THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408210217
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN L. BIGELOW, SPECIAL TO THE VP/LS
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Modern rookie cards make a dramatic entrance into the market. Typically, hobbyists will watch a prospect's progress in college and the minors, and they're ready to buy his cards as soon as he dons a major league uniform.
Dave Winfield's career, and his card prices, follow a more natural and steady progression.
Winfield's rookie card appeared without fanfare in the 1974 Topps set. For the remainder of that decade, he was a San Diego Padre; he was recognized as a quality player, but there was no overwhelming effort to acquire his cards. His relocation to the Yankees in 1981 coincided with a growth spurt in collecting. Still, Winfield was not the focus of intense market interest.
The 1990s have brought widespread acknowledgement of Winfield's Hall of Fame-caliber statistics and collectors' recognition of him as one of the game's treasures. There has been speculation that the players strike will mark the end of Winfield's career; even so, the dependable excellence of his performance translates into stability and value growth for his collectibles.
Winfield card values:
1974 Topps No. 456 (rookie): $225 to $250 in near-mint condition.
1975 Topps No. 61 (second year): $75.
1994 Issues: three times the price of a ``common'' card in the same series. MEMO: Brian L. Bigelow is store manager and appraiser for Candl Coins &
Stamps, located on Independence Boulevard and North (Lynnhaven) Mall
Drive in Virginia Beach. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Dave Winfield's rookie card, left, has steadily increased in value
and is worth $225 to $250 in near-mint condition. His '94 card is
worth three times the price of a ``common'' card from that series.
by CNB