Sports Illustrated Blog #10 – Huggins and Scott Early Opportunity

~ jwyllie

Welcome to my 10th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  This timely edition is of particular importance because I want you all to be aware that, as predicted, the graded magazine market is taking off – right now!  Taking off???  Yes, right on schedule, popularity increases in graded magazines are carving giant shares out of the current graded collector market – and Sports Illustrated is leading the way.

Currently open for bidding until Thursday, November 9th, at 10 PM EST, Huggins and Scott Premier Auction House is featuring their second Graded Sports Illustrated Auction series.  This season, H&S has decided to feature a Graded 9.8 Sports Illustrated #1 Inaugural Edition, none higher, on the COVER of their prestigious auction catalog.  As predicted, in less than a year, graded magazines have jumped from the back burner of collector awareness to the cover of a major action house catalog presentation.  What a wonderful time to be ahead of the curve in graded collecting as this new concept explodes onto the market.  And you have knowledge ahead of the curve!

Forward thinking collectors and investors alike have correctly predicted and are continuing to take advantage of this upward movement and I hope for investment sake, you are joining them.  Below I have illustrated a few of the items being featured in this auction.  By clicking on the link below, you will be taken to the auction item and a complete set of details on each including item description and current bid.  If you are a collector or an investor, this is another early opportunity to capitalize on the next big thing!

Click Right Here

“Sports Illustrated Blog #9 – Top 100 SI Cover Ranking for Most Collectable – Commentary on #’s 41 thru 50.

~ jwyllie

Sports Illustrated Blog #9 –

Welcome to my 9th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this blog, I will finish my individual commentary on the top 50 ranked collectable SI’s with a brief dialogue on each cover entry #’s 41 thru 50 and include the follow up ranking list #’s 51 thru 100 with their ranking scores.  As always, I invite my readers to comment on my assertions and perhaps add a list of their own.

It’s interesting to note that in compiling my top 100 rankings, I actually had an additional 100 collectable covers that didn’t make the cut.  Over the years (since 1954) Sports Illustrated’s mastery/monopoly over quality writing and sports photography, has left no other sports publication in the conversation.  SI covers really tell a story on the highs and lows of sports chronology since 8-16-1954 and when they say “Illustrated” in their name, their iconic pictures are not only etched into our brains but have become commonplace in our everyday lives.  They are by far the most collected sports publication since 1954, with SI publisher TIME magazine most highly regarded by collectors for the pre-1954 era.  TIME magazine and its sister relationship with SI, will be the subject of a future blog.  Stay tuned for that one.

Please find below cover ranking #’s 41 thru 50 with a graded picture you can click on to link to a more detailed description.

 

41.  1967 Yaz – One of the most esthetic covers of all time. This guy wasn’t the strongest or the biggest – he just put his all into everything he did. A Master of the Green Wall.  A dark era print, this one is very very difficult to find in quality newsstand condition.  This first cover is a sleeper.  Don’t be shy about adding this one to your collection if you are lucky enough to find one.

42.  1957 Mantle – One of the few non-common issues from 1957. The start of the dark era, most occurrences of this issue are filled with stress marks and excessive wear. The second full Mantle cover, keep this one high on your list of overlooked diamonds in the rough.

43.  1965 Swimsuit – I included the 60’s swimsuits as #16 on my top 100 list but this one in particular is elusive in newsstand. I don’t know the circulation numbers but Sue Peterson is rare. Dark era and esthetic.  It doesn’t get any better or harder to find than this one.                                                                  44.  1967 Orr – The greatest defenseman of all time. Watching Bobby Orr on the highlight films is like watching poetry in motion. Blood on his face, intensity in his eyes – another dark era print which is scarce in quality newsstand condition.  One of the most collectable of the 60’s.

45.  1965 Oliva – Tony Oliva is one of the most underrated hitters of all time. Our cover here shows that classic “hit it where they ain’t” swing.  Perennial .300 hitter.  Another dark era print, I’ve never seen a high grade 65 Oliva but I’m sure they’re out there.  Not the most collectable yet but when word gets out how hard this one is, you’ll be glad you bought one now!

46.  1962 Gifford – 1959 thru 1964 is the heart of the SI dark era and the Gifford cover is as difficult as any print during this period. Solid dark blue background wrinkles, creases and scratches easily.  Hall of Famer with a NYG following.

47.  1973 Secretariat – Arguably the greatest horse of all time. Very popular with even major sports collectors.  Top grades of this issue have proven to be incredibly difficult due to the solid green background which tends to highlight any minor handling or age flaws.  Only three grades in the 9’s with only one 9.8!

48.  1970 Butkus – Perhaps the most menacing cover picture of all SI’s. Butkus was always famous for his intimidating playing style and this cover captures the man and the moment perfectly.  If you like esthetic covers, this one ranks near the top.  Get one and get it signed.  Who would win in a duel between Ditka and Butkus???  Bears fans love ‘em.

49.  1959 Willie Mays – The population of the newsstand high grade 59 and 62 Mays covers has been significantly limited due to the quality of materials used during this era.  In addition, the 59 is a “Fat” issue which adds more stress to the binding further limiting high quality population.  You’ll be lucky to even find a newsstand copy let alone have it grade above 7.0.  I have a fondness for these two issues because they continue to update the Mays chronology which was missing for other black athletes during the 50’s and 60’s – Aaron and Clemente in particular.

50.  1962 Willie Mays – Also see #49 above.  If you can accumulate all the SI Mays covers (about 10) in high grade, you’ll have a quality registry as well as a chronology of one of the greatest of all time.

 

SI Covers Ranking – Top 100 for Collectability, Population Scarcity and Investment Potential.

Rank Year Newsstand Cover       Pop        Cond.  Cosmet   Collect    Invest  Total
                                                          Scarcity Scarcity  ics          ability     ment

1 1961 Roger Maris 9 10 10 9 10 48
2 1956 Mickey Mantle (all pages) 10 8 10 10 10 48
3 1959 Johnny Unitas 9 10 8 10 10 47
4 1967 Roberto Clemente 8 10 8 10 10 46
5 1969 Reggie Jackson 8 10 10 8 9 45
6 1961 Fran Tarkenton 8 10 9 9 9 45
7 1968 Pete Rose 7 9 9 10 10 45
8 1969 Hank Aaron 8 10 7 10 10 45
9 1963 Cassuis Clay 7 10 8 10 10 45
10 1960 Jim Brown 8 10 7 10 10 45
11 1962 Mickey Mantle 7 9 10 10 8 44
12 1961 Bart Starr 8 10 10 8 8 44
13 1955 Ted Williams 8 8 9 10 9 44
14 1964 Swimsuit 9 9 7 10 9 44
15 1965 Joe Namath 8 10 8 9 9 44
16 1965 Swimsuits (1965-1969) 9 9 7 10 8 43
17 1974 Hank Aaron 715 5 10 10 10 8 43
18 1970 Swimsuit 9 10 7 9 8 43
19 1960 Jack Nicklaus 8 10 8 8 9 43
20 1971 Swimsuits (1970-1979) 9 9 8 9 7 42
21 2002 Tom Brady The Natural 5 8 10 10 9 42
22 1954 Issue #2 8 10 4 10 10 42
23 1956 Warren Spahn 7 8 10 9 7 41
24 1981 Wayne Gretzky 5 8 9 10 9 41
25 1977 Larry Bird 5 9 8 9 10 41
26 1970 Steve Prefontaine 9 7 10 7 7 40
27 1955 Yogi Berra 8 9 8 8 7 40
28 1980 Olympic Hockey 5 7 10 10 8 40
29 2002 Tom Brady Amazing 5 8 9 10 8 40
30 1955 Al Rosen 8 9 8 7 8 40
31 1956 AllStar Game 8 10 6 8 8 40
32 1955 Willie Mays 8 8 5 10 9 40
33 1983 Michael Jordan 7 9 5 10 9 40
34 1975 Ali Frazier 8 8 8 8 8 40
35 1974 Ali Foreman 8 8 8 8 8 40
36 1971 Ali Frazier 8 8 8 8 8 40
37 1955 Hogan 8 10 6 8 8 40
38 1956 Mantle WS 8 10 4 9 9 40
39 1996 Derek Jeter 7 6 9 10 8 40
40 1962 Tarkenton 8 10 7 6 9 40
41 1967 Yaz 8 8 8 8 8 40
42 1957 Mantle 8 9 7 9 7 40
43 1965 swimsuit 10 6 6 9 9 40
44 1967 Orr 9 7 6 9 9 40
45 1965 Oliva 9 9 8 7 7 40
46 1962 Gifford 8 8 8 8 8 40
47 1973 Secretariat 8 7 8 9 8 40
48 1970 Butkus 7 7 10 8 8 40
49 1959 Mays 8 9 7 7 8 39
50 1962 Mays 8 9 8 7 7 39
51 1976 Brett 9 10 5 7 8 39
52 1976 Schmidt 9 8 6 8 8 39
53 1968 Marivich 8 8 6 8 8 38
54 1966 Alworth 8 7 8 7 8 38
55 1962 Palmer 7 7 9 7 8 38
56 1970 Conigliaro 6 7 10 7 7 37
57 1960 Arnold Palmer 5 10 4 9 8 36
58 1956 Ford 7 9 5 8 7 36
59 1961 Chamberlain 8 9 5 7 7 36
60 1956 Cousy 8 7 6 8 7 36
61 1961 Palmer SOY 9 7 5 8 7 36
62 1967 McGee 7 8 7 7 7 36
63 1977 Munson 7 7 8 7 7 36
64 1959 Aparicio Fox 8 9 5 7 7 36
65 1961 Player 8 7 5 7 9 36
66 1974 Julius Irving 7 8 8 6 6 35
67 2002 LeBron James 3 5 10 10 7 35
68 1983 Dan Marino 5 6 8 8 8 35
69 1982 Joe Montana 5 6 8 8 8 35
70 1982 John Elway 5 6 8 8 8 35
71 1965 Mantle 7 7 7 7 7 35
72 1958 Mantle Berra Yankees 7 9 5 7 7 35
73 1966 Sayers 8 7 6 7 7 35
74 1974 Ali Foreman 7 7 7 7 7 35
75 1956 Hornung 7 8 5 7 7 34
76 1956 Kaline 7 8 5 7 7 34
77 1957 Musial Williams 8 7 5 7 7 34
78 1966 Robinson robinson 8 7 5 7 7 34
79 1966 Riley 7 7 6 7 7 34
80 1966 Morgan 8 7 5 7 7 34
81 1976 Payton 6 7 6 7 8 34
82 1996 Peyton Manning 5 6 6 8 8 33
83 1955 Marciano 7 7 5 7 7 33
84 1956 Martin 7 7 5 7 7 33
85 1970 Mays 7 7 5 7 7 33
86 1969 Lombardi 7 7 5 7 7 33
87 1956 St Louis 7 7 5 7 7 33
88 1964 Clay 7 7 5 7 7 33
89 1964 Clay 7 7 5 7 7 33
90 1966 Alcindor 9 7 3 7 7 33
91 1986 Tyson 7 7 5 7 7 33
92 1959 White Sox 7 9 4 5 7 32
93 1996 Bret Favre 5 5 8 8 5 31
94 1989 Jerry Rice 5 5 6 8 7 31
95 1954 Calvin Jones 8 7 4 7 5 31
96 1970 Manning 7 7 5 7 5 31
97 1955 Walker 7 7 5 7 5 31
98 1954 #1 Issue 1 3 10 10 5 29
99 1963 Rozelle 7 7 5 5 5 29
100 2007 Drew Brees 3 6 5 7 6 27

Sports Illustrated Blog #8 – Should I grade? What is the Cost? What Should I expect?

~ jwyllie

Sports Illustrated Blog #8 – Should I grade? What is the Cost?  What Should I expect?

 

Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 8th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  My 2nd installment of the grading Q and A session will wrap up this topic with the exception of any questions you may write me.  I continue to receive the same question over and over – Should I grade my mags?  Sounds simple but it’s not.  Cost, time, and expectations are the critical factors to consider when making this decision.  Let’s take these questions  one at a time.

 

If you have any additional SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Sports Illustrated Blog #8 – Should I grade? What is the Cost?  What Should I expect?

 

Should I have my magazine collection graded?

No one knows the condition, hidden gems, current value and potential value of your collection better than you.  Therefore, the decision whether or not to take the plunge is totally up to you – but there are two critical factors you will be happy you considered as part of your decision process – Cost and Expectation.

What are the costs of CGC grading?

CGC has a step costing program which is based on the length of time you are willing to wait for your graded mags to be returned.  The costs and times below are approximate:

Modern – post 1975 – 8 weeks minimum – $30 ea.

Standard – 5 weeks – $55 ea.

Walk Thru – 1day – $84 ea.

These prices can be reduced by 20% by becoming a dealer which is a simple process.  Contact the company for details and parameters.  Shipping costs/registered mail will add to the above.  Note that CGC may quote shorter lead times in their advertising but as their customer service group will be happy to inform you, their published terms are only estimates and are subject to change at any time and without notice.

 

If I decide to grade, what should be my expectations?

Answering this question for yourself is the most important consideration before you devote serious cash to the project.  Your personal evaluation of the condition (approx grade) of your ungraded magazines will help create the proper set of expectations of the actual grade results.  Until you do this a few times, your skill level in accurately predicting actual grade returns will be low/unskilled.  What I mean to say here is most collectors have a more optimistic view of their collection’s value and condition than a totally unbiased grader such as CGC.    White gloves, magnifying glasses, spectrometers etc etc. are their tools of the trade – not yours.  The first time you send out 20 magazines and actually read the CGC detail of defects/faults which they use to describe your prized pieces, you will very likely be disappointed at their findings.  But have faith, it gets better.  Getting better at actually assigning your own grades will make you a better shopper and will actually channel your purchases toward real, not assumed, value.  This is when the value of your collection will begin to escalate, sometimes exponentially.

Be careful here – grading is a two edged sword.  Just like high grades bring optimized value, low grades do what? – lower value!  Note at card shows that most dealers have both graded and ungraded cards.  The reason that all cards are not graded is that the dealer believes a grade on his ungraded cards would reduce the value.  Dealers do find it cost prohibitive to grade everything at once but for the most part they’ve decided the card is not worth the investment.  But once you become a skilled non-professional grader, ungraded merchandise can be a diamond in the rough and that adds value to your collection.

So the general rule on grading is, in my opinion, if you are a small, large or serious collector driven by the goal of increasing value, everything should be graded.  If you like owning stuff of interest to you and are not driven by selling at a profit, then don’t waste your money on grading.

 

Grading takes time – What grading level should I choose?

This answer is from my own personal perspective.  If you are like me, sending in a really nice, clean item that you feel will grade high, is exciting.  I want to have it graded immediately (walk thru) at the additional cost.  For other items, I chose the “Standard” grading level at a slightly lessor cost but still expensive in my view.  I almost never use “Modern” because two-three months is too long to wait.  At the end of three months I can’t even remember what I sent in!  When your expectations are properly set, getting grades back can be like Christmas in July all year long!!!

Great Luck To You!

Sports Illustrated Blog #7 – Why Grade and What Does a CGC Grade Actually Mean?

~ jwyllie

Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 7th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this edition, I will answer two of the FAQ’s relating to CGC Graded Sports Illustrated and/or other graded magazines.  Why are collectors and investors grading their magazines?  What do the grades really mean?

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Next time, in Blog #8, I will continue on this subject and address the decision of having your personal collection graded, associated costs, and what should be your expectations.

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 7     9-15-17

Q and A Session Relating to CGC Graded Sports Illustrated and Other Magazines.

 

Why are so many collectors and investors now grading their magazines, especially Sports Illustrated and TIME?

The answer on this one is simple and twofold.  Most collectors have that competitive nature to own the rarest, highest grade condition registry of items known to the industry.  He/she wants to go to bed at night with the assurance that their item or collection is recognized by the industry and its measurables as the best, rarest, high grade, etc.  The best way to define the “best” is to have a certified grading system that is widely recognized and accepted so there is no debate as to their published results (census) and final grade.  CGC currently is that institution.

Second, having a grade separates the many from the few and the very few and the very very few.  And of course, the rarer an item, the more a collector will pay to own it and the more bragging rights associated.  Did you ever hear someone say “I own a 1952 Topps Mantle Rookie card graded 8.5?”  What he is really bragging about is that he owns a card worth X number of dollars which has been established by the industry and the grade.  Can’t do that without a grade.

Sports Illustrated is almost universally recognized as the Cadillac of sports publications since 1954.  If you are going to grade a magazine, grade the best – SI.  If you are interested in pre-1954 magazine grading, the answer is TIME magazine.  SI’s owner since its inception, TIME Magazine, is the precursor extension of the SI product and sports some of the most iconic covers in all of pre-1954 sports publications.  Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams, Hogan, Musial, J. Robinson, Feller, Ott, Gehrig (the only SI, TIME or Newsweek issue to capture the Iron Man), Hubbell, Hornsby, Mays, Clay, Brown, Stengel and more.  These issues, many 70+ years old (really old in magazines years!), complement and in many cases surpass SI in their collector interest.  I know an investor who owns both, a CGC 9.8 Williams 1955 SI and a CGC 9.8 Williams 1950 TIME Magazine – an unbeatable combination.  He’s a happy camper.  Combinations like that haven’t reached an established value yet as there is only one and it has never sold publically.  I wish I owned it.

 

What does a CGC grade really mean?

A CGC grade is a value standard accepted by the industry, which allows collectors to rank their individual items and collections by rarity.  CGC publishes a census of all the magazines it has ever graded which allows the collector the assurance of knowing the exact population of every graded magazine, by issue, by grade.

With regard to grades and the challenge to always obtain the CGC 9.8 of each issue, I want to point out that magazine grading is a much different animal than card grading, esp. as we move our collections back in time.  Magazine populations (and I mainly speak to SI and TIME), are far less than even the rarest of TOPPS productions plus there are many more opportunities for faults in a magazine over a card.  In general, if a magazine has been read, its grade will typically drop under CGC 9.0.  There are just so many things that can accumulate to lower the overall grade.  The reason I point this out is that there are many graded magazines on the market right now that grade at CGC 8.0, CGC 7.0 and even CGC 6.0 that are the highest grade ever for that issue.  Not every issue has a recorded CGC 9.8 and in my opinion, some never will and I recommend that you be one of the few collectors recognizing this fact and be careful to not overlook some of these diamonds in the rough.  The grade itself isn’t always the only indicator of value.  You should consider the magazine publisher, the age, relative scarcity (census) as it compares to other issues, and printing quality factors which I have covered in earlier blogs, esp the “dark era print” issues.

As more issues are sent for grading, CGC grades will tend to climb higher and higher on most issues – but not all.  Some of the scarcer issues currently graded CGC 7.0 or 8.0 may remain the highest ever graded of that issue forever – and they can be purchased now at bargain prices because sellers and buyers are mistakenly valuing issues solely on the grade.  So as you embark on your next buying trip, be armed with this knowledge, be diligent in your grade evaluation, and always consider other factors mentioned.  You might come home with some real value at below market prices and isn’t that the goal?

Great Luck to you!

 

 

 

Blog Post #6 – First Ever Graded Magazine Auction on Ebay.

~ jwyllie

Hi Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 6th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  Previously in Blog #5, I mentioned that investors are quietly gobbling up high grade, high value Graded SI’s for a fraction of their projected future value.  This week, all of us will have a chance to dip our toes in the water and take part in the (Click here to view auction items) FIRST EVER EBAY GRADED MAGAZINE AUCTION  sponsored by my EBay home page (Click here to visit my store) sportsillustrated9.8.  This bid auction will end at 4PM EST and 1PM PST this Saturday and you may go in anytime until that date and time to place your bid.  Starting bids have all been set to $9.95 so this could be a nice opportunity to pick up some popular high grade issues at very reasonable prices.  Below I have included a picture of each item up for auction and by clicking on the picture, you will be taken to the actual auction site where specific item descriptions are given.  All auction issues feature athletes in the news such as Brady, LeBron, Curry, a 9.6 SI #1 – 8 items all together.  Have some fun and take a look – you may get hooked!

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Blog Post #5 – Catching Up With Investors!

~ jwyllie

Sports Illustrated Blog 5 – Catching Up With Investors

Hi Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 5th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this edition, I will cover knowing what investors know, the surging values of CGC graded SI’s and recent auction results.  I have also written a review for each SI cover ranking #31 – #40.   This section includes entrees from some of the hottest collectable SI’s in the market today.

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

Surging Graded Sports Illustrated Values, Recent Auction Results.  What Does It All Mean???

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 5     8-24-17

For the past 5-10 years, graded magazines have been quietly creeping up in popularity on the card collecting industry with little fanfare or notoriety.  High rolling investors, in their quest to be first in finding and then owning the next Big Thing before you do, have been devoting increasing amounts of cash into “Graded Magazines”, especially SI and TIME.  Any time the average collector finds out the big money guys are buying, it is usually too late to take part in the early profits – but I’d like to help change that for you.  I am the largest graded SI, TIME, Newsweek, Beckett, etc magazine dealer in the country and have personal contact with the specific investors now buying on the leading edge of the surge in popularity.  And as we all know, popularity drives price!

You can visit my Ebay store here to view over 400 CGC graded Sports Illustrated, many of which are the highest grade of their kind in existence – but they don’t stay available for long once they hit the public.  I want you to be exposed to the same opportunities larger investors are gobbling up, in some cases, even before auction.  By reviewing my ebay store here and/or contacting me on this site or by phone (704 724 0234), you will be investment years ahead of the average collector not reading this blog.

Check out my Ebay listings here and recent sold auction prices here from Huggins and Scott Auction House dated August 3rd.  You could have purchased these items 6 months ago at a significant savings and this is the leading edge of the surge I to which I speak.  What will be the auction prices be in November when I submit another batch for sale?  Don’t miss the opportunity to buy now, direct from me, before the next auction.  We now have the opportunity to know what the big investors know and exactly when they know it!

Clicking on any one of the pictures below will take you right to its Ebay page for a complete and full description of the item.

 

  1. 1956 AllStar Game – Number 31 on my list is a bit out of the ordinary in that it features 10 all-star baseball players from 1956 versus just one athlete. I have included this issue because of its condition difficulty – a CGC 7.0 is tops.  The 56 All-star and 56 World Series issues are both extremely rare in newsstand high grade.  If you can get one of these you may even pay a bit less because it doesn’t focus on one athlete but don’t shy away.  It’s Mantle’s second cover and destined to see one of the first spikes in collector pricing.

  1. 1955 Willie Mays with Durocher and Day – Willie’s first SI cover.  Of course this one is one of the most coveted of all SI’s and most expensive in high grade but the good news is that there are already several CGC graded at or above 9.0 with highest recorded at CGC 9.8.   Along with Mantle, Williams, Clay, #1 and #2, Mays is part of the Holy Grail team that seems to always be at the top of the food chain with regard to price and value.  If you are a Mays fan, you can find several newsstand 55 Mays in high grade (9.2 and 9.6) in my store or on the open market but beware of raw mags (those that are not graded) for hidden flaws which will limit future value.

  1. 1983 Jordan – Michael’s first cover joins Brady and Gretzky as one of the newest issues to make the top 50. To date, his cover has proved impossible to find in Mint condition (highest CGC 9.4) for several reasons.  First, most Jordan issues have been read.  Second, this is a college basketball issue and is thicker than the average mag.  The thickness of the magazine causes stress to form on the binding and staples.  Nearly every issue you find will be stressed but having a Jordan first cover is a victory in itself.  Start slow and find a lower grade copy and perhaps in your travels you will come across the condition to suits your interests.  When you do, grab it!

  1. 1975 Ali- Frazier – Chronicled in this issue is the 3rd of 3 bouts between the Greatest and one of the Greatest of all time. Affectionately known as “The Thrilla in Manilla”, Ali defeated Frazier to take the series 2-1 (Frazier defeated Ali for Ali’s first loss in 1971).  Famous for their colorful press conferences and threatening playful overtones, any collection of these issues always stimulates value and conversation.  A tough issue in high grade but work on the Ali-Foreman-Frazier series issues.  They’re a chronology that we 50 and 60 somethings love to collect.

 

  1. 1974 Ali-Foreman – See #34 above. “The Rumble in the Jungle” and the “Rope a Dope” – perhaps the fight that endeared Ali most to his adoring fans.  A huge upset – Ali wore Foreman down by taking blow after harmless blow until Foreman had nothing left.  Also a tough find in CGC High Grade.  Collector’s love the chronology of this series along with the 71 Frazier-Ali.

  1. 1971 Ali – Frazier – The first Ali Frazier bout saw Frazier taking the decision but his face looked like a punching bag. He had been beaten to a pulp but took the punishment to hand Ali his first defeat.  Again, a tough find in CGC High Grade but if you can put together an Ali-Frazier–Foreman collector series, you’ll be glad you did!

  1. 1955 Hogan – First Cover highlighting the 8th hole of the Masters, a tournament Hogan had owned in the past. One of the most popular of the 55 covers, and there are many, but difficult to find above the grade of CGC 9.0.  The highest grade to date is 9.4 with a pop of 1.  All of these 55’s are holding their values and Hogan is no exception.  Grab a high grade Hogan and keep it – then check the value next year!

  1. 1956 Mantle World Series – Any early Mantle covers are among the top collected SI’s and most valuable. The 56 World Series cover is one of those covers that just refuses to turn up above the grade of CGC 7.0.  If you can find a decent looking copy, take a chance and have it graded – you may own the highest grade out there.  Plus it’s Mantle’s third cover in his Triple Crown year.  It’s a no brainer.

  1. 1996 Derek Jeter – Holy Cow! You would think the relevant age of this issue would turn up at least several CGC 9.8’s.  But believe or not, none have appeared on the CGC census higher than a 9.4.  You might have the highest recorded mag to date in your attic!  Any Yankee cover tends to be popular but Jeter ranks right up with the top Yankee icons.  Keep your eye out for one of these – they are out there!

  1. 1960 Arnold Palmer – The King – Arnie’s Army. The undisputed King of the 50’s and 60’s PGA and the man most responsible for the incredible modern day golf purses.  This 60’s issue is another dark era copy and is very very difficult to find above the grade of CGC 6.0.  A nice clean copy could would quickly attract the attention of investors.  There hasn’t been a clean copy even submitted to grade yet.  So if you’ve had that copy stored in your attic for 50 years, it’s time to pull it out and have it graded.  You might be sitting on a bunch of cash!

 

 

Blog #4 – CGC – 9.8 Graded Sports Illustrated

~ jwyllie

Blog #4 – Huggins and Scott Auction Items – CGC 9.8 High Grade Sports Illustrated 

This Thursday, August 3rd, is a bidding opportunity you’re not going to want to miss!!!

I have submitted to Huggins and Scott Auctions and have up for auction some of the rarest, most popular, and highest graded Sports Illustrated magazines including a signed original of the highest graded, POP 1, inaugural edition from 8-16-54 – a CGC 9.4 Eddie Matthews auto – a real beauty!!!  Other graded CGC 9.8 magazines from my collection in auction are pictured below, plus more not listed here.

This is a real opportunity to attain high grade stuff at very reasonable prices.  Let me know if you win any of my items and I will extend a 20% discount to you on your next purchase from my ebay store, just click the link,  SportsIllustrated98 

Just click on any picture below for an auction detail of each item!

 

 

Blog #3 – Mailing Label Vs Label Removed Vs No Label VS Newsstand – What does it all mean to you???

~ jwyllie

Hi Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my third in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.

In this edition, I will cover the mailing label phenomenon.   Mailing Label Vs Label Removed Vs No Label Vs Newsstand – what each designation means and how to decipher what each seller is actually saying in his/her words, pictures, and product line MO.

I have also written a review for each SI cover ranking #21 – #30.   This section includes entrees from some of the hottest collectable SI’s in the market today.

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

Mailing Label Vs Label Removed Vs No Label Vs Newsstand – What Does it All Mean???

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 3     7-12-17

The mailing label phenomenon has evolved over the past 15 years or so.  As collecting Sports Illustrated back issues has become more popular, the demand for better, more high quality, condition sensitive issues has also increased.   This evolution has inspired the removal of mailing labels which has caused some confusion in the industry.

A past SI issue with a mailing label is referred to as a Subscription issue.  The reason is that SI initially glued on its shipping label to the front cover of its magazines which it mailed out to its subscribers.  As collectors became disenchanted with the ugly mailing labels on their nice rookie covers, one industrious entrepreneur invented a way to remove the mailing label leaving only the glue residue.  These issues are called No Label, NL or Label Removed.  It seems redundant to picture a magazine with no label and call it “No Label”, so many sellers just remove the label and don’t address whether it is No Label or Newsstand, so buyer beware here.

For a while, collectors accepted this as an economical alternative to the Newsstand version.  With the advent of magazine grading, Subscription and Label Removed issues have fallen a bit out of favor and Newsstand types have increased in demand, even though the cost is usually considerably more.  A Newsstand issue is one that has no label and never had a label.  It was delivered to and sold by newsstands and never mailed.  Although SI has been extremely secretive regarding breakdowns of the different type of subscription circulation rates, it is commonly agreed within the industry that 2% of pre 1975 SI circulation in existence are Newsstand copies.  Add the circulation scarcity to the condition scarcity and that is why newsstand copies bring such a premium.

With regard to value, serious collectors generally like their issues to be unaltered even if they have a label.   If you are a fun type collector, you can obtain some really sharp, label removed copies for a fraction of the newsstand price which makes filling in a nice collection fairly easy and affordable.   Either way, make sure you read the item descriptions carefully so that you are not surprised with something you didn’t think you ordered.

21.  2002 Tom Brady – The Natural. First Cover – Regular season edition.  Brady actually has two first covers – this one and #29 on my list printed in a Super Bowl version in February 2002.  The Natural is called the UPC version, proven to date to be the most elusive of the two in high grade as there are no CGC 9.8’s to date.  As this is a newer print, I anticipate a CGC 9.8 or two will surface and when it does it will command serious attention from the industry.  As this issue physically is a thin copy, it tends to stress at the binding easier than thicker versions.  Brady’s current “top of the industry popularity” and his expected continued popularity make owning what most of us now agree to be the best NFL quarterback to ever don the spikes, a must have for any serious collector.

22.  1954 Issue #2. Golf Bags.  The #2 Issue is an anomaly as is doesn’t feature a star athlete or commemorate an event.  What is does have is a print of 27 Yankees cards, including Mickey Mantle, the only Topps version of a Mickey Mantle likeness ever produced in 1954.  Apparently there was a dispute between Mantle and Topps which resulted in the card to be pulled from the set.  What’s even more intriguing here is that the #2 is extremely hard to find without printing errors in the sky of the front cover and significant handling wear throughout both covers – front and back.  Consequently, no #2 has ever been graded higher than CGC 9.4.  Perhaps you have that pristine issue in your attic.  The #2 is one of four early SI’s to contain at least one sheet of printed baseball cards.  The four BB card issues are the #1, #2, 55 Mays and 55 Rosen which together contain a total a set of 70 cards.

23.  1956 Warren Spahn. First Cover.  This action packed frame of a Hall of Famer in the midst of his classic wind up motion, is one of the most iconic captures of all SI covers.  Of course, that is just my opinion, but once you study the colors and athletic intensity captured in this picture, I think you will agree.  This cover finds its way up to number 23 because of its eye catching aesthetics, age, condition rarity and star appearance.  This issue has been very condition sensitive as the highest CGC grade to date is 8.5.

24.  1981 Wayne Gretzky. First Cover.  The Great One!  This one rivals the 83 Jordan for being the most popular and condition sensitive cover of the post 1975 issues.  The solid orange border is almost impossible to find unblemished.  Only one CGC 9.8 has surfaced even though it is a newer edition.  Check your old mag boxes for this one – a high grade will fetch serious cash.

25.  1977 Larry Bird. First Cover.   Again, a newer type issue, but the solid red border and super star athlete, propels this one into the category of “must have”, on many a collector list.  There currently is one CGC 9.6 and nothing else higher than CGC 9.2.  If you can find a clean cover newsstand version, you’ll have something your friends don’t have and serious collectors will want.

26.  1970 Steve Prefontaine. First and only cover.  Another really nice aesthetics cover and extremely rare in the high grade newsstand version.  Prefontaine seems to be an athlete a high percentage of collectors want in their fold.  With the highest CGC grade currently standing at 9.0 and nothing else higher than CGC 8.0, this one is proving to be popular and very, very hard to find – the two ingredients for an expensive collector piece.

27.  1955 Yogi Berra. First Cover.  The Berra cover is another in a series of star baseball covers from the year 1955.  Just like most early covers, finding high grade newsstand versions is proving to be elusive as there is only one CGC 9.6, none higher, and one 9.4.   Combine rarity with popularity and you have a formula for increasing value.

28.  1980 Olympic Hockey. Commemorative Event.  One of the very few front covers in SI’s history that had no title or other printing – just the picture that needed no words.  This one ranks high in aesthetics and popular with nearly every collector.  A fairly new printing but still one of the most iconic.  A CGC 8.5 grade stands as the highest to date so there is plenty of room to find and own the highest grade of a piece of American history.  A CGC 9.8 will attract serious investors.

29.  2002 Tom Brady. Amazing.  First Cover – Super Bowl edition.  Brady actually has two first covers – this one and The Natural printed in a regular season edition on April 15th 2002.  The good news is that two is better than one.  Both issues seem to be equally popular and selling for similar amounts if you can find one.  Currently there are 5 CGC grade 9.8 of the Amazing version and none of the Natural version.  This issue is very difficult to find with a clean, unstressed blue border which circumvents the entire magazine and is the major cause of disappointing grades to date.   I predict due to the difficult solid blue border, this edition will eventually become harder to find than the UPC edition in high grade.  Get this one while you can.  Brady’s current “top of the industry popularity” and his expected continued popularity, make owning what most of us now agree to be the best NFL quarterback to ever don the spikes, a must have for any serious collector.

  1. 1955 Al Rosen. First and only cover.  One of three athletes in our countdown so far that have only one appearance on an SI cover (Prefontaine, Clemente).  The Rosen issue has the distinction of being one of the four issues with printed baseball cards.  Combine this fact with its age, popularity, and newsstand scarcity and you have a potentially valuable find in your attic.  Many collectors want all four baseball card issues (see 22 above).  Trivia question – there are two faux pas within this cover – can you find them?

________________________________________________________________

Sports Illustrated Blog 2 – 6-20-17

If you are a SI collector of vintage back issues from the 50’s and 60’s, you may be familiar with what I call the “Dark Era” in SI production.  The Dark Era is the period between 1957 and 1969 where magazine cover quality, the materials used – not the pictures themselves, seem to be much more susceptible to the effects of aging such as fade, handling and shelf deterioration.

I’ve also found the years between 1959 thru 1963 are the darkest of the dark era as the first covers of Unitas, Brown, Starr, Tarkenton, Palmer, Nicklaus, Taylor, Maris, Clay, and others are extremely rare in Very Fine or better condition.  A CGC grade of 7.0 – 8.0 on any of these issues is a nice find while higher grades become the center piece of your collection.

In 20 years of actively collecting SI’s, I have never seen a Nicklaus, Palmer, Unitas or Brown first cover that would grade 9.0 or higher.  I’m sure they’re out there and as the industry grows, more of these elusive covers will become public.  Even then however, scarce is the word and don’t hesitate because they tend to be scooped up quickly when they surface.  Hard Core collectors often wait for that perfect card or magazine to emerge but be careful because a second opportunity may not present itself.

As you work the trade shows, auctions, private collections and the internet, keep the “Dark Era” in mind.   Keeping a watchful eye for covers printed during this time period, will help build your collection with covers your friends don’t have!  If scarcity equates to value, you’ll be glad you did.

 

Below I’ve listed and commented on the next ten SI’s from my Blog 1 ranking.

11.   1962 Mantle – The esthetics on this one are outstanding. Great close up of the “indispensable Yankee”.  Unfortunately, as so many others at the top end of my list, the 62 Mantle was printed in the dark era and is hard to find above the grade of CGC 8.0.  The combination of condition, esthetics, and being a Yankee make this one of the more popular non-first covers.

12.   1961 Starr – Great camera shot, another example of SI’s photographic excellence, and why they have consistently been the leader of the pack for 60 years. MVP of the first two Super Bowls, not to mention the consistent guiding hand throughout the Packer dynasty of the 60’s.  Another dark era print and difficult to find 7.0 or better.  It’s a recurring theme if condition is important.

13.   1955 Ted Williams – The first issue on this list since Mantle at #2 that wasn’t printed in the dark era. Again, the esthetics are great but the solid black background is easily blemished thereby making a high grade copy scarce.  There have been two CGC 9.8‘s which proves they’re out there if you’re patient and willing to spend the dollars.  This issue, at 9.8, is currently trading in the $5000 – $10000 range.

14.   1964 Swimsuit – First year of the popular swimsuit series which has run continuously since 1964. The first thing you will notice about the cover is that swimsuits have changed in 50 years!  Only three newsstand 64 swimsuits have ever been graded with CGC 9.0 weighing in as the highest.  An 8.5 recently sold at auction for $1200.  Clean newsstand versions of this issue are scarce and a high grade will compete in auction price with any other SI covers.  All 60’s Newsstand swimsuit issues are scarce making it difficult to put together a high grade collection.

15.   1965 Joe Namath – Not a particularly esthetic cover and difficult to find in better than 7.0 condition. Broadway Joe was a magnate for the spot light.  His SB III prediction solidified his place in the hearts of AFL fans across the country.  Then he backed it up just like Ali!  This is a tough cover in Newsstand, easily marked and worn and Joe’s values have been maxed especially since grading became popular.

16.   1965 – 1969 Swimsuits – see above. Each year exhibits a great, but modest, swimsuit model.  All 60’s high grade newsstand swimsuit issues are rare.  Only a handful have made it to the graders to date.

17.   1974 Henry Aaron 715 – Commemorating the surpassing of the immortal Babe and forever thrusting this long time great into the brightest of spotlights. Cover has a solid black background which highlights small scratches and shelf marks.  There is one lucky collector who’s all smiles as he has the only CGC 9.8 on the census but be happy if you can lock up a 715 issue above the grade of 8.0!  It’s a great find and matches up nicely with his 1970 and 1969 covers to make a unique set.

18.   1970 Swimsuit – Cheryl Tieg’s first of 3 covers and a real tough one to find in newsstand with a clean purple border. Currently a CGC 7.5 is the highest and only submission on record for good reason.  This one is the perfect storm – Tieg’s first cover, newsstand swimsuit, and the difficult purple border and you’ve got one of the rarest SI’s on record!

19.   1960 Nicklaus – This cover features a very young Nicklaus winning the US Amateur. It’s actually a great golf action shot which is kind of an oxymoron.  Printed in 1960, it is one of the elusive dark era covers to find in newsstand high grade.  There has only been one CGC submission to date and that one checks in at 7.0.  If you are lucky enough to find a clean 60 Nicklaus in your grandparent’s attic, scoop it up and then brag to your friends.

20.   1970’s Swimsuits – High grade newsstand swimsuits of the 70’s are nearly as difficult to find as their earlier 60’s counterpart. In fact, a nice 71 swimsuit is one of the rarest issues of the first 15 in the series.  The seascape backgrounds combine with the many solid banners to provide a difficult canvas to find well preserved.  Plus, I believe swimsuit issues tend to be read more thoroughly and often than other issues.  The 70’s also has two iconic swimsuit issues – the 75 Tiegs cover is my choice for the most esthetically gorgeous of all swimsuits and the 78 issue holds the infamous Tiegs fishnet picture.  Also found in this decade are two Tiegs and the first of three Brinkley ‘s.  There are no complete newsstand collections of 70’s graded covers in existence.  What a great registry!  You can be the first!

________________________________________________________________

 

Blog #2 – First Ranking of SI Covers

~ jwyllie

SportsIllustrated9.8 Blog – Series 1 – Ranking SI Covers

  1. Ranking SI Covers

6/12/2017

Graded Sports Illustrated are fast becoming a favorite with investors and serious collectors.  Why?  Graded pieces authenticate value much higher than their ungraded counterparts.  It’s also a neophyte part of the sports collecting industry where it’s still possible to own the highest graded issue of its kind for a fraction of future estimates. 

 

Inspired by Mark Humphries, Pitcards.Com, I have decided to build on his body of work with an informational series entitled – “Guide to Collecting Sports Illustrated – What You Need To Know!”

Although SI has long been light years ahead of its competition with regard to its award winning photography and feature sports writing, it is the image of their iconic covers that sticks to the brain.  It’s the part that most readers find so collectable.  Therefore, I think a great place to start my guide to SI collecting would be to put forth an analysis of my top 50 all-time covers.  Below is a chart ranking 5 catagories for each cover from 1-10 (with 1 being the least and 10 being the most) in a variety of collector interests – newsstand population scarcity, condition scarcity, cosmetics, collectability, and investment value.

 

Rank Year Newsstand Cover Newsstand Population Scarcity Condition Scarcity Cosmetics Collectability Investment Potential Total
1 1961 Roger Maris 9 10 10 9 10 48
2 1956 Mickey Mantle all pages 10 8 10 10 10 48
3 1959 Johnny Unitas 9 10 8 10 10 47
4 1967 Roberto Clemente 8 10 8 10 10 46
5 1969 Reggie Jackson 8 10 10 8 9 45
6 1961 Fran Tarkenton 8 10 9 9 9 45
7 1968 Pete Rose 7 9 9 10 10 45
8 1969 Hank Aaron 8 10 7 10 10 45
9 1963 Cassuis Clay 7 10 8 10 10 45
10 1960 Jim Brown 8 10 7 10 10 45
11 1962 Mickey Mantle 7 9 10 10 8 44
12 1961 Bart Starr 8 10 10 8 8 44
13 1955 Ted Williams 8 8 9 10 9 44
14 1964 Swimsuit 9 9 7 10 9 44
15 1965 Joe Namath 8 10 8 9 9 44
16 1965 Swimsuits (1965-1969) 9 9 7 10 8 43
17 1974 Hank Aaron 715 5 10 10 10 8 43
18 1970 Swimsuit 9 10 7 9 8 43
19 1960 Jack Nicklaus 8 10 8 8 9 43
20 1971 Swimsuits (1980-1989) 9 9 8 9 7 42
21 2002 Tom Brady The Natural 5 8 10 10 9 42
22 1954 Issue #2 8 10 4 10 10 42
23 1956 Warren Spahn 7 8 10 9 7 41
24 1981 Wayne Gretzky 5 8 9 10 9 41
25 1977 Larry Bird 5 9 8 9 10 41
26 1970  Steve Prefontaine 9 7 10 7 7 40
27 1955 Yogi Berra 8 9 8 8 7 40
28 1980 Olympic Hockey 5 7 10 10 8 40
29 2002 Tom Brady Amazing 5 8 9 10 8 40
30 1955 Al Rosen 8 9 8 7 8 40
31 1956 All-star Game 8 10 6 8 8 40
32 1955 Willie Mays 8 8 5 10 9 40
33 1983 Michael Jordan 7 9 5 10 9 40
34 1975 Ali Frazier 7 8 8 8 8 39
35 1974 Ali Foreman 7 8 8 8 8 39
36 1971 Ali Frazier 7 8 8 8 8 39
37 1955 Hogan 8 10 6 7 8 39
38 1956 Mantle WS 8 10 4 8 8 38
39 1996 Derek Jeter 5 6 10 10 6 37
40 1960 Arnold Palmer 5 10 4 9 8 36
41 1974 Julius Irving 7 8 8 6 6 35
42 2002 LeBron James 3 5 10 10 7 35
43 1983 Dan Marino 5 6 8 8 8 35
44 1982 Joe Montana 5 6 8 8 8 35
45 1982 John Elway 5 6 8 8 8 35
46 1996 Peyton Manning 5 6 6 8 8 33
47 1996 Bret Favre 5 5 8 8 5 31
48 1989 Jerry Rice 5 5 6 8 7 31
49 1954 #1 Issue 1 3 10 10 5 29
50 2007 Drew Brees 3 6 5 7 6 27

 

 

Below I’ve attached a pic and brief comment to the highest ranking 10.  I will continue to comment on the balance of the list in future blogs.

 

  1. 1961 Roger Maris with Ad Banner RC – Great action photo, extremely hard to find in excellent condition – if you can get one with the Ad Banner – you’ve got a good one. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t locate the condition you want.  Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1956 Mickey Mantle RC – including pages 37 thru 40 – Finding a high grade 56 Mantle is tough enough but only a tenth of those will have the center four pages. Omitted in printing, the missing pages up the ante on this one.

  1. 1959 Johnny Unitas RC – The first Unitas cover was issued early in the dark era of Sports Illustrated production. Starting approximately in 1957 and running thru 1969 many SI covers are difficult to find in unmarked condition.  The ink seems to mark easily making this one of the most difficult SI to find above the grade of 6.0.  Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1967 Roberto Clemente RC – Distinct color bands are cosmetic and great looking if you can find one that hasn’t been subjected to handling damage and/or printer errors. One of the most difficult covers to find above the grade of 7.0!  Unusual that his first cover would print so late in his career.  Currently 8.0 is the highest grade ever recorded by CGC.   Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

 

  1. 1969 Reggie Jackson RC – I was an avid Oakland fan during this era and really liked the loud, colorful uniforms and the “mustachiod”, gun slinging mentality Charlie Finley promoted for his team – many years ahead of his time. Jackson, with the classic “swing for the fences” bravado, epitomized the hard-nosed winning attitude.  Several of his future covers show the same grace at bat.  Very hard to pick up in “better than average” condition.  Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1962 Fran Tarkenton RC – This cover illustrates the skilled photography SI had even back in the early days of production. Nice action shot of one of the game’s greatest performers.  Unfortunately this one too is subject to a combination of poor quality ink and paper.  Hard to find above the grade of 7.0.   Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1968 Pete Rose RC – Great esthetics to this one. Another one of those first covers that seems to elude all but the most avid collectors.  Rose continues to enjoy unprecedented popularity so if you can find a newsstand version in decent condition, you’ll have a cover your friends will want to trade.   Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

8.  1969 Henry Aaron RC – Another late first appearance of a long time superstar.   As with the Clemente, nice copies of newsstand versions are more than rare.  Anything better than a 7.0 is a real find!  This issue is one of the most collectible in the grade of 8.0 or above due to the popularity of the player and the scarcity of the mag.  Currently 8.0 is the highest grade ever recorded by CGC.   Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1963 Cassuis Clay RC – Perhaps the most iconic, charismatic, and well known across the globe, Ali would grace the cover of SI over 30 times, but his 1963 first cover has risen in collectability almost as fast as the legend. Again, subject to poor quality printing, this cover, in newsstand version, is rare above the grade of 7.0.   Several 9.4’s and one 9.6 have turned up in recent months but if you can grab one reasonably priced at 8.0 or above, you’ll be glad you did!  Printed during SI’s “dark period”.

  1. 1960 Jim Brown RC – Same printing issues as the 59 Unitas. Extremely difficult to find – in fact only two of this issue have ever been submitted for grading!  Any newsstand version in reasonable condition is highly collectible.

 

 

Blog #1 – Ranking SI Covers

~ jwyllie

If you are receiving this blog, it is because you have expressed an interest in Sports Illustrated Magazines and we have done business together thru one of my public offering sites.  To unsubscribe, please return email me with your request.

 

Sports Illustrated Cover Rankings

If you are interested in a Sports Illustrated Vintage Cover Ranking relating to value and scarcity — copy and paste the link below to your browser and enjoy.  I will be following up on my ranking review, adding more covers and comments each week!

sportsillustrated98.blogspot.com

SportsIllustrated9.8 Blog – Series 1 – Ranking SI Covers

 

  1. Ranking SI Covers

6/9/2017

Graded Sports Illustrated are fast becoming a favorite with investors and serious collectors.  Why?  Graded pieces authenticate value much higher than their ungraded counterparts.  It’s also a neophyte part of the sports collecting industry where it’s still possible to own the highest graded issue of its kind for a fraction of future estimates. 

 

Inspired by Mark Humphries, Pitcards.Com, I have decided to build on his body of work with an informational series entitled – “Guide to Collecting Sports Illustrated – What You Need To Know!”

Although SI has long been light years ahead of its competition with regard to its award winning photography and feature sports writing, it is the image of their iconic covers that sticks to the brain.  It’s the part that most readers find so collectable.  Therefore, I think a great place to start my guide to SI collecting would be to put forth an analysis of my top 50 all-time covers.  Below is a chart ranking 5 catagories for each cover from 1-10 (with 1 being the least and 10 being the most) in a variety of collector interests – newsstand population scarcity, condition scarcity, cosmetics, collectability, and investment value.

 

Rank Year Newsstand Cover Newsstand Population Scarcity Condition Scarcity Cosmetics Collectability Investment Potential Total
1 1961 Roger Maris 9 10 10 9 10 48
2 1956 Mickey Mantle all pages 10 8 10 10 10 48
3 1959 Johnny Unitas 9 10 8 10 10 47
4 1967 Roberto Clemente 8 10 8 10 10 46
5 1969 Reggie Jackson 8 10 10 8 9 45
6 1961 Fran Tarkenton 8 10 9 9 9 45
7 1968 Pete Rose 7 9 9 10 10 45
8 1969 Hank Aaron 8 10 7 10 10 45
9 1963 Cassuis Clay 7 10 8 10 10 45
10 1960 Jim Brown 8 10 7 10 10 45
11 1962 Mickey Mantle 7 9 10 10 8 44
12 1961 Bart Starr 8 10 10 8 8 44
13 1955 Ted Williams 8 8 9 10 9 44
14 1964 Swimsuit 9 9 7 10 9 44
15 1965 Joe Namath 8 10 8 9 9 44
16 1965 Swimsuits (1965-1969) 9 9 7 10 8 43
17 1974 Hank Aaron 715 5 10 10 10 8 43
18 1970 Swimsuit 9 10 7 9 8 43
19 1960 Jack Nicklaus 8 10 8 8 9 43
20 1971 Swimsuits (1980-1989) 9 9 8 9 7 42
21 2002 Tom Brady The Natural 5 8 10 10 9 42
22 1954 Issue #2 8 10 4 10 10 42
23 1956 Warren Spahn 7 8 10 9 7 41
24 1981 Wayne Gretzky 5 8 9 10 9 41
25 1977 Larry Bird 5 9 8 9 10 41
26 1970  Steve Prefontaine 9 7 10 7 7 40
27 1955 Yogi Berra 8 9 8 8 7 40
28 1980 Olympic Hockey 5 7 10 10 8 40
29 2002 Tom Brady Amazing 5 8 9 10 8 40
30 1955 Al Rosen 8 9 8 7 8 40
31 1956 All-star Game 8 10 6 8 8 40
32 1955 Willie Mays 8 8 5 10 9 40
33 1983 Michael Jordan 7 9 5 10 9 40
34 1975 Ali Frazier 7 8 8 8 8 39
35 1974 Ali Foreman 7 8 8 8 8 39
36 1971 Ali Frazier 7 8 8 8 8 39
37 1955 Hogan 8 10 6 7 8 39
38 1956 Mantle WS 8 10 4 8 8 38
39 1996 Derek Jeter 5 6 10 10 6 37
40 1960 Arnold Palmer 5 10 4 9 8 36
41 1974 Julius Irving 7 8 8 6 6 35
42 2002 LeBron James 3 5 10 10 7 35
43 1983 Dan Marino 5 6 8 8 8 35
44 1982 Joe Montana 5 6 8 8 8 35
45 1982 John Elway 5 6 8 8 8 35
46 1996 Peyton Manning 5 6 6 8 8 33
47 1996 Bret Favre 5 5 8 8 5 31
48 1989 Jerry Rice 5 5 6 8 7 31
49 1954 #1 Issue 1 3 10 10 5 29
50 2007 Drew Brees 3 6 5 7 6 27

 

 

Below I’ve attached a pic and brief comment to the highest ranking 10.  I will continue to comment on the balance of the list in future blogs.

 

  1. 1961 Roger Maris with Ad Banner RC – Great action photo, extremely hard to find in excellent condition – if you can get one with the Ad Banner – you’ve got a good one. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t locate the condition you want.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

  1. 1956 Mickey Mantle RC – including pages 37 thru 40 – Finding a high grade 56 Mantle is tough enough but only a tenth of those will have the center four pages. Omitted in printing, the missing pages up the ante on this one.

  1. 1959 Johnny Unitas RC – The first Unitas cover was issued early in the dark era of Sports Illustrated production. Starting approximately in 1957 and running thru 1969 many SI covers are difficult to find in unmarked condition.  The ink seems to mark easily making this one of the most difficult SI to find above the grade of 6.0.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

  1. 1967 Roberto Clemente RC – Distinct color bands are cosmetic and great looking if you can find one that hasn’t been subjected to handling damage and/or printer errors. One of the most difficult covers to find above the grade of 7.0!  Unusual that his first cover would print so late in his career.  Currently 8.0 is the highest grade ever recorded by CGC.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

5.   1969 Reggie Jackson RC – I was an avid Oakland fan during this era and really liked the loud, colorful uniforms and the “mustachiod”, gun slinging mentality Charlie Finley promoted for his team – many years ahead of his time. Jackson, with the classic “swing for the fences” bravado, epitomized the hard-nosed winning attitude.  Several of his future covers show the same grace at bat.  Very hard to pick up in “better than average” condition.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

  1. 1962 Fran Tarkenton RC – This cover illustrates the skilled photography SI had even back in the early days of production. Nice action shot of one of the game’s greatest performers.  Unfortunately this one too is subject to a combination of poor quality ink and paper.  Hard to find above the grade of 7.0.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

 

  1. 1968 Pete Rose RC – Great esthetics to this one. Another one of those first covers that seems to elude all but the most avid collectors.  Rose continues to enjoy unprecedented popularity so if you can find a newsstand version in decent condition, you’ll have a cover your friends will want to trade.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

8.   1969 Henry Aaron RC – Another late first appearance of a long time superstar.   As with the Clemente, nice copies of newsstand versions are more than rare.  Anything better than a 7.0 is a real find!  This issue is one of the most collectible in the grade of 8.0 or above due to the popularity of the player and the scarcity of the mag.  Currently 8.0 is the highest grade ever recorded by CGC.  Printed during SI’s dark period.

 

 

 

 

  1. 1963 Cassuis Clay RC – Perhaps the most iconic, charismatic, and well known across the globe, Ali would grace the cover of SI over 30 times, but his 1963 first cover has risen in collectability almost as fast as the legend. Again, subject to poor quality printing, this cover, in newsstand version, is rare above the grade of 7.0.   Several 9.4’s and one 9.6 have turned up in recent months but if you can grab one reasonably priced at 8.0 or above, you’ll be glad you did!

  1. 1960 Jim Brown RC – Same printing issues as the 59 Unitas. Extremely difficult to find – in fact this issue has never had a copy submitted for grading!  Any newsstand version in reasonable condition is highly collectible.