RAREST KNOWN & HIGHEST REALIZED PRICES
1937 R172 Wild West Series #25 COWBOY OUTFIT
This example sold on an On-line auction house website for over $11,000 (ELEVEN THOUSAND). Below is the description that accompied this card on the site explaining it's rarity.
Graded EX-MT 6 by PSA, the highest-graded specimen among just three copies recorded in that company's Population Report. The mere sight of this treasure's bright red "Cowboy Outfit Free" title is enough to send collectors into paroxysms of glee! Easily one of the most rare and widely coveted non-sports cards ever produced, this extremely limited-in-distribution "premium" card accounts for the gaping hole at the center of almost all of the hobby's 48-card R172 near sets. This 49th card, #25 in the series, had considerable "street" value at the time of production. An entire ensemble of cowboy gear awaited each card's lucky recipient, so one can imagine that precious few were ever released (and fewer, still, left unredeemed). Today, less than a dozen examples of the sought-after item are thought to exist. The offered specimen, with its lovely and radiant design hues, must be one of the nicest copies among that tiny group of survivors. The cardfront sparkles with freshness and exhibits well-formed corners, and its overall presentation quality is superb. This is a special item which, by virtue of its small population and legendary hobby mystique, almost never changes hands and is even less frequently offered for sale: its presence in this catalog's pages is a truly exceptional occurrence. Excellent to Mint condition.
RARE 1932 U.S. CARMEL KcKINLEY
This graded un-cancelled example included with the full 31 card set went for $29,800 @ Legendary Auctions.
The I'm Going To Be trading card set was released by Schutter-Johnson sometime in the 1930's. There were 25 cards in the set, each measuring 2-1/8" by 3-1/8". They gave kids the chance to peek at various professions (baseball player, fireman, auto racer) so that they could dream about what they would do when they grew up. The card back on the bottom is an ad for various premiums that the child could mail away for when all 25 cards in the set were collected.
The trick was, Schutter-Johnson had rigged the game so that practically no one could get their hands on card #4, Strongman. Apparently only one known copy exists within the hobby, and even it is stamped VOID on the back (presumably by the issuer) with holes punched in it to keep it from being sent in to redeem a prize. The Strongman card is one of the rarest non-sports cards, if not the rarest. Do other copies exist, voided or unvoided?
STRONG MAN #4 From "I'm Going To Be"
When the 31 card sent was completed it could be sent in to U.S. Caramel to recieve a 1lb box of chocolates. The cards were cancelled and returned also.
Marquis of Lorne
Widely recognized as the first insert card ever to find its way into a pack of cigarettes. The only example of this famously rare tobacco card graded by PSA. All known specimens (numbering in the single-digit realm, in total) display somewhat imprecise cutting and centering, and it’s easy to understand that machine cutting of these advertising throwaways would probably have been deemed an unnecessary expense for the small manufacturer.
1879 N519 AMERICAN NEWS CO. "Marquis of Lorne"
This PSA graded 1.5 sold at Legendary Auctions in May 2012 for $13,145.
Perhaps the single most valuable entertainment card from the past 50 years is the 1993 Star Wars Galaxy II P3 promo card of Yoda. Pulled from production after not being approved by George Lucas, a small amount escaped destruction and traded as high as $2,000.
I have read of some copies being sold for around $400 in recent years on Ebay.
One of the five most valuable pre-World War II non-sport cards and until recently, not publicly known to most in the hobby. This 1934 "series of 48" error card was withdrawn very early in production by National Chicle once the numbering mistake was discovered and promptly replaced by the corrected version -- #42. Card #36, which shows on the reverse side, is actually Charles Lindbergh.
Ten complete National Chicle Sky Birds master sets in high grade condition were assembled by a veteran collector in the 1970's and with unlimited resources, he was still only able to locate two of these specimens. The second example, in "Poor" condition, was supposedly sold a number of years ago to a veteran hobbyist.
This PSA 2 example was offered on Ebay in Dec. 2014 for $25,000
1934 R136 National Chicle Sky Birds #42 Albatross-Taube
1993 Star Wars Promo Floating Yoda
1981 TOPPS IRISH WACKY PACKAGES TEST
The finding of the Wacky Packages 1981 Irish Test Series
Nobody knew this series existed until August of 2004. There had been some clues because Topps Vault had sold some proofs, including a wrapper proof, on eBay in the year and a half prior to the find. However nobody put together that there was actually a whole test series printed up, we all thought we were seeing proofs of the actual Irish stickers from 1985.
It was later discovered that a individual had a full box of 48 packs, plus 11 packs extra. To date (12/04) the 59 packs (118 stickers) are the only ones ever found. No other finished stickers have ever been found, however Topps did auction some unfinished proofs on eBay. The person had inhereted them from her father who had recently passed away. He was a pack rat who saved all sorts of odds and ends. He lived in Brooklyn in 1981 and never visited the UK. He also had no official association with Topps. The daughter is sure that he did not obtain them overseas, but must have found them somewhere in Brooklyn. So it is not sure if they ever actually were tested in the UK market. Nobody knows if they were even sold in stores in the U.S., no other stickers have ever surfaced.
28 of the packs were opened and one complete set was put together plus a handful of singles. Another 25 packs and the box are in one private collection, and the rest of the packs and the wrappers have been dispersed into pack and wrapper collections around the hobby.
Update May 9th, 2009: Apparently the remaining 37 packs from the second box were found and also hit the market. Almost all packs have been opened by people trying to build sets. There are three full sets and a fourth missing one title (Kill I believe). There are probably less than 10 unopened packs remaining intact.
*NOTE: 1 Of the complete sets was auctioned by Legendary Auctions in June 2009 for $2,280.
SUPERMAN
1940 Gum Inc. Superman is one of the most popular trading card sets of all-time. The set holds the distinction of being the first in a long line of releases based on the Man of Steel. It's also considered to be the most valuable.
The 1940 Gum Inc. Superman checklist consists of 72 cards. While all are relatively scarce, the final 24 (#49-72) are considered short prints. As such, they can carry a premium over the more common low numbers.
Card fronts feature vivid artwork, usually with Superman saving the day. Backs have a lengthy writeup hyping what's on the front and building up the hero. The bottom of the card has a Superman logo and an ad.
Today, 1940 Gum Inc. Superman cards sell for solid amounts, no matter the condition. They're attractive and they're Superman's first foray into the hobby. In short, it's a piece of pop culture history.
This PSA 5 #72 SOLD on Ebay Oct. 2014 for $4,427
1952 LOOK 'N SEE
Some graded auction prices from Ebay Dec. 2014 & Jan. 2015
Stephen Decatur
PSA 9 $650
Babe Ruth
PSA 8 $510
Buffalo Bill
PSA 9 $897
Rembrandt
PSA 7 $709
Rembrandt
PSA 8.5 $5000
SUPERMAN 1940 Leader Novelty R146
Graaded SCG 20
SOLD Ebay Nov. 2014 for $1,281
More SUPERMAN 1940 EBAY Auction SOLD prices in 2014
PSA 4 #1 $910
PSA 5 #63 $985
PSA 6 #65 $1,075
PSA 6 #66 $1,691
PSA 4 #67 $1,065
PSA 5.5 #68 $825
PSA 5 #69 $911
1956 Topps FLAGS Of The World
CHINA PSA 8.5
SOLD Ebay fo $995
ISRAEL #29 PSA 10 SOLD Nov. $999
SWEDEN #65 PSA 10 Nov. $750
G. Washington
PSA 9 $800
R. Amundsen
PSA 9 $2,300
1952 Topps Look n See is one of the most popular trading card sets of all-time. The set focuses on more than 150 years worth of famous figures that helped shape America. The set remains heavily collected today by both set builders and fans of individual figures.
A total of 135 cards make up the 1952 Topps Look n See checklist. Similar to the more recent Topps American Heritage sets, subjects are divided up into several subsets. The first nine cards are U.S. Presidents. Cards 10 through 31 are dubbed "Famous Americans." Numbers 32 to 42 are Military Leaders and 43 to 46 are Famous Women. Subset themes continue throughout the rest of the set, but they're scattered. Other subjects include Explorers, Men of the West, Inventors and World Figures.
The 1952 Topps Look n See Babe Ruth is by far the most popular card in the set. He is the only baseball player on the checklist. In fact, he's the lone professional athlete. Although not confirmed, it is widely suspected that card 82, Rembrandt, is a short print. As a result, it commands a premium on the secondary market.
Thomas Jefferson
PSA 9 $879
Frankkin Roosevelt #1
PSA 8.5 $2,275
Leonardo Da Vinci
PSA 9 $898
1902 Odgen's Houdini SOLD
@ Lelands Auctions 2006 for $330.
1970 Topps Team Mates
Produced only for employees of Topps and not publicly distrubuted makes this extremly rare. A near set of 17 of the 18 was auctioned on REA in 2012 with high bid of $5,500. For more info on this set click the REA link below.