Collectable question

[Matt J]

Okay so I'm curious what a baseball I have is worth.

It's a 1951 (I thnk) Yankees team ball. It's original and has been in my family since my dad and uncle got one each working as bat boys during spring training in Ft. Lauderdale.

It was varnished by my grandfather to preserve it so I'm not sure if that destroys the value or proves the age and authenticity.

Does anyone know of someone near here that could put a value on it?

 

[sunspotbaby]

Maybe there's an online resource that can give you an idea. You didn't say whether it's a signed ball.

Here's one link...

Robert Connelly, Appraiser. USPAP Appraisals: Antiques, Collectibles, Clocks, Watches, Decorative Arts

 

[Matt J]

Signed by the whole team.

 

[sunspotbaby]

There was an episode of Pawn Stars that had the same year team ball, but i can't find it on the History channel website. Wish i could remember what the expert said.. I'll keep looking.

 

[SHELLY]

Does it have Micky Mantle, Joe DiMaggio & Yogi Berra on it?

.

 

[sunspotbaby]

about 3 minutes into this SWGB.
.
YouTube- Pawn Stars: Season 1: Episode 6 - Part 2/3

 

[Mango]

It's worth between 3K-5K. It's worth more if both Mickey Mantle & Joe DiMaggio signed. This is the only year the two played together.

This is a good source and will validate what I said...
New York Yankees Team Signed baseball

Most people varnished the balls so the signatures were preserved. I had multiple ones as a kid. I was a die hard Yankee fan. I caught a home run ball by Reggie Jackson. He signed it and then passed it around the bus to some other players, and Thurman Munson was also on the ball who later died in a plane crash.

My brother took it outside to play with it and lost it .

 

[Matt J]

It does have Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio on it. Thanks for the video SSB.

Oddly my dad and uncle had two, my grandmother wisely took the one I have today and packed it away. The other one got played with and eventually the signatures all wore off and the ball fell apart.

Thanks for the info, just curious if it was one of those million dollar finds that should be insured.

 

[Mango]

They have salaries listed on a click through taken from the Baseball Almanac. Joe DiMaggio earned $100,000 and Mickey Mantle only $5,000.

No wonder they only played once together.

 

[Minnie]

The value would greatly depend on whether you have a ball that was personally hand signed by the players or if you have a stamped ball that was given out to fans. In the 1950's all MLB teams produced "stamped" signature team baseballs to hand out to fans that came to the ballpark for a game or to sell at the concession stand.

If you have manager Stengel's signature also, it is definitely a find.

If the signatures are authentic and not stamped it could be very valuable since you have Dimaggio and Mantle. "51 was Mantle's rookie season and DiMaggio's last and they won the World Series.

I would recommend having it authenticated and do continue protecting it, either in a UV-filtering display (and keep it out of direct light) or wrapped in acid-free paper and stored with care.

Here is one in mint condition that sold for $20,000.

http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=702&Lot_No=19347&type=temcn030405a&ic=#Photo