Mid-20th-Century Autographed Baseballs
Watch
GUEST:
My father used to work at what was called Comiskey Park in the late '40s all the way till the early '60s. And as a child, I used to be able to have the run of the place. And I used to go out walking around the park. I used to go in the clubhouse, go in the dugout. I was up in the press box. And it was a great time. It was a great time to be out there, yeah.
APPRAISER:
Oh, it's like a kid's dream!
GUEST:
Aw, yeah, it was.
APPRAISER:
What did you bring today here?
GUEST:
Well, my father, through the years, has accumulated these baseballs, and they've been in a box in his closet for years. I bring them out just to look at them, and we put them right back in there. Some people said to put them out in display, and I said, "No, they're doing quite fine where they're at." And I thought I'd bring them out today just to have them checked and look to see.
APPRAISER:
Yeah, well, basically, they range from the 1940s to the 1960s, and some of them are pretty special.
GUEST:
Uh-huh.
APPRAISER:
This one right here, for instance, is a 1957 Cleveland Indians ball. And Roger Maris, his rookie year. And here, he signed the ball right there. That's pretty neat. We have one from 1955, the Boston Red Sox, and there's Ted Williams-- signed the name right on the sweet spot, right over here. Here, we have a 1952 New York Yankees ball. And a very, very early Mickey Mantle signature right there. The cherry of the bunch, and my favorite-- 1961 New York Yankees ball.
GUEST:
Ah.
APPRAISER:
Now, let me tell you how I know this is a '61 Yankees ball. I mean, it's got everybody on it. It's got Mantle. It's got Yogi Berra. But the most important signature on this ball isn't Roger Maris, it isn't Elston Howard. It's this gentleman: Bob Hale. Bob Hale played 11 games for the '61 Yankees, and that's it. He didn't play for any other team that year, and 1961 was the year. So here we have a group of baseballs. You have a dozen in here. Do you have any idea what they're worth?
GUEST:
I have no clue. Never thought of... 'til today, they didn't come out.
APPRAISER:
Well, what if I told you that the '61 ball itself, because it's so immaculate-- you've kept them beautiful, and so did your dad-- what if I told you this was worth at least $3,000 to $5,000?
GUEST:
(blows through lips)
APPRAISER:
Just that...
GUEST:
I would've never have dreamt that.
APPRAISER:
What if I told you the whole box? $12,000 to $15,000.
GUEST:
You're kidding me.
APPRAISER:
Amazing.
GUEST:
Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
APPRAISER:
It's incredible stuff!
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
Now, you were a lucky boy. You've got four lucky little boys yourself.
GUEST:
Yes, I do. My sons will be very happy about this.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
