NEW FEATURE: Fantasy 50

Today, I'd like to introduce a new feature to this blog: It's called Fantasy 50.

It's where I have an imaginary $50 to spend on poor old baseball cards. 

My shopping list is taken from completed eBay auctions that have sold over the past week. 

It's just a fun way to wonder ... what if?

Heres my picks for the week of Feb. 23-29, 2020

1. 1933 Tattoo Orbit Melvin Harder

Sold on Feb. 24

$6.50 + $4.00 shipping, total of $10.50

More rare than the 1933 Goudey, these cards don't seem to be very popular among vintage collectors.

2. 1971 Topps Bob Gibson

Sold on Feb. 28

$0.01 + $1.49 shipping, total of $1.50

Why not. It's like getting a card from the value menu.

3. 1911 Hassan Triple Folder Delahanty/Jones

Sold on Feb. 27

$12.00 + $4.20 shipping, total of $16.20

These old cards are well over 100 years old  now and becoming harder to find. Gone are the days of $10 tobacco cards.

4. 1962 Post Willie Mays

Sold on Feb. 26

$1.80 + $3.95 shipping, total of $5.75

Come on, it's Willie Mays and it's from the side of a cereal box.

5. 1957 Topps Jerry Coleman

Sold on Feb. 26

$0.99 + $0.75 shipping, total of $1.74

The HOF broadcaster was roomies with Mickey Mantle and a Marine pilot during WWII and Korea.

6. 1970 Topps Vida Blue and Gene Tenace Rookie

Sold on Feb. 25

$3.20 + $0.75 shipping, total of $3.95

Two pretty good players on one rookie card.

7. 1971 Topps Pete Rose

Sold on Feb. 24

$1.95 + $3.50 shipping, total of $5.45

I love the 1970 black borders, not to mention a youngish Pete Rose.

8. 1958 Topps Brooks Robinson

Sold on Feb. 23

$1.25 + $3.50 shipping, total of $4.75

Second-year card of arguably the game's best third baseman.

TOTAL: $49.84

1969 Topps Reggie Jackson

On May 20, 2012, another sports card auction closed. Lot #71, a PSA 10 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson, sold for $115,242.

On April 2, 2015, an eBay auction closed. A 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson sold for $30.

The same card with two vastly different price points.

The first was once owned by former major leaguer Dmitri Young. As it turns out, he has one of the best graded rookie card collections around. His niche is high-end, highly-graded superstars.

The other card is owned by me, I consider my poor old baseball card collection to be one of the (poorest) around. My niche is low-end, non-graded superstars.

I think I got the better deal.

1927 W560 Simmons, Cuyler, Walberg, Sewell, Clark, Rhem

Today's arrival is this sweet lot of strip cards from 1927. I have plenty of old strip cards but these are the first from this playing card-like set. How cool are these?

I was first intrigued by the two hall-of-famers: Al Simmons and Kiki Cuyler. But as I inspected the cards, my eye kept going to (top, left) Rube Walberg. How could you not be attracted to that figure with the ten-gallon hat.

Walberg was an interesting player. His overall 155-141 record as a pitcher with the Giants, A's and Red Sox is incredibly punctuated with 140 complete games.

That's crazy!

Walberg is also known as the hurler that gave up 17 homers to Babe Ruth, more than any other pitcher. He also hit four home runs of his own.

1959 Topps Yogi Berra

You rarely hear Yogi Berra's name associated with the game's greatest.

Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente seem to be in the conversation. But what about Yogi?

A few stats from Wikipedia:

• 18× All-Star (1948–1961², 1962²)
• 13× World Series champion (1947, 1949–1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1969, 1977, 1978)
• 3× AL MVP (1951, 1954, 1955)
• New York Yankees #8 retired
• Major League Baseball All-Century Team

Some consider Yogi Berra the greatest catcher ever.

There's no doubt Yogi Berra should be a part of the conversation. What do you think?