Collectibles Q&A

NASCAR memoribilia collectors often have questions about the items they've accumulated. Here are our responses to some of your most recent inquiries:

Q: I have a 1999 Racing Champions The Originals 10th Anniversary, Issue Number 23, No. 99 "BRUCE LEE" car. How much is it worth? -- Luis Martinez

A: The real race car was driven by Jeff Burton. This particular die-cast is worth about $5.

Q: I have a DieHard 500 magazine dated April 26, 1998 and a Inside NASCAR magazine for May/June 1998. Both were purchased at Talladega Superspeedway and are in excellent shape. Are these mags worth anything? -- NASCAR48Fan

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A: The Talladega program is worth $10-15. The Inside NASCAR magazine is worth $5-8.

Q: I have hundreds of NASCAR die-cast cars that I received when my dad passed away. I have one car that my dad paid $15 for. It is a Dale Earnhardt Goodwrench Wheaties 1997 Monte Carlo Limited Edition. Its 1:64 scale stock car, and it has never been opened. How much is it worth? -- Nicole Nichols

A: There were several versions of this car. It's worth $25-50, depending on which variation you have.

Q: I have a 1:64 scale 1998 Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 3 AC Delco Monte Carlo Could you give me some info on this, and what u think it might be worth? -- Karen Morgan

A: Again, there were several variations and not enough info is given to ascertain which one you have. At any rate, the value would be $20-50, depending on the car.

Q: Back in 1998, I collected all 50 pieces of their "50 Years of NASCAR" set. It's the regular set, not the gold series. There is a different car to represent each year, and the back of each display card has some interesting facts about that particular year. The set is in excellent shape, as it has been in storage all this time. Any idea what the set might be worth? -- John Lynch

A: Good question here. Of course, "fantasy" cars seldom carry as much value as "driver" cars. All of these cars are worth $3-5 each.

Q: I have a Tony Stewart autographed Indy tire from the year he won the IRL Championship that has never been mounted on a car. I also have pictures and the article written about this tire. To my knowledge it is the only tire he autographed from an Indy car, do you have any suggestion on to what this tire would be worth? -- Jerome Bloom

A: This is a neat collectible. It would be worth a lot more if it was race-used, but I'd still appraise it for $75-100 based on the fact that it is so unique.

Q: If I wanted to start collecting NASCAR cards, should I make sure I buy ones that are from a certain manufacturer? Are certain manufacturers more collectable then others? -- Ra064

A: Well, if you're only interested in current year cards, the answer is pretty clear. Press Pass is the only game in town. The trading card division of RC2 Corporation is the only card maker currently active in NASCAR with its Press Pass and Wheels brands. If you are interested in older cards, the 1988 MAXX set is a great one, along with earlier Press Pass sets.

Q: I have a Jeff Gordon 1998 Steel Chariots sample card. I have been trying to find out how much it's worth. Can you please tell me the value? -- Daniel Lamontagne

A: This card is a sample of the Steel Chariots subset from the 1998 Maxximum set. It's worth $1-3.

Q: I have a No. 28 Texaco car that hangs on the wall. It's quite large and looks as if it's coming out of the wall. It also lights up at night. It's in mint condition and I can't find any information about its value. Can you help? -- Larry

A: Larry, back in the early 1990s, I saw two of these sold for $125 apiece and one for $150. However, the demand for them has softened considerably since then. Personally, I'd place the collectible value at $50-75, maybe $100 under extreme circumstances.

Q: I have a clock that is from Snap-On tools limited edition with Dale Earnhardt. It is about two feet tall. I was wondering what the value might be? -- Cinnimini

A: This clock was actually manufactured by JEBCO. It's one of the more valuable timepieces. It has a collectible value of $150-200.