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People I know that never play the lottery always buy tickets when the jackpot gets really big… and that’s what it’s like right now for Yankees fans this week - and they might not even realize it! What Yankees fan wouldn’t want to attend one of Jeter’s last home games and potentially make a lot of money in doing so?! The last month of the 2014 baseball season is upon us, and baseball will lose Yankees super shortstop, leader, and captain, Derek Jeter, to retirement as the curtain closes on his legendary career. The Major League Schedule calls for Jeter and his Yankees teammates to end the regular season with a three game series at storied arch-rival Boston, September 26-28. If there are baseball gods, then they must have guided the American League schedule maker for this one. It may take the treasury of the “gods”, however, to grab a ticket, as prices for admission to ‘The Captain’s” final game are topping off near the $10,000 level - for what few choice seats are available. Even bleacher seats at Fenway will cost a fan a few hundred bucks (probably the best buy as any Jeter Home Run ball would be worth at least tens of thousands of dollars!) Barry Bonds record breaking #756 Home Run ball sold at auction for $752,000 in 2007, A-Rod’s 500th Home Run ball sold for $103,000 in 2010, and I predict Jeter’s last Home Run ball if hit over the next few days would sell for at least $250,000 at auction but wouldn’t be shocked if it sold for $500,00 or more! We already know the achievements of Jeter’s spectacular tenure in Yankee pinstripes, and regardless of which team is your favorite, Jeter’s send-off glowed with respect, praise and has earned cheering from even the most ardent of his opponents. His sendoff tour culminated at the mid-season All-Star classic, as those in attendance, as well as watching worldwide, enjoyed calling him back several times for his “Hero’s Tip o’ the Cap”! Jeter has since been highlighted through Jordan’s Re2pect ad, and Gatorade’s " Made In New York ad – both of which give me the chills every time I watch. The Yankees have also honored Jeter by having each player and coach wear a special “Number 2” commemorative patch on their iconic pinstriped uniforms for the last month of the season.

image courtesy of fanatics.com

Who knows what memorabilia awaits us from the last few games of The Captain’s career, from his last home game at Yankees Stadium to the regular-season finale at historic Fenway Park. The values of Jeter memorabilia from these last few games may be speculative at this time, but the fact that prices will be hefty is not speculative, they are just a given! What will the market bear for a game-worn Jeter jersey with that special patch, from any one of his last outings? How about a foul ball off his bat or a baseball that Jeter hits for a home run? Could history repeat itself in a hallmark final game? Ted Williams homered in his final at-bat of his career in 1960. Moving up I-95 to the Back Bay, what would you do if Derek Jeter homered in his final game – and you caught the ball? It would probably be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Do you keep it? Sell it? What if you are a Red Sox fan – would you dare throw it back? Can you throw it back? Is there too much respect for Jeter even as a Sox fan, that it would be considered disrespectful? You would certainly be revered forever amongst Red Sox faithful, and written about for years to come… Never a league MVP, Jeter has always come through in the clutch for the Yankees and has been their team MVP for almost his entire career. Were the baseball gods, ironically, planning ahead with those dates, giving Jeter a chance to match Teddy Ballgame’s mark of being the only Hall of Famer to hit a home run on his last at-bat? We have a few days to still wait and see. No doubt, Jeter himself will provide some pieces and parts of equipment, uniform or other gear to his soon-to-be-new address in Cooperstown, New York. Might some other lucky fan or fans also get a memento of the last game of his last season at the pinnacle of pinstripes? Right now we just don’t know for sure. But what is certain, is that any momentous morsel of Jeets great career will be sure generate great interest among baseball fans and collectors. I will undoubtedly be in attendance next week for one of his last games. Just Collect is always looking for high quality Derek Jeter cards and memorabilia, as well as other vintage sports cards from 1879 through 1979. You can find out all you need to know about selling your cards and collections right here at Just Collect.