deportivo Cuban League

I like the Ron Lewis postcards (two box set). I have about 25 of the cards signed. Like many things, I should have purchased the set the first time I came across them. Not a ton of hall of famers in the set but really nice looking cards.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143298204999

Around 1975 Laughlin ran an ad in The Trader Speaks (I think) offering the original artwork for this set at $10 per card, buyer's choice, first come first served.
I asked for Josh Gibson and got him along with a letter from Laughlin saying he hated to give Gibson up.
I just looked for the artwork and letter and they didn't immediately reveal themselves, but I'll look harder and post them when I find them.

Willie Foster is only in the Mallorquina set. To my knowledge, there is literally one single copy of his card. There is also an uncut Mallorquina sheet that has Foster (and Dihigo's rookie for that matter). For $50K, it can be yours.

Wow - had no idea that card was that rare

Of the Negro Leaguers who have period cards (Lloyd, Charleston, Torriente, Mendez, Cooper, Dihigo, R. Brown, Dandridge, W. Brown, Irvin, Day, Smith, Mackey, Hill and Foster), I am missing only Hill and Foster. Hill has a total of 3 cards from two sets (1 Cabanas, 2 Punch) and Foster has the one. They are absolutely impossible.

Kenny, the Mallorquina uncut sheet is no longer available for $50K. The price is now $80K.

LOL. Al bumped up several prices it appears.

An alternative way to go for collecting career contemporary pieces of Negro Leaguers that I have always liked is the team postcard/photo route. Oftentimes, you can get multiple Hall of Famers on a single item and cross off more than one individual at a time from your want/need list. These will usually save you substantial money over the one or two of a kind cards for guys like Pete Hill, Willie Foster, etc.

The 1931 Doble Aguila baseball cards have several Negro Leaguers including Hall of Famer Martin Dhigo. I do not believe that all of the players have been identified on the cards.

The postcard/team card idea sounds like a great one.... I’m not familiar with these. Do you have a image or link you could share to help? Thx for the tip.

Jeff

The postcard idea will not be much more affordable. A true post card will cost a number of thousand dollars if there are hofers on it. You may want to check out the website for Hakes Auctions. They have had a number of auctions featuring negro league and Cuban postcards. You may also want to take a look at the RMY auctions for an idea of what negro league postcards and phots go for

Ray Dandridge
 

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1602348473
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1602348485

As Jason previously mentioned, Hake's has been auctioning more Negro/Cuban League baseball memorabilia than any other auction house over the past decade, I recently joined their team earlier this year as Sports Consultant. Here are a few examples of Negro League team postcards that include Hall of Famer's and other stars of the day:

I am more of an individual card person when that is feasible, so here are a few of mine

Magnificent collection, Kenny.

Kenny, what set is that Dihigo from?

Paul,

The Dihigo is from the 1951 Arte y Deporte set, which was issued in Mexico. Dandridge is in the set too. Not many are known. I am aware of 4 Dihigo cards and 3 Dandridge cards, although there are probably a few more floating around out there. They are blank backed. My copy of the Dandridge is below. For whatever reason, it seems as if all the Dandridge cards are miscut.

That would be fun to see.

Thanks Kenny. Let me know when I can take the Dihigo or Dandridge off your hands!

LOL, it will probably be awhile.