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If you had $5,000 to invest in ONE vintage card and sell it a year later, which one would you pick? Our Vice President, John, recently posed this question to us, and it turned into a debate we couldn't stop thinking about. He was torn between three legends: a 1948 Leaf Ted Williams, a 1938 Goudey Joe DiMaggio, and a 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle. All three are iconic. All three are proven performers in the vintage market. But we threw a curveball into the mix: what about a 1927 Babe Ruth?

John wants to invest $5,000 of his own money into one vintage baseball card. In 365 days, John wants to sell that card and hopefully make a profit. Important note: this is not our advice, recommendation, or investment tips for you; we are just asking your opinion on the card John should buy! 

The three choices John had as finalists are:

• 1938 Goudey Joe DiMaggio
• 1948 Leaf Ted Williams
• 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle 

Monte threw an idea out - how about Babe Ruth?

THE PITCH FOR 1927 BABE RUTH 

2027 marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most legendary seasons in baseball history. In 1927, Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs, a record that stood for over three decades and helped define an entire era of the sport. Anniversaries drive collector interest, and a round number like 100 years tends to bring a wave of attention, media coverage, and buying activity to cards tied to that moment. If you're looking to sell a year from now, timing the market around a milestone like this could work in your favor.

Ruth is also simply Ruth. He remains the most recognizable name in the hobby, and demand for his cards rarely cools off for long.

John's idea: 1927 Exhibits Babe Ruth

A total of 64 cards were released in the 1927 Exhibits set. Each card is 3-3/8" x 5-3/8" in size and displays nicely! Images are in black and white on the front. As you see in the video below, John shows us what the Exhibit card looks like; a great image of Ruth swinging his bat!

THE CASE FOR THE OTHER THREE 

Of course, John's original three options all have their own strong arguments:

1948 Ted Williams – The last man to hit .400 in a season, Williams cards from this era combine strong eye appeal with steady long-term demand.

1938 Goudey Joe DiMaggio – A true pre-war classic. DiMaggio cards from this set are scarce, and scarcity paired with a Hall of Fame name is always a winning combination.

1956 Topps Mickey Mantle – One of the most beloved Mantle issues, this card benefits from the enduring popularity of "The Mick" and consistent collector demand across grades.

Each of these cards has a track record. None of them need an anniversary to move the market.

SO, WHAT WOULD YOU PICK?

This is where we want to hear from YOU. Would you bet on the anniversary hype surrounding 1927 Babe Ruth, or would you rather stick with the proven, steady demand of Williams, DiMaggio, or Mantle? Every collector has a different strategy, and there's no wrong answer here, just different bets on where the market goes next.

Let us know in the comments (or reach out to us directly) which card you'd choose and why!

LOOKING TO SELL A VINTAGE CARD OF YOUR OWN?

Whether you have a Ruth, a Williams, a DiMaggio, a Mantle, or anything else in your collection, Just Collect is always buying! We offer free appraisals, and we'll work with you to find the best way to sell, whether that's in person, at a show, or through our fully-insured shipping option. Ready to start? You can fill out our any time!

INCREDIBLE COLLECTIONS PURCHASED

Check out blogs featuring incredible collections Just Collect proudly purchased such as:

• The Oregon Farm Collection with a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle discovered in an old barn!
• Two 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie cards - a pair of rookies from the Great One!
• 1990's Precious Metal Gem basketball cards include some of the rarest, most sought-after cards in modern history.
• The Aaron Judge Collection with high-end one of one cards and multiple rookie autos.
• Topps Venezuela Collection including a scarce Willie Mays card.

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WE ARE ALWAYS BUYING

Just Collect is always buying vintage sports and non-sports cards from 1879 to 2009 as well as select modern cards. If you have a collection that you are considering selling, contact us today to discuss or get our industry-leading purchase offer. If you have a collection that you want appraised, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss your collection and help you understand the real cash value of your collection in the current marketplace. Check out the Just Collect Buy List.

We always offer a FREE APPRAISAL for your collection here at the Just Collect site. Just click here:

We offer many ways to evaluate your cards other than or using our website, too.

• Come to convention

We keep a LIST of card shows we'll be attending. Come stop by the Just Collect table and chat.

• Meet in-person

If you have a valuable collection and want us to come to you, we'll hop on the next plane out.

• Meet in New York City

If you're near New York City and would like to meet in a public place, our owner, Leighton, would be happy to meet you; read all the information here.

• SHIP your collection

If you choose to mail your cards for an appraisal, we will evaluate your cards for FREE still. If you choose not to sell the cards, we'll ship them back shipping fees paid by us! We can offer our FedEx account with 2-day shipping, fully insured, all covered by us. Simply contact the office to set up this option.

OUR BUYING PHILOSOPHY

We've run into a wide range of people and collections over the last 25 years. Although Just Collect is known for buying vintage sports cards and especially vintage baseball cards, we are also extremely interested in buying non-sports cards, too!

Every collection and every collector is different and we treat EVERY collection with the respect and attention that we show for our own collections. We understand that many have put their heart and souls into building their collections. So when you're ready to sell, we understand the feelings that you're going through and will work with you to help you reach a decision that is a WIN/WIN, because if you're not happy, we're not happy.

CONTACT US ANY TIME

Whether you have vintage cards or modern wax you want to sell, you can reach out to us any time!

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• (732) 828-2261
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