Q&A: Odds 'n' ends

One of the neat things about racing memorabilia is the fact that there are so many different items out there to collect. Here are responses to some of your inquiries about a variety of miscellaneous collectibles.

Q: I have the Dale Earnhardt Gold Card Collection by Sam Bass. 12 cards in all in a black leather case. How much are they worth? -SimplyNASCAR

A: I've heard of this set selling for $600-800 per set, but I've never actually seen them bring that much. What I'm seeing on eBay is individual cards selling for $25 apiece or less, which would come to around $300 per set. Still, I'd place the current collectible value of a set at $400-500.

EMAIL Got a collectible question? Email us! Please remember to be specific when describing a collectible -- manufacturer, year, etc. Limit your questions to two and check our archives before submitting an inquiry.

Q: I have a four-piece Richard Petty Pepsi Longneck bottle collection featuring his 200th win, 1000th start, four championships and 33 years in racing. What are they worth? -Mike

A: Still fairly easy to find, these are worth $3-5 each.

Q: I have a tan Earnhardt cap like the one he was frequently photographed in. Is this of value? -Bob

A: It's worth around $20.

Q: I have two Harry Gant Stock Car Racing Board Games. One has been opened but never used (every thing is there) and the other one has never been opened. There were only 1,000 of them made. The serial numbers of the board games are

464 of 1,000 and 564 of 1,000. They were made in 1993 and endorse by Harry Gant to help a missionary. If you can, please help me to find out what the value of these board games are. -Buck Norman

A: Now these are real collectibles! You seldom see these anymore. Personally, I'd place the value at $35-40 each in terms of collectibility.

Q: I have a replica of the car hood but is is only about 1/4 the actual size. It has Dale Earnhardt Jr standing beside his car in his racing suit and it is also autographed. How much do you think it is worth? --Porter

A: Those hoods are still easy to find. The hood itself is worth $100-125, add another $40-50 if it is a real signature, not screen-printed.

Q: I have a real serious question. When I was nine, I received a 1982 Dale Earnhardt race poster. It has been sealed ever since. The poster is of the Darlington Raceway Labor Day 1982 Southern 500 race. Dale is in his Wrangler yellow and blue No. 15 car. The poster is orange. It is signed Dale Earnhardt No. 15 at the bottom of the poster. Can you tell me what it is worth? --Ghostlight1978

A: Wrangler did similar posters promoting a number of races in 1982. The posters were the same; they just changed the race name and info on the poster. The signature is a facsimile, not an actual autograph. It's old. It's rare. It's Earnhardt. I'd put the value at around $75.

Q: I am writing for my father who is 80 years old. He has a collection of very old NASCAR rule books from the 1950s and '60s and is trying to find out the value if any of them. He also has a large collection of die-cast and old programs from most of the tracks in Southern California. Can you tell me if there is any value in any of these items and if so, where is the best place to sell them. Thanks for any help you can give me. --Patty and Bob

A: Those items definitely have value. With items like programs and rule books, a lot depends on who wants to buy them. I've seen vintage rule books sell for $10, and then later on see the exact same book sell for $75-100. Many people sell these type of collectibles on eBay, because it presents them to a huge audience. You can also advertise them in the classified section of racing publications. Either way, it might be a good idea to check out eBay to get a baseline as to what similar items are selling for.

Q: I recently saw a postcard that I'd never seen before, and I'm curious of the value. I heard it was extremely rare. It shows Dale Earnhardt's car being loaded onto a plane. Any information about where it came from and how much it's worth? -Doug

A: Excellent question. This card was produced in 1981 to promote Wrangler Aviation. It shows Earnhardt's No. 2 Pontiac (fielded by Rod Osterlund)being loaded into the cargo hold of an airplane. This is one of the rarest NASCAR postcards. It probably has a collectible value of around $300.

Q: I have several Budweiser steins. Are they valuable? -Donna

A: In a word... Yes! There is a huge market for Budweiser steins, whether they pertain to racing or not. The collector base is worldwide. NASCAR-themed Bud steins appeal to two different groups of collectors. Many are owrth hundereds of dollars.

Q: I have a postcard of NASCAR driver David Pearson in a dragster? I thought he only raced stock cars. What gives? -Gene

A: In 1965, Chrysler boycotted NASCAR over a rules dispute. The auto maker sent factory drivers Pearson and Richard Petty drag racing. Petty Enterprises campaigned a '65 Plymouth Barracuda dubbed "43 Jr." Meanwhile Pearson and car owner Cotton Owens hit the dragstrip in a Dodge Dart station wagon named "Cotton Picker." What you have is a coveted collectible among racing postcard collectors. It is worth $75-100.