#Hakes #Sells #Obscure #Jackie #Robinson #Card #WorthPoint
Just when you think you’ve seen every baseball card hit the market, something pops up out of the woodwork that changes the trajectory of the hobby’s history. One of those cards was revealed recently when a very obscure Jackie Robinson card reached the auction floor thanks to Hake’s Auctions.
The card emanates from Our Sports magazine, a short-lived periodical for the African American community in the 1950s. For its first issue, the magazine advertised the Robinson card as part of a special promotion for those who signed up for a yearlong subscription to the publication. The card features a sepia-toned picture of the Brooklyn Dodgers athlete—the same image used for his 1953 Topps card that year—and his autograph on the reverse.
This particular card up for auction was redeemed by Tom Reekie, whose name appears on the reverse side. The redemption asserted Mr. Reekie as a “sports authority” by Our Sports. Unfortunately, the marking also negatively impacted the card’s grade, as explained by Vice President Andy Broome of CGC Cards, the company Hake’s chose to give the assessment.
“Writing on a card, whether the card was intended to be written on or not, does affect the grade of the card,” Broome told WorthPoint in an exclusive interview. “In the case of this particular card, the writing was the worst defect as far as the grading is concerned.”
Actual production numbers for the cards don’t exist, but when a card surfaces with hobby leaders for the first time in its seventy-year existence, it’s safe to say that it is among the rarest in baseball card history.
Our Sports magazine ran for five issues, with Robinson as the publication’s editor. Robinson also contributed articles to the magazine, including a testimonial about his Dodgers manager, Leo Durocher.
What It’s Worth
Whenever one sells a little-known collectible, it’s hard to assign an asking price at auction. Thus, you’re likely to play it safe and go low. This is the tactic Hake’s needed to take in its Robinson listing.
“It was hard to assign a value range to an item that has never sold,” Hake’s President Alex Winter said in an exclusive interview with WorthPoint. “I felt we were conservative and had a good feeling that it would go over $10K. It was great to offer such a rare item and see all the positive response and excitement it generated.”
The result was a $14,276.70 winning price (buyer’s premium included) after seventeen bids.
While the baseball card exceeded expectations, it didn’t reach the mark that the collecting community has seen in recent years for other rare cards like the T206 Honus Wagner or the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle.
“In the grand scheme of sports collectibles, the price it brought was not earth-shattering compared to the seven and eight-figure items that happen in this world, but one can’t deny how rare and historically important this item is, especially since it ties to the African American sports publication that Jackie was directly involved with.”
The Jackie Robinson Hobby Story
Jackie Robinson is one of the most iconic baseball players in history. There’s no disputing that fact.
The first player of color to ever don a jersey in Major League Baseball broke a barrier that gave African American children and adults alike a feeling that one day they could take the field in the most prestigious ballparks across the country.
But in truth, Robinson didn’t just break the barrier—he smashed it to smithereens.
While battling racism off the field, Robinson emerged as one of the sport’s biggest superstars. After winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1947, Robinson captured the National League’s MVP honor in 1949, kicking off a six-year string of being an All-Star. He also led the Brooklyn Dodgers to the World Series in 1955. One year later, his career was complete.
Robinson was also an avid civil rights leader. Along with his role in Our Sports, Robinson campaigned alongside politicians like John F. Kennedy, who supported civil rights for African Americans while vehemently opposing those who stood against the movement.
And yet, for all he accomplished, Robinson stands behind other baseball superstars in hobby popularity. As seen in the WorthPoint Price Guide, only a couple of Robinson’s artifacts have exceeded the $1 million plateau, while his 1949 Bowman rookie card has topped out at just over the $500,000 mark.
Make no mistake—these are strong prices. But are they as lofty as they should be, given Robinson’s place in history?
“For his contributions to the game and to the civil rights movement, as revered as Jackie is, it is not enough,” Winter comments. “He is truly a legend in many ways and one can’t speak his name enough.”
What’s Next
So, now that the rarest Jackie Robinson card has sold, what’s next for memorabilia of those less recognized in the hobby? Will a Maurice Richard card enter the hobby? How about an obscure George Mikan card?
Unfortunately, neither scenario is all that likely to occur any time soon, though it does happen.
“On average, we see a new card discovery every few years,” Broome reflected. “The greatest thing for me is that most of the new card discoveries happen from outside of the hobby. Some of the coolest stories have come from non-card people discovering cigarette cards a relative long ago tucked away in a box in the attic or a Babe Ruth rookie stuffed inside of a piano.”
Jon Waldman is a Winnipeg-based writer. He has written for Beckett, Go GTS, Canadian Sports Collector, and several other hobby outlets over his two decades in the hobby. His experience also includes two books on sports cards and memorabilia. Connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonwaldman.
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