SportsIllustrated9.8 Blog – Series 1 – Ranking SI Covers
- 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.
- 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”.
- 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.
- 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”.
- 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”.
- 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”.
- 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”.
- 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”.
- 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”.
- 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.
