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 1994 (made in 1995) Points Champion 1:64 car of Dale Earnhardt. Its made my White Rose Collectables and Matchbox. It is held in a clamshell style black box. On top of the box reads: Super Stars Awards. The car is gold with 7-Time Champion on the hood, 1994 on the rear decklid, and "Dale Earnhardt" written across the rear bumper. Under the top part of the box, is a picture of Earnhardt celebrating with a bottle of champagne. The base of the box where the car sits has three sections of words. The top left reads "Dale Earnhardt," the bottom right reads "7-Time Champion," and the bottom left reads "No.4." Everything in this package is very mint and there's no mention of production numbers anywhere.

So, my questions are: What is the worth of this car and since the part says No.4, how many are in this set?--Jeff Morrow

A: Jeff, the folks at White Rose turned out some neat pieces in the late 1980s and early '90s. And to be honest, they have never received the credit they deserve for stimulating interest in the die-cast hobby back in the early days. The car you have is a great collectible. It was a stand alone deal; there was no "No. 5" to follow. However, there were Super Stars promo cars to commemorate his sixth and seventh championships. Right now, I'd place the value at $40-50 for a mint piece.

Q: I have a Dale Earnhardt Oreo pedal car that was made in 2001. It was a promotional that Oreo did at markets. It was given to me by one of the oreo reps where I worked at Albertson's because they knew I love NASCAR. It is a plastic body pedal car still in the box. I was wondering its value. I would never sell it. But I am curious.--Ron Thuresson

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.

A: Ron, this is a nice piece for several reasons. Pedal cars are extremely collectible, with some fetching thousands of dollars on the collector market. The fact that it features Dale Earnhardt-and one of his special paint schemes-adds to the value. Also, as a promotional piece, it wasn't readily available to the public. The only thing that would be better-much better-is if it was made of metal instead of plastic. At any rate, I'd put the value at around $350-more to the right Earnhardt fanatic. This piece will definitely gain value in the future.

Q: I have a lithograph from the inaugural Brickyard 400. I had it framed and matted right after I received it. It is signed by both the artist and race winner Jeff Gordon. The artist signature appears to be "B Fuchs" or something close to that. It is in cursive so it is a bit tough to tell exactlyIt is numbered 374 of 400. Would you be able to give me an idea of what it would be worth now?-Chris

A: Another great item. That print represents an original artwork by world-renowned illustrator Bernie Fuchs. It also graced the cover of the inaugural Brickyard 400 souvenir program. With all due respect to the artist, in the NASCAR genre, the print would be worth more if it were painted by one of NASCAR's "Big Three" of motorsports art: Sam Bass, Garry Hill, or Jeanne Barnes. Still, with the autograph, I think it should be worth $200-300.

Q: I have a 200-card set of 1990 MAXX Race Cards that have never been opened. Could you give me a value to what it might be worth? People I talk to don't have a clue.--Ovid

A: There were several variations of this set: three different printings distributed in four different packages. The values are all the same though. Your set is worth $25-30.

Q: I have a Racing Champions 50th Anniversary 24K gold Reflections in Gold die-cast car. It is the No. 8 Circuit City car. Could you tell me what this might be worth?-Shirley

A: Yes, race fans, there was a No. 8 before Dale Jr. In fact, the Stavola Brothers used the number from 1984-1998. Shirley, your 1:24 scale car was produced in 1998, and the driver was Hut Stricklin. It is worth $20-25.

Q: I have a Racer's Choice Pinnacle Brand Dale Earnhardt trading card. The number is 27 and it says 1996 Rides on the front. It's in excellent condition and I was just wondering if it had any value.-Becky

A: A common card here. It is worth $1-2 in mint condition.

Q: I recently acquired a Jeff Gordon No. 24 Dupont etched glass car made by Action RCCA. I don't know the year. I was wondering if you knew how much it was worth. I appreciate your help.-MCJ

A: This car is part of Action's Crystal car series. I like these cars. But unfortunately, I must be in the minority, as they never quite caught on with collectors. Your car was made in 1999. It is worth $50-65.

Q: I have a 1999 Kenseth 1:64 Roush Racing limited edition DeWalt Ford Taurus car. It says 1 of 7,560 with certificate of authenticity. I got this from a DeWalt representative. Was this manufactured by DeWalt and what would this be worth?-- Bill.

A: This car was actually produced by Team Caliber. It is worth $25-30.

Q: I have recently acquired a 1998 Jeff Gordon 1/4 scale Chromalusion helmet made by Action. I was wondering if you could help me put a value to it.--Jamie Schell

A: You have one of the better helmets. You don't see these changing hands much anymore. Personally, I'd place the value at around $30-40.

Q: I have two 1:24 Dale Jr. Elite cars from 1999 that I bought several years back. They came in Elite cases and have all the features of the Elite cars except for the serial number plate on the bottom. The chassis on each does have 1999 and Action on it, but other than that there are no significant markings. I am trying to figure out whether these are prototypes or customs (i.e. counterfeit). I have recently seen some older Elites advertised on Ebay as prototypes, with the claim that they have no plates but they have the holes where the plates should go. (To me it seems that the plates have simply been removed.) On mine, where the plates should be, it is solid. Please help me out on this.-Karl

A: Karl, I am 99.9 percent sure that your cars are the Real McCoy. I have seen some legitimate samples/prototypes that had solid areas where the serial number plate is supposed to be. In fact, I have a special edition Elite that has a plate with the Action logo (without any screws or screw holes) where the serial plate should be. So I definitely think you're in good shape with your cars.