Best "find" at a card show/garage sale/flea market/etc?

[Hoyt55]

What's been your best "find(s)" at a card show, garage sale, etc? Not just talking in terms of BV, but also in terms of personal value.

A couple that come to mind for me:

Found a 2007 BDP Gold Jason Heyward in a 100/$7 box at the local flea market, nice because I collect him anyways and BV was $20 on it last I checked. Also found a '97 Fleer David Ortiz RC (BV $25), and a '02 UD Fortyman Nomar Garciaparra /40 (BV $25) in dime boxes at card shows (actually found the Nomar at the National earlier this month).

My dad brought back some cards for me a while back from some kids who set up their own lemonade stand and happened to be selling some cards on the side as well. He found a bunch for me, but the highlight was a beat-up 1960 Whitey Ford, which is one of my favorites in my collection. Can't remember how much he paid, but it couldn't have been more than a few bucks for all the cards together.

 

[otgoal]

These aren't "sports" cards, but I bought a book of mid to late 19th century cabinet photos, tintypes, etc. and among them was a cabinet card signed by Tiffany founder Charles Louis Tiffany. He gave the cards away for (I think) his 80th birthday. I sold that one for $300.00 and many of the others as well.

 

[Loyalty32]

The best one I can remember was a Cal Ripken, Jr. 1993 Stadium Club First Day Issue card that I found in a .10 box a few years back. I'm sure there are others, but that one sticks out.

Thanks
Craig

 

[mrmopar]

My best shop deal that I can remember was picking up this card for $2.

1958 Bell Brand *** Wee Reese

As you can see, it's not perfect, but very decent. A few light creases and such, but a decent card that has a BV of around $800 I believe in top shape.

 

[sgbt4]

1971 Topps Nolan Ryan in a box of cards at a garage sale that my Mom picked up for me. It's still in my collection. About EX condition.

Great topic !

Scott

 

[mintman2]

My best card "find" was at a local auction probably 10 years ago where I bought a box of "miscellaneous baseball stuff". Got the box for something like $30 and it had a tin? boxed set guaranteed to contain a Joe D auto card. Don't know what i did with all the other stuff but sold the auto for $250? on ebay.

Of course my best "find" was a whole bunch of mens magazines from the 60's. There were probaly 50 boxes of them and I had no idea what they were worth but when they auctioned a box and it got no bids I'd jump in and grab em. Ended up with a couple hundred of them for YAYYYYY $30 ! Sold a couple single mags on ebay and one of the buyers was also a seller. He drove down from Connecticut to MD and paid me $3,300 for them !!!

I've always wondered though, if I got the leftovers and they were worth that much, how much were the other mags worth ?

 

[nsucolonel]

One day at my locoal Flea Market. I was walking around and looking for cards, toys, really anything. I new guy in the flea market asked if i collect cards. I told him sure. I bought a box of about 1000 vintage baseball cards. I got the box for $50. In the box was 1947 Leaf Jackie Robinson rookie, 1952 Bowman Williams, 1954 Topps Williams, 1957 Topps Mantle, 1957 Topps Brooks Robinson RC and a 1954 Topps Jackie Robinson. All the reset of the cards were from 1957 Topps, 1952 Bowman, 1948 Bowman, 1954 Topps, and early 1950's football. I couldnt believe everything that was in it.

JAson

 

[dragonslayer913]

When i was 10 my mom give me $1 to buy a shoebox full of cards 1975 Topps-It started the whole train running

 

[jbjeeplj]

A Thomas & Friends Cranky the Crane, for FREE!

Seriously, I never find any card/baseball stuff.

But my son loves the crane.

 

[MrBlackisBack]

Just found this at the National:



It was in a 50% off box marked $8. I gladly paid $4 for it. It is an SP in the set and many people are actively searching for it.

Also got this at a show for $4 a few years back. It was the Gold version #/100.

 

[don money]

Cool thread! For me, it had to be when I picked up about 1500 Zip'z/Crane discs at a rummage sale. Another time I found a monster box of 84 and 85 Topps baseball. All commons but just a lot of fun!

Chris

 

[JamesNevans]

I don't do garage sales, but occasionally when I was younger I did frequent a couple of thrift shops, nothing exciting but I did find a Vida Blue/Dick Green signed item for like a dollar. The shows are where I find things, this latest Tri-Star show in SF in May I got a $30 need card in a 1995 Stadium Club 1st Day Cal Ripken in a dollar boz. I get $8 to $15 cards every time in dollar boxes but sometimes it gets to $30 to even $40 value. I recently got a $100 basketball parallel at a show about two months ago, but it's often hockey cards where I keep an old price guide with me that I get some great deals as dealers don't bother with it in California. I've gotten an early 70's O-***-Chee sticker worth $100 I sold online for around $40, and a $100 Yzerman on my Trade page as two of the three $100 cards I've pulled out of dollar boxes.

 

[baberuth#3]

My best card find would be a big book of vintage Twins and Cubs cards and misc. for $25. There was well over $500 worth of cards from mostly the 60s and early 70s of stars such as Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Harmon Killebrew, etc. There were also 1985 AS game ticket stubs, 1987 WS ticket stubs, a Willie Mays record, and a 1947 (I believe) Yankees score card.

My best non-card find would be an old Joe DiMaggio three-finger glove. It was marked $20 but the lady running the sale says, "Oh, that's only $1."

 

[mintman2]

this latest Tri-Star show in SF in May I got a $30 need card in a 1995 Stadium Club 1st Day Cal Ripken in a dollar boz.

What ?

 

[Hoyt55]

Any other stories?